Events

Red Tail Ring To Play Mountain Pickers Assoc.

25 Feb, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Red Tail Ring feature Michigan-based artists Laurel Premo and Michael Beauchamp. They create intricate arrangements of original folk music and traditional ballads with banjo, fiddle, guitar, and their vocal harmonies.

The very best of the 21st century’s minimalist and highly original folk music… A peerless duo.” – American Roots UK.
Fresh off their fourth full-length studio release, Fall Away Blues, Premo and Beauchamp are re-imagining Americana music with pure soul – The Steel Wheels.

With special guests The Colvin Brothers It will be a beautiful night of harmonies and soulful playing.

When: Tuesday March 5th
Time: 7:30
Where: Ferntree Gully Bowling Club, Glenfern Rd, Ferntree Gully.
Cost: Entry $25/$22 and $20 for MPA Members –

For table bookings call 03 9753 5888

2019 Mountain Pickers Association Program

20 Feb, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

News from the Mountain Pickers Association of Victoria

Here is a schedule of events for the Mountain Pickers Association for 2019.

Tue Feb 26th	The Western Flyers (US) – Western Swing all the way from Texas	Ferntree Gully Bowling Club
Tue Mar 5th	Red Tail Ring (US) – A modern take on old-timey from Michigan USA	Ferntree Gully Bowling Club
Mar 15-17th	The Great Alpine Pick	Old Priory, Beechworth
Tue Mar 26th	Front Porch – Bluegrass with a difference, it’s got a trombone	Ferntree Gully Bowling Club
Tue Apr 30th	Appalachian Stringband – Australian take on Old-Timey music	Ferntree Gully Bowling Club
Tue May 7th	Flats and Sharps (UK) – The best bluegrass band in the UK, young, fast and fiery	Ferntree Gully Bowling Club
Tue May 28th	The Cherry Pickers (SA) – Playing bluegrass their way, great covers and originals	Ferntree Gully Bowling Club
Tue Jun 25th	The Prairie Kings – Western Swing for fun	Ferntree Gully Bowling Club
Tue Jul 30th	Kim Wheeler & Roadside Holiday – CD Launch – Beautiful songs, beautiful harmonies, beautiful playing	Ferntree Gully Bowling Club
Tue Aug27th	The Stetson Family -Award winning Americana band	Ferntree Gully Bowling Club
Tue Oct 29th	Montgomery Church – A beautiful duo playing beautiful songs.	Ferntree Gully Bowling Club
Tue Nov 25th	The Mountain Pickers Christmas Show.	Ferntree Gully Bowling Club

Cripple Creek at Cobbs Hill Estate

21 Jan, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Cripple Creek will be playing this Sunday (27th Jan) from 1:00pm-5:00pm. They are playing at the Cobbs Hill Estate winery at 382 Swamp Road, Oakbank SA 5243. They are also on Facebook.

Some of the band members visited the venue a few weeks ago and say it is a truely lovely picnic setting with a lake, lush grass and huge trees for shade as well as an undercover terrace in a heritage setting. The Cobbs Hill Estate was one of the original Cobb and Co staging locations.

As well as tastings, wines can be purchased by the glass and beer is also available too. Of course delicious food is also offered including vegetarian and as the weather is looking perfect so it should be a terrific day.

If you are really in the mood the weekend is part of the Adelaide Hills Crush festival.

South Australia Jam Underway for 2019

16 Jan, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

The Semaphore Jam Session in South Australia is back up and running for 2019. The Jam Session is the First Sunday of the Month at: Semaphore RSL Club, 10 Semaphore Road, Semaphore.

The Next Jam Session is set for Sunday, February 3rd running from around 2:00pm to 4:30pm.

(A gold coin donation to directly support the RSL with returning service men and women is kindly appreciated.)

Got a bluegrass song you want to lead? You are most welcome to sing and lead songs at these sessions. Thank you to those who played, sang and led bluegrass songs at the last session.

To request: A free on-line Bluegrass Sunday Sessions Song Book that contains a number of tunes we play, or to have a friend subscribed to this Adelaide Bluegrass Slow Jam Session Newsletter please email Michael Murphy at admin@anterohr.com.au. or call him on 0427 601 517.

Bluegrass Community Public Service Announcements

Listen: Bluegrass Unlimited, Radio Adelaide 101.5 FM, 12-1 Sundays, or online anytime. “Our passport to bluegrass music through legendary presenter Bill Lawson.”

Amanda Cook 2019 Tour Dates

16 Jan, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Last month I brought news of a pending tour with Amanda Cook who is performing with Kristy Cox at this year’s Tamworth Festival. We now have the full tour schedule for Amanda’s Australian appearances.

Amanda Cook hails from the Gulf Coast of Florida and came onto the Bluegrass Scene with drive and determination. She brings a mix of traditional and contemporary Bluegrass in every show. Audiences of all ages enjoy her live performances.

Amanda Cook Tour Dates:

22nd Jan – Tamworth Country Music Festival, International Showcase, 7:00pm
24th Jan – Tamworth Country Music Festival, Atrium Stage, 2:30PM
25th Jan – Tamworth Country Music Festival, Bluegrass Comes to Tamworth, 10:00am
25th Jan – Tamworth Country Music Festival. Tamworth Opry, 8:00pm
30th Jan – Tamborine Mountain, House Concert
31st Jan – House Concert Brisbane
1st Feb House Concert, Brisbane
2nd Feb – The Old Gazette Theatre – Dorrigo, 7:00pm

The Burning Bridges on Southern Style

15 Jan, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

The Burning Bridges with Sean Lee McCoy will be performing live to air on Jan Dale’s radio show Southern Style on February 12th

The Burning Bridges are a Melbourne band that plays old-time, bluegrass, country blues, and a few reworked modern classics, drawing material from the Carter family, the Stanley brothers, the Louvin brothers, Gillian Welch and pre-war American folk tradition. Peter Somerville (banjo, vocals) and Fran Martin (tenor guitar, vocal) formed the band, which also features local legend Andrew Forrer on double bass and superb fiddle playing by Tanya Bradley. The Burning Bridges are also proud to welcome rising star Sean Lee McCoy on guitar, mouth harp, vocals and yodels.

We recently reviewed The Burning Bridges new album Down This Old Road here.

Jan Dale’s radio show, Southern Style, can also be streamed to your computer via the PBS website.

Southern Style with Jan Dale – PBS FM 106.7
Tuesdays 1:00pm to 3:00pm or online at www.pbsfm.org.au.

MPA Welcomes Coolgrass to Kick off the Year

8 Jan, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Coolgrass are set to play the Mountain Pickers Association’s January club night.

Coolgrass win and delight audiences with their hilarious take on bluegrass, and are favourites throughout Australia and New Zealand. They have been featured at Australia’s National Folk Festival, the Auckland Folk Festival, Port Fairy, the Harrietville Bluegrass Convention, the Redlands Bluegrass Festival, the Fairbridge Folk Festival, the Tamworth Music Festival and many more, plus many folk clubs, wineries, town halls, arts councils, pubs and so forth across Australia and New Zealand.

This is a show not to be missed. If you haven’t ever seen Coolgrass you’re in for a treat. If you have seen them you know whats coming – great playing, great harmonies, great hats and a great night.

Book early as this will be a popular night.

Tuesday January 29th
7:45 at the Ferntree Gully Bowling Club, Glenfern Rd, Ferntree Gully
Entry $25 / $22 and $20 for MPA Members –
Table Bookings call 9753 5888

The Blue Ridge Broadcasters to Play Southern Style

3 Nov, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

The Blue Ridge Broadcasters will be playing live to air on Southern Style on November 13th.

Comprised of some of the most inspiring, innovative, and engaging young musicians on the old-time scene, the Blue Ridge Broadcasters perform a mix of driving fiddle tunes and traditional songs.

The members of the band have been working together for over a decade, teaching, recording, performing, and competing. They have appeared together at The Appalachian Stringband Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia, winning multiple first place prizes in the traditional band and fiddle contests.

Building on their deep reverence for Appalachian old-time music to create compellingly new sounds. They can crank out blistering fiddle tunes made to move dancers or draw out the mystery from a crooked, haunting melody. They can tease out the funkiness from a country blues. They can blend their voices into sweet harmonies, breathing new life into old songs.

Bluegrass Banjo For Beginners

7 Oct, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Barb Fitzpatrick’s banjo classes start again on 23 October at the St. George and Sutherland College, 127-129 Sutherland Road, Jannali NSW 2226.

Want to play banjo? Here is your chance. Have fun learning this lively style of playing in a very friendly atmosphere. Whether you have never played before or have battled along on your own for a while, this is a chance to make great progress.

Check out the website for all the information

Mustered Courage on Tour

30 Sep, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Mustered Courage is heading out on tour next month to promote the release of a new album We Played With Fire.

Here is their itinerary for the next few months:

THU 11 OCT Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall Brisbane, QLD, Australia – Free Entry
FRI 12 OCT The Bison Bar Nambour, QLD, Australia – Tickets
SAT 13 OCT Dusty Hill Vineyard Murgon, QLD, Australia SOLD OUT
FRI 19 OCT Wesley Anne Northcote, VIC, Australia – Tickets
THU 25 OCT – The Newsagency Annandale, NSW, Australia – Tickets
FRI 26 OCT Smith’s Alternative Canberra, ACT, Australia – Tickets
WED 7 NOV Creatures Next Door Fremantle, WA, Australia – Tickets
THU 8 NOV Settlers Tavern Margaret River, WA, Australia – Free Entry
FRI 9 to SUN 11 NOV Blues at Bridgetown Festival Bridgetown, WA, Australia – Tickets
WED 23 JAN Tamworth Hotel Tamworth, NSW, Australia – Free Entry
THU 24 JAN Tamworth , NSW, Australia – Free Entry
FRI 25 JAN Capitol Theatre Tamworth, NSW, Australia – Tickets
FRI 25 JAN Tamworth Hotel Tamworth, NSW, Australia – Free Entry