2026 Mountaingrass Update #2

Performer Additions To 2026 Mountaingrass.

The Stompkats:

The Stompkats, Steve Vassallo (mandolin and vocals) and Marcel Chaloupka (guitar and vocals), will be at Mountaingrass 2026 performing songs from the early 20th century. With raw acoustic driving rhythms, hard’n fast Bluegrass gutbucket rhythm and blues and high lonesome singing? StompKats will take you on a journey when life was a little simpler.

Reminiscent of twangin country and Delta sounds of the good ol’ days, the Stompkats will make you want to get up and stomp when you join their journey and get back to traditional roots where vocal harmony and instrument are unadulterated by technology, and where songs come from the heart.

Oh Gibson:

Back at Mountaingrass in 2026 will be Oh Gibson, taking cues from the second wave of Bluegrass in the ’80s. Years of mutual admiration between banjoist Elwood Sze and guitarist/singer Tom Kendall have resulted in this long-awaited collaboration. Now in their third year of gigging as a quartet, they’ve added James Taylor and Duncan Stephen into the mix on bass and mandolin respectively.

Elwood Sze began playing banjo 2016 and counts Scott Vestal, Dennis Caplinger, Craig Smith and JD Crowe amongst his biggest influences. His Stelling banjo was signed by Bill Monroe himself.

Tom Kendall (vocals and guitar) delivers faithful renditions of classic material with the right amount of twang. As a flat picker he tips his hat to the work of Norman Blake, Tony Rice, Doc Watson.

James Taylor brings in years of experience and will be a familiar face to folks through his work with Redfish and other Bluegrass acts. He is known for his powerful backing vocals and exuberant stage energy. He loves a good late night picking session.

Duncan Stephen is the newest addition on his Ray Black mandolin and brings a powerful chop and some fine singing to their performances.

There is a specific kind of honesty in bluegrass that you just can’t fake. Geese Fly South grew out of a shared desire to keep that honesty alive in our corner of the world. A Bega Valley (NSW) band that values the history of the genre, they play the songs they love, and strive to play them the way they were intended to be played. They aim to offer a bit of the authentic Bluegrass experience to whomever is listening.

Geese Fly South:

Geese Fly South will be at Mountaingrass 2026 with sets that are a collection of the standards and stories that define the genre, and a few originals played with a respect for the tradition and a genuine appreciation for the community that keeps it alive.

They’re not here to reinvent the wheel, they’re just here to help keep it turning.

The Old Crossroads:

Back at Mountaingrass in 2026 will be The Old Crossroads, a five-piece bluegrass band that brings a full and vibrant sound reminiscent of the Bluegrass performed by its founders. The group, led by Ashton Edgley on guitar, strives to deliver the classics and deep cuts of the genre across the 50’s and 60’s inclusive of high paced instrumentals and powerful high and lonesome harmonies.

The Old Crossroads has put in the time and effort to best research and match the sounds and delivery of straight down the line bluegrass. With seasoned members in Mick Harrison, one of Australia’s most renowned banjo players and Bruce Packard holding the band down on bass, they provide a wall of sound. Justin Vilchez, Monroe mandolin extraordinaire keeps the offbeats well punctuated and the breaks filled with southern flavour while Jess Jessop plays the long bow fiddle backup and breaks.

With a deep love for this traditional style, The Old Crossroads have delighted many audiences across Victoria and share their passion for bluegrass with audience members alike.

John Boothroyd:

John Boothroyd sings and plays Old-Time songs and tunes using guitar and banjo. Apart from solo performances, he has been a member of several string bands over the years and has also performed in England and America. At Mountaingrass 2026 we will enjoy his varied repertoire, and interesting song introductions.

His first solo album Still Rollin’ On features a mixture of traditional songs and tunes, and several original banjo and guitar instrumentals.

A well-known and respected singer and clawhammer banjo and guitar instrumentalist around Melbourne dating back to the folk revival of the late 1960s John has since remained true to the spirit of Old-Time music as a celebrated performer and teacher.

Craig Woodward & Donal Baylor

This exciting new duo will be at Mountaingrass 2026 with their shared passion for American Old-time Stringband and traditional Southern dance and social music.

Veteran Australian Bluegrass, Western Swing and Old-Time guitarist, banjo player and fiddler extraordinaire Donal Baylor (Dance Hall Racketeers, Baylor Bros, Slim Dusty Band, Rhiz and the Sugarplums) is joined by Melbourne based multi- instrumentalist and traditional Roots’ music specialist Craig Woodward (Headbelly Buzzard, Flying Engine Stringband, The ‘Johnny Can’t Dance’ Cajun Band, Woodward & Rough).

This dynamic duo will perform a dynamic mix of hard driving clawhammer banjo and fiddle duets, breakdowns, rags & reels, hypnotic twin fiddling, mountain blues and ballads, Cajun and creole two-steps, waltzes and stomps from the swamps.