Hi! My name is Big Water!


I was big when I was little, 22" at birth, 5' 11" when I was 12 and now am close to 6' 5" when I stand up straight. I've always been big and I've always been loud, things are no different now. I've been singing since I can't remember and bought my first guitar when I was 26 and living in Germany. I sing, I write, I am a maker of art, I build, I teach, I learn, I travel, I live hard and most of all I love, everything!

I don't always like everything and know that life isn't always fun, but I'm a moronic optomist and see the plus in all. I get my name from my time in Lake Tahoe, CA and the local Washoe Indian translation of 'Tahoe', meaning 'Big Water'. I think life is a practice, a discipline that is beauty in motion that I meant to go and run and jump and play in. I know that I'm alive and I'm here to say, 'What up?' and 'How are you?'. 'My name's Big Water, what's yours?'


Big Water is an artist, educator, producer, songwriter and most of all a singer with a voice like liquid gold. As a one man show or backed by his band, his original music is a gift of heart and soul that blends folk, country, and blues with beautiful melodies and grooving rhythms. Five CD’s, LOOK, LISTEN, AND FEEL (2001), LIFE ON EARTH (2005), IN THE GARDEN (2007), WHUT!? (2015) and recently released, MY DEEP (2018), all let you in on how this man views the hope and the hurt of the human experience. Big Water calls Portland, Oregon his Base Camp and has toured and traveled the world carrying love, music, and fun to all generations everywhere he goes. From sometimes ‘singing for his supper’, to playing festivals with other artists or doing creativity workshops with kids in schools, this artist is dedicated to his craft and to the shared experience between performer and audience. Big Water is a solid and seasoned artist to keep your eyes on with his ‘get under your skin and into your heart’ song writing style. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself singing along on his songs whether you know them or not.
Big Water is a feel good artist that shines on your spirit,
soothes your soul, and heals your heart.  
Big Heart, Big Mind,
Big Water.

Stops and venues...

I have been most fortunate to travel and play music for the last 29 years and have been back and forth across the country many times. Stops include: Telluride Bluegrass Festival; NedFest; Yarmony Grass; High Sierra Music Festival; Bluebird Cafe, Nashville, TN; New York City, NY; Key West, FL; Taylor Elementary School, Grand Junction, CO; Big Sky, MT; N Lake Tahoe, CA; The Cavern Club, Liverpool, England, Venice, Italy, Cairo, Egypt; Numerous Radio and TV performances and much more!

This, is Big Water!


"I am Big Water, Big Water is me.
I am the ocean, the clouds, the lake, the river, pond and creek.
I am the mountains, the valleys, the desert, the animals, plants and trees.
I am Earth. I am Sky. I am Soul.
I am Life. I am Death. I am Truth.
I am Love.
Blessed and honored to be here,
I am all things, all the time.
I am Big Water, Big Water is me."

R. C. Selvaggio