Big Mountain

Big Mountain is an American reggae band formed in 1986 in San Diego, California, led by vocalist Joaquin “Quino” McWhinney. The band rose to international fame with their reggae cover of Peter Frampton’s “Baby, I Love Your Way,” which became a major hit in 1994, reaching No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on the Mainstream Top 40, and No. 2 in the UK. Originally evolving from earlier groups called Rainbow Warriors and Shiloh, the band adopted the name Big Mountain in 1991, inspired by a Native American reservation in Arizona. Their breakthrough came with the debut album Wake Up (1993) and the charting single “Touch My Light.” After significant lineup changes, Big Mountain released Unity (1994), which achieved widespread success, selling over a million copies worldwide. Songs like “Sweet Sensual Love” and “Get Together” further expanded their global reach, and the band performed at major reggae events including Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, drummer and producer Paul “Groove Galore” Kastick played a key role in shaping the band’s sound across multiple albums. After a decade of heavy touring, Big Mountain went on hiatus in 2005, with Quino briefly working as a high school teacher. The band reunited periodically before officially reforming in 2013 with a refreshed lineup. In 2016, they released Perfect Summer, their first studio album in 14 years. Today, Big Mountain continues to perform and record, maintaining their legacy as one of the most successful reggae crossover acts to emerge from the United States.