Australian Bluegrass Bands

Have we got your band listed? Send details to editor@australianbluegrass.com.

The Barkers Vale Brothers	Since their formation in 2009 The Barkers Vale Brothers have delighted audiences Australia wide with their digestible mix of dry humour and high quality acoustic bluegrass music.Influenced by Bill Monroe, The Stanley Brothers, Flatt and Scruggs and many others, they play bluegrass, and some roots and swing.Gareth Bjaaland on the five string banjo does most of the talking whilst his younger brother Vaughan Davies on guitar often chimes in with wry comments and sly observation.Singing songs about murders, trains, cheese, women, animals and all things local, their complete dedication to the music and refusal to take themselves too seriously is warming and light hearted. The group hails from the Northern Rivers region of NSW.
Donal Baylor	Donal has played on the Australian music scene for many years as a sideman and as a bandleader. He has always loved the ‘classic’ sound of traditional music and his influences include the great players of the genres. He also considers himself fortunate to have played with many talented Australian singers and musicians, who have all helped in shaping his musical style. Donal is pleased to keep you posted about gigs and news – feel free to contact him.
Bluegrass Junction	This Adelaide-based band comprises musicians who share a lifetime’s passion for the music. They combine instrumental skills with strong, three-part harmonies driven by the foot-tapping rhythm of an acoustic bass.The band offers a tightly crafted repertoire of traditional songs arranged with reference to the original master versions. The band comprises Trevor Warner, Nick Cawthorne and brothers Geoff and John Bridgland, with guest bassist, James Sked. Trevor (Trev) is three times Australian bluegrass banjo champion and a superb bluegrass fiddler, with more than 40 years’ stage experience. Nick, one of South Australia’s best bluegrass guitarists, drives the rhythm on guitar, complemented by Geoff on banjo and John on mandolin.
Bluegrass Parkway	Bluegrass Parkway is currently celebrating the band’s 21st anniversary. They are the longest continuously performing bluegrass band in Australia. This milestone in Australian bluegrass history has seen the band play at many folk and country music festivals throughout Australia, New Zealand and the have also performed at festivals in the United States.What sets the band apart from others is the importance they have placed on presenting Bluegrass music in its most authentic form. Since early 1994, Bluegrass Parkway have performed around a single on stage microphone, as was the norm for the pioneers of the genre during the 1940s.The Band features Paul Duff – mandolin, Maria Duff – bass, Guy Paris – guitar, Mick O’Neill – banjo and Donal Baylor – fiddle.
BluGuru	BluGuru sounds like Jeff Beck meets Ravi Shankar on the set of ‘Oh! Brother Where Art Thou?‘ while dancing in Rio.Bluguru describes themselves as a twisting tail of Bluegrass gone Celtic/ Blues/ Swing/ Jazz/ Indian adventure, in all possible orders. Josh Bennett(Adelaide Fringe Award Nominee for Best Music) Parvyn Kaur Singh (sublime Voice & Indian Dance) & Andrew Clermont (3x Flat-pick Guitar Champ/ multi player and organiser) – Distilled from The Lawnmowers & The Supper Club (fringe to Tamworth CM Fest). Twin Guitars, Mandolin, 5 string Fiddle, plectral Banjo, sitar, dilruba, tabla, didgeribone & extensive harmonies and more
Bluestone Junction	Bluestone Junction’s sound is traditional bluegrass, but their repertoire includes original compositions, tunes by modern bluegrass ‘traditionalists’ such as the Johnson Mountain Boys, and of course classic compositions from bluegrass pioneers such as Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt, the Stanley Brothers and more. Bluestone Junction is Chris Jacobs on guitar, Mick Harrison on banjo, Mike St. Clair-Miller on double bass, Adam Gare on fiddle and mandolin and Pete Fidler on Dobro and mandolin. They perform as the music’s originators did, around a single valve powered large plate condenser microphone that accurately captures the complete performance without resorting to electronic trickery.
Bushfire Band	Bushfire is a trio featuring the distinctive banjo style of Rob Davis delivering traditional bluegrass to Beatle’s classics, Aussie bush dances to Paul Kelly, unaccompanied harmonies to whip cracking, country classics to Irish jigs, this is the versatility and uniqueness of Bushfire.Blend all of that with a “down to earth” Aussie style, mix in some of Dave Luxmoore’s fiddle, mandolin and guitar, some catchy originals by Tracey Davis and you start to get the feel of Bushfire. Bushfire features Rob Davis on banjo, Dave Luxmore on fiddle and Tracey Davis on bass.
Coolgrass	Coolgrass, is one of our more irreverent and colourful bluegrass bands.The line up has taken many shapes and forms over the past 10 years or so. Originally a five piece band, it dwindled almost overnight to a three piece band including Jim Golding on banjo, Doug Wallace on guitar and Peter Hisco on double bass and started playing gigs as a semi-serious outfit under the banner Coolgrass, Rhythm and Bluegrass.One of the most hilarious bands in the land, Coolgrass’s line includes Jim Golding on banjo, Doug Wallace on guitar, Bruce Packard on mandolin and Angus Golding on double bass.
Cripple Creek	Cripple Creek is an energetic acoustic foursome with stirring harmonies and instrumentals and a driving sound that plays songs from spine tingling ballads to toe tapping breakdowns in a unique blend of bluegrass and alt-country.This Adelaide Bluegrass (and alt country) band features John Hyland on Dobro, Henk Groot on guitar, Kev Smiff on bass and Ron Williams on banjo.
The Davidson Brothers	Hamish and Lachlan Davidson do many recording sessions and regularly perform live on national television. Highlights include Hey, Hey Its Saturday, The Panel, Good Morning Australia and playing on The Man From Snowy River soundtrack. The pair have toured with Troy Cassar-Daley, Lee Kernaghan and shared the stage with superstars such as Tommy Emmanuel, Kasey Chambers and Jimmy Barnes.After a total of six nominations in the Australian Country Music Awards since 2004 (aka the Golden Guitars), the Davidson Brothers finally won their first Golden Guitar in 2009 for Best Instrumental (Left Hand Drive). At this point in their career Hamish was 25 years old and Lachlan was 24. They also won Best Instrumental in the Independent Australian Country Music Awards in 2004, 2005, 2007 & 2009.
Fat Chance & the Bluegrass Playboys	Fat Chance and the Bluegrass Playboys formed in November 2008 and have appeared at Harrietville, Girgarre Moosic Muster, The Basin Music Festival and Newport Folk Festival, Beechworth Kelly Country Pick, Whittlesea Country Music Festival, Apollo Bay Music Festival and National Music Festival.They play an assortment of songs, but all with a bluegrass twist to them. You’ll hear some trad bluegrass, but also some pop songs done in the bluegrass idiom, some cowboy and C&W songs, some blues and a few novelty songs. The lineup is Andrew Barcham on banjo, Don Gula on bass and harmonica, David Aumann on mandolin and Jim Golding on guitar.
Hardrive Bluegrass Band	Hardrive Bluegrass Band is one of Australia’s favourite bluegrass bands featuring high-lonesome vocals and great instrumentals from a traditional line-up of Peter Scholtz on banjo,Nick Dear fiddle/mandolin, Lachlan Dear on guitar and Matt Ryan on double bass Hardrive plays original Australian songs and tunes in a traditional bluegrass style. The band has recently won the Victorian and National Country Music Awards Bluegrass and Traditional Country Music Award for their fourth album ‘Lightning’.
High Lonesome	Lying somewhere between Folk, Country and Bluegrass, High & Lonesome have a distinct rootsy feel which pays homage to some of the influences the band members have come under over the years, with echoes of many country and bluegrass heroes.High & Lonesome features Chris Ellis on guitar and Mark Wardle on banjo.
Innes Campbell and Present Company	Featuring 2009 Tamworth National Guitar Champion, Innes Campbell on guitar, Luke Moller on mandolin, Mark Webber on bass, George Jackson on fiddle.
John Flanagan and the Begin Agains	John Flanagan and the Begin Agains blend traditional Americana style with deeply honest Australian storytelling to create a simple yet expressive style of bluegrass/folk music. Influenced by Alison Krauss and Nickel Creek, this four-piece Melbourne band has a unique sound with warm, crystal clear harmonies and delicate acoustic textures.John has been performing as a singer/songwriter since 2004 and was a 2010 Toyota Star Maker finalist. In 2008 he joined with members of The Melbourne Bluegrass Project to form The Begin Agains, recording his debut solo album Meet Me In Between. The band features, Jane Patterson, Andy Zito and Mark Zito.
The O’Donnells	The O’Donnells are part of the new generation of Australian Bluegrass, exciting audiences with their unique family harmonies and high energy traditional acoustic music. The band features parents John and Wendy with John Jnr, Jacqui and Katelyn. The band is Overall Group and Senior Winners of the 2009 QLD Country Music Festivals Champion of Champions.
The Original Snakeskins.	Combining elements of country,folk and bluegrass , the Original Snakeskins play toe tapping tunes with soaring three part harmonies. Hailing from Melbourne , this band was formed in 2000 and has released three CDs. They compose and perform in the true spirit of the greats of the forties and fifties . The band comprises of Anne Unger vocals, Steve Raw Hyde on double bass, Drew Fingers Gallus on guitar and Dobro, Alan Prickles Rose on harmonica, and Andrew Dr. Feelgood Langton on banjo and mandolin.
The Redlands Bluegrass Boys	The Redlands Bluegrass Boys was formed in 1998 by a group of enthusiastic acoustic musicians based at the Redlands Modern Country Music Club.The group features Allen McMonagle on guitar and fiddle, Neil Wills on mandolin and guitar, Fred Hudson banjo, Bill Turner on guitar and Tom Stekinga on double bass. The band specialises in great vocal harmonies and they play a wide range of bluegrass influenced music and between them have been involved in many different forms of music including country, country rock and Australian bush bands.
Seagrass	Seagrass is an all original Tasmanian bluegrass band that have been together since 2006. Their goal is to develop a sound that is uniquely Seagrass. Their style of music is best described as a merge of acoustic blues and traditional bluegrass. The songs are original pieces that combine vocal harmonies with melodic guitar/mandolin styles.The band consists of : Mark Phillips on bass, Tim Saunders on banjo, guitar and bottleneck guitar and Rowlie Walker on mandolin. Tim Saunders and Rowlie Walker are both avid song writers, constantly expanding their writing and arrangement styles.
The Sheepdogs	The sheepdogs are a trio of musicians playing music that is fun, energetic and acoustic.The members of the sheepdogs are: Stephen Treloar – Mandolin, Lee Wilson – Resonator Guitar, Colin Thorne – Guitar. The sheepdogs play regular gigs on the Sunshine Coast with more occasional appearances in Brisbane and other locations in south-east Queensland. Formed several years ago to pursue a mutual enjoyment of string band music from the 1930′s through to the present day, the sheepdogs, drawing on inspiration from bluegrass, western swing, early jazz and honky-tonk artist, have evolved a sound that is all their own.
The Stringbeans	The Stringbeans from Melbourne area a contemporary bluegrass band and play some blues, swing and some country music.The band features Wendy Jackson on rhythm guitar and harmonica, Leo Kahans on fiddle and mandolin, Don Gula on double bass, and Geoff Wright on banjo, mandolin and dobro. Other musicians are often invited to join our performances, varying our line up to always be adaptable and innovative.
The Strzelecki Stringbusters	The Strzelecki Stringbusters (The Stringbusters) is a 14 piece string band, featuring guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, fiddle, double bass and harmonica. The group plays many styles of music from bluegrass and western swing to country and the blues.The band members live, work and play in the hills around the Strzelecki Ranges in Victoria’s Gippsland. They play a large number of local events in support of their wider community.
The Wilson Pickers	The Wilson Pickers play banjo, fiddle, harmonica and acoustic guitar-based songs that draw on bluegrass, folk, country among other styles.The band members hail from the north and south and features, from Victoria, Sime Nugent on harmonica and vocals; and John Bedggood on fiddle, mandolin and vocals; and from Queensland, Danny Widdicombe on guitar and vocals; Ben Salter on banjo and vocals and Andrew Morris on guitar and vocals. All have successful music careers outside of the Pickers.The Wilson Pickers debut album Land Of The Powerful Owl was nominated for an ARIA Award in the Best Blues & Roots Album category in 2009.