Greg McGrath

Missy Raines – Royal Traveller

22 Sep, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

With her new studio album, Royal Traveller, award-winning bassist Missy Raines comes into her own as a vocalist and songwriter on a collection of songs that reflect the vast scope of her musical vision.

The album’s title track is a nod to Missy’s many years of dedication to her craft and the challenges she’s encountered pursuing an itinerant musician’s life. Co-written with Ed Snodderly, the idea for the song came to Raines as she was driving alone through a snowstorm. She reached for her trusty travel tote, a vintage makeup case with the words Royal Traveller engraved on the handle, and felt the power — and irony — of those words speaking directly to her. Over the years and miles, Raines has become a true icon in bluegrass music. But her solo projects have found her exploring other musical avenues, delving into indie folk, jam grass and jazz-leaning material. With Royal Traveller, Raines corrals these influences into a project that illustrates the full range of her musicality.

The album’s first single, Swept Away, is a neo-bluegrass affair written by Laurie Lewis that features the “First Ladies of Bluegrass” – Missy, Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull, Becky Buller, and the album’s producer, Alison Brown. All four women were the first in the history of the International Bluegrass Music Association to win “Instrumentalist of the Year” awards on their respective instruments.

Other stand-out tracks include a cover of Bonnie Raitt’s song Fearless Love featuring Tim O’Brien on lead and harmony vocals and the legendary Dan Dugmore on lap steel, and Goodbye Virginia penned by Missy’s occasional tour mate Robbie Fulks, which features lead and harmony vocals from The Steel Wheels’ Trent Wagler. The iconic bassist’s instrumental chops are highlighted on the album’s sole instrumental track, a re-working of the classic Flatt and Scruggs-era bass and banjo duet, Little Darlin, Pal of Mine featuring fellow upright bass legends Todd Phillips and Mike Bub. Other guests on the album include Claire Lynch, Amy Ray (Indigo Girls), 10 String Symphony, Stuart Duncan, Ethan Ballinger, Bryan McDowell and many more.

Swept Away also earned two IBMA Award nominations for “Recorded Event of the Year” and “Song of the Year.” The awards take place in Raleigh, NC on September 27th, 2018.

Tickets – 5th Annual Foggy Mountain Music Festival

19 Sep, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

The 5th Annual Foggy Mountain Music Festival has tickets available now featuring a weekend full of music. Supporting the community of Kinglake..

The Festival is held on 12th, 13th and 14th October 2018. Various festival ticket packages and full details are available online.

Friday Night Bush Dance will include an auction fundraiser to support Rotary Club of Kinglake Ranges Project ‘Defence Driving Course for Young Drivers’.

A bush dance will also be held at the Kinglake Community Centre Basketball Stadium.

Crooked Road off to Kiwigrass

8 Sep, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Another Aussie band are off to New Zealand for the first Kiwigrass Festival in February next year.

Crooked Road are the latest Aussie offering for the festival with their songs about “trains, whisky, death, relativity, love, despair, roadkill, rain and lost car keys… ” to quote one of the band members.

With various bands the members of Crooked Road have made 13 albums, many TV and radio shows and several national and international tours. Bluegrass, folk, country, gospel-their influences all come out in harmony-driven originals and a few pieces by their favourite musicians.
Formerly with Old South Bluegrass, Crooked Road are Phill Parker on guitar Andrew Hook on mandolin, Leonard Cohen on Dobro and David Taylor bass.

Phill sings in the folk, country and bluegrass traditions, playing with The Bill Chambers Band, Country Comfort, Shut Up and Deal, Highly Strung and The Bridgland Brothers. His song To Keep You Near won the 2018 SCALA lyrics award out of 200 entries world-wide.

Andrew immersed himself in the bluegrass genre playing professionally with The Rank Strangers, Paul Wookey, The Buckshot Boogie Band, Dingo Ridge and Grass Roots.

Leonard fell into folk and bluegrass and played professionally with the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band and then with The Skillet Lickers.

Dave grew up on a diet of Beatles, Stones, Pacemakers, 60s pop, Daddy Cool, Chain, and Axiom. He played in community choirs, ukulele group Savoir Plunk, and now plays country/folk, bluegrass and retro pop.

Bluegrass Parkway to Play Kiwigrass

1 Sep, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Bluegrass Parkway will be appearing at Kiwigrass in February. Now in their 30th year, Bluegrass Parkway are the longest continuously performing bluegrass band in Australia. They have played at dozens of folk and country music festivals throughout Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The band has been past favourites on the Australian-based Bluegrass Cruise.

Bluegrass Parkway band members place a great deal of importance on presenting Bluegrass music authentically; performing around a single on-stage microphone. Indeed this was the norm for the pioneers of the genre during the 1940s.

Band members are frequent presenters of harmony workshops, as their skill in this area is beyond compare, and each band member is a skilled harmony singer and teacher. The Band features Paul Duff on mandolin, Maria Duff on bass, Wayne Perry on guitar, Mick O’Neill on banjo and Donal Baylor on fiddle.

Kiwigrass – February 2019

31 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath 1 Comment

New Zealand’s Pipi Pickers are currently engaged in bringing New Zealand a full-scale all-bluegrass festival in February next year. It’s been almost 50 years since the last Banjo Pickers Convention in Hamilton. Kiwigrass is scheduled for 1st to 3rd February 2019 in Hamilton, New Zealand and aims to celebrate all of Bluegrass Music has to offer.

To stay in touch and learn more, check out www.kiwigrass.nz. Join the mailing list there, and follow them on Facebook. We are told that the line-up is looking outstanding with the headline act already secured with The Lonely Heartstring Band.

The Lonely Heartstring Band wowed New Zealand audiences last year when they headlined at the Auckland Folk Festival and then toured around the country, with sell-out show after sell-out show. Their unparalleled stage presence and skill left audiences speechless and hungry for more. The boys from Boston have been hard at work on a new album, adding to their already stellar repertoire. In addition to concerts, these Berklee School of Music trained musicians will be leading workshops in their instruments.

Kiwigrass is brought to you with the support of the Australasian Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association.

Where to Catch The Pipi Pickers This Spring

31 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

It’s not often we get to deliver some news from across the Tasman but on this occasion here is a gig list from the Pipi Pickers in New Zealand.

8 September 2018: Wellington Bluegrass Society, Petone, Wellington
26 September 2018: Sawmill Brewery, Matakana. 5-8pm.
9-11 November 2018: Mountaingrass, Beechworth, Victoria, Australia
7 December 2018 Katikati Folk Club, Katikati.

We also spend a lot of time organising our local folk club at the Whangateau Hall. If you haven’t been to a concert at our hall, you really should come around and have a listen. It’s a beautiful old wooden hall with perfect acoustics, and the friendliest locals you could imagine! We’ve grown a reputation world-wide as a “must play” stop for international touring musicians. You never know who you’re going to see – Jenine Abarbanel.

Hamilton County Bluegrass Band

30 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Digging through some emails today I found this bit of history, sent to me by Ron McConnell from the USA. He is a Hamilton County Bluegrass Band fan, as are many of us.

The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band were a group of musicians from the Auckland, New Zealand and Hamilton area who formed a group to play mainly folk and bluegrass music. It all started for them when Alan Rhodes and Paul Trenwith, from Hamilton, started trying to emulate the sounds of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs of the Blue Grass Boys from Kentucky. Dave Calder, also from Hamilton, but attending Auckland University at the time, heard them playing and he joined the pair, playing mandolin. They played together as the Muleskinners at the Massey University Arts Festival in 1966.

Colleen Bain, a classical violinist and student at Hamilton Teachers College, met members of the group in 1967, and soon after was able to produce the bluegrass fiddle sound.

Len Cohen and Sandy McMillin were added to complete the original line-up of the group, although they still had not agreed on a name for the band. Later that year they became known as The Hamilton County BLuegrass Band or HCBB.

Tex Morton persuaded them to move to Australia, in 1971 and they became very well know through their extensive touring with Slim Dusty.

The tune that many consider to be the signature tune of the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, is “Orange Blossom Special”. This tune was recorded in Sydney in 1975 and the line-up had changed somewhat by then. Colleen, Paul and Graham were still there, but new to the band by then was Anne Kirkpatrick on bass and Colin Watson on guitar.

The band basically folded at the end of 1975 when Paul and Colleen left. A final album was released by Axis in 1978 called “Orange Blossom Special”.

The band featured:

Alan Rhodes (guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals)
Paul Trenwith (banjo and vocals)
Dave Calder (mandolin, guitar and vocals)
Colleen Trenwith (fiddle and vocals)
Len Cohen (guitar and vocals)
Sandy McMillin (bass)

Manjimup Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Weekend 2018

30 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Manjimup Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Weekend – September 21st – 24th, 2018.

Festival Organisers have advised that the workshop programme for this year’s festival is now up on their web page. The workshops feature Ashlee Watkins, Andrew Small and Jeremy Marcotte.

Tickets to the Saturday night concert with The New Macedon Rangers with Jeremy Marcotte supported by Doug and Cletus are available from this link.

If you haven’t registered your group to perform at one of the weekend’s performances. Click here to register.

The festival programme is still in development and will be posted to the website when completed.

There will be venues allocated for you to jam at your own speed – fast, slow and intermediate.

If you want to take part in slow jams and get a bit of a look at the tunes you’ll be doing in the jams with Tom Francas, send him an email.

1999 De Gruchy Concert Guitar

29 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

For Sale:

Cutaway dreadnought body style with inbuilt L.R. Baggs bridge transducer pickup.

This instrument features:

Sitka spruce top
Indian Rosewood back and sides
Brazilian mahogany neck
Ebony fingerboard and bridge
New Zealand Pāua shell inlays in neck, around rosette and guitar top
25-inch (63.5cm) scale, 1.75-inch (43mm) nut width
Gotoh tuners
Original TKL (made in Canada) hardshell case in mint condition

This guitar was built for me by the late Bryan De Gruchy and it is in original condition except for some minor scratches and tiny dents in the top and heel.

The sound of the guitar has really opened up over the years and it really has some volume. Several Adelaide players have commented that “this is one of the best DeGruchy guitars that they have played”.

This is a reluctant sale, but this guitar needs to be played and therefore it needs a new owner.

No trades or low-ball offers please.

Asking: $3,500.00

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Pinecastle Releases Sister Sadie II

28 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

IBMA’s “Emerging Artist of the Year” nominee Sister Sadie is back with their latest album, Sister Sadie II, and now on sale. This new project serves as the all-star female group’s sophomore collection, released on Pinecastle Records. Fans can buy the Sister Sadie II album here.

Sister Sadie features world-renowned musicians Dale Ann Bradley, Tina Adair, Gena Britt, Deanie Richardson, and Beth Lawrence, These women originally got together after playing a sold-out show at Nashville’s Station Inn. Following that hype, the women decided to come together as a band and record music under the name Sister Sadie. They have continued to turn heads in the industry.

Sister Sadie is an inspiring musical collaboration bringing together some of the best women bluegrass music has ever claimed – Alison Krauss.

Sister Sadie II features 12 new recordings. Standout moments on the album include the feel-good song No Smoky Mountains, which features Dale Ann Bradley singing lead. The banjo-driven track talks about how difficult and complicated love can be. Another highlight includes the empowering ballad, I’m Not A Candle in the Wind, which showcases the group’s softer side, with one-of-a-kind harmony vocals.

Fans were treated to the lead single, Losing You Blues earlier this year. The track debuted at No. 14 on the Bluegrass Today Airplay Chart, and continues its upward climb. Written by Tina Adair and Doug Bartlett, Losing You Blues spotlights Adair’s powerhouse vocals, along with the group’s tight harmonies. The official video for the song is set to premiere on The Bluegrass Situation, where fans will be given an exclusive first-look.

Continuing on from their monumental year, Sister Sadie, head to Raleigh in North Carolina at the end of September for the annual IBMA Awards. The powerhouse band are finalists in the category for Emerging Artist of the Year. In addition, Sister Sadie member Dale Ann Bradley is also nominated for Female Vocalist of the year, an award she’s won on five separate occasions. The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame member is also nominated for Recorded Event of the Year with her Vince Gill duet, I’ll Just Fly Away, also released via Pinecastle Records. Raleigh’s Ride (written by Gena Britt) is also being used by IBMA as a soundtrack for marketing and upcoming World of Bluegrass festivities. The IBMA Awards are set to take place on 27th September in Raleigh, N.C. at the Duke Energy Centre for the Performing Arts.

Sister Sadie II Track Listing:

1. Losing You Blues
2. No Smoky Mountains
3. Something To Lose
4. Raleigh’s Ride
5. I’m Not A Candle In The Wind
6. Since I Laid My Burden Down

7. Jay Hugh
8. It’s You Again
9. 900 Miles
10. Morning Sky
11. Love Has No Pride
12. Washed My Face In The Morning Dew

Some More Information about this Amazing Band – Sister Sadie:

Dale Ann Bradley – Five-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year, on vocals and guitar. She tours with her namesake the Dale Ann Bradley Band.
Tina Adair – Talented and soulful vocalist and mandolinist who has been a female vocalist nominee and fronted her own touring band the Tina Adair Band for over 20 years. www.tinaadair.net
Deanie Richardson – A charismatic fiddler who has performed with Bob Seger, The Chieftains, Vince Gill, and Patty Loveless. www.deanierichardson.com
Gena Britt – An in-demand banjo player known for playing with several critically acclaimed bands over the years including Alan Bibey & Grasstowne and Lou Reid and Carolina.
Beth Lawrence – A well-known and respected acoustic bass player in demand as a session player. She is also the comedian of the stage show.