Back Porch Bluegrass Show

From the old-timey sound of the Dry City Scat Band to the modern bluegrass of Balsam Range and Sister Sadie, there’s a lot of good music in this week’s show. The Earls Of Leicester and the Earl Taylor band of the 1960’s give us that classic sound, and Emory Lester does some amazing mandolin work. The Gibson Brothers play some of their brand of bluegrass, as do the Trenwiths. I’ve featured the fine band from the early 1980’s, Spectrum, with two tracks from an LP, and kick it all off with a track from NZ’s Hamilton County Bluegrass Band.

The music I’ve selected this week has a few interesting aspects, which I share with you. Starting with one of my original instrumental tracks from the 1970’s, with a very strong bass presence, we later have a John Hartford track that influenced that bassy sound. Another early influence on my personal approach to bluegrass comes from Smiley Hobbs, a banjo picker on the iconic album, American Banjo, produced by Mike Seeger. We’ve got some fine picking from Jerry Douglas, the Boxcars, and great songs from Missy Werner, the Stanley Brothers, and Jimmy Martin with the Osborne Brothers. We’ve a gospel song – one of the great Fanny Crosby hymns done in down-home bluegrass style, and of course, there’s a fiddle tune, when Kenny Baker takes us out with the Greenleaf Breakdown.

A wide range of the bluegrass genre on this week’s show, including music from Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Dan Tyminski, JD Crowe, and banjo player Bill Evans. The Infamous Stringdusters dust off their strings, and the Foggy Hogtown Boys sing through the fog. Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers sing about ‘Blue Collars Blues’, and Longview do a fine version of an old Reno & Smiley gospel tune. There’s some NZ ‘folk’ music from the 1960’s with the Convairs , also the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, and Jeanette Williams rounds out this very varied show. I also pay tribute to Andrew Bicknell, Wellington-based entrepreneur and bass player, who has run the Wellington Bluegrass Society for 30 years to provide a performance platform for a wide range of acoustic music performers. RIP Andrew.

From the ‘modern’ country sound of the 1970’s Osborne Brothers to the very traditional bluegrass sound of Curly Seckler, there’s a lot to like in this episode of the Back Porch Bluegrass Show. The Price Sisters, Joe Stuart, James Price the fiddler, and Bill Clifton playing with his European bluegrass connections. BJ Blue & Brittany Allyn rock with a bluegrass version of a very rocky country tune, and the HCBB play a song learned from the Osborne Brothers version of an English pop song! Rhonda Vincent sings a gospel song, and the East Tennessee State University bluegrass programme members take us out with some great original bluegrass.

In this episode of Back Porch Bluegrass we’ve got some live recordings of Wasson & McCall, Chubby Anthony & Don Stover, and Hot Rize, all playing some great tunes. Newtown, the Nashville Bluegrass Band, and the Johnson Mountain Boys give us their take on some fine tunes, and the Kentucky Bluebelles play us an old Stephen Foster tune. Chris Henry & the Hardcore Grass, Matt & George & the Pleasant Valley Boys and Tony Ellis round out the programme, with a final tune from the late & great Dolly Parton. An eclectic collection of bluegrass!

There are many different styles of bluegrass, and in this show we get to hear just some of them. From the ‘early’ classic bluegrass sound of the Stanley Brothers (played by two youngsters emulating their heroes, Ricky Skaggs & Keith Whitley), through the powerful sounds of the Country Gentlemen featuring Charlie Waller, to the folkier sound of Richard Bennett. Women play a large part, so we hear from Sally Jones. Instrumental prowess is always a feature of the music, so we have tunes from master fiddler Kenny Baker, banjo maestro John Hickman, and even NZ’s own Colleen Trenwith with the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band. In between all these we’ve got Kenny & Amanda Smith, the Lonesome River Band, and Marty Stuart. It’s a bluegrass festival packed into a one-hour show!

A somewhat eclectic mix of music in this episode, ranging from the very down-home sounding J.E.Mainer’s fiddle playing, to the smooth sophistication of the Cox Family with Alison Krauss. We’ve got some great 1970s bluegrass from the Boys From Indiana, some remarkable multi-tracking from Justin Moses, and some hard-line bluegrass from Danny Paisley. Volume Five are featured in a couple of tracks, and Joe Mullins and his Radio Ramblers do a fine gospel song. NZ’s own Hamilton County Bluegrass Band do an original song and a classic fiddle tune to round out the show. Lots of great bluegrass!

The great Dolly Parton made excellent contributions to bluegrass music, both as a songwriter and a performer. Two albums, using the genre’s top bluegrass musicians received critical acclaim, and provided a source of excellent material for many bluegrass bands. In this episode of Back Porch Bluegrass, we feature some of Dolly’s ‘bluegrassy’ offerings, as well as music from others such as Dale Ann Bradley, the Sonoran Dogs, Flatt & Scruggs, Bill Clifton, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, and guitar picker Norman Blake. To round out the programme, we’ve a gospel song from Jimmy Martin & the Sunny Mountain Boys in 1973.

Pat Enright, the guitarist and lead singer (along with Alan O’Bryant) of the Nashville Bluegrass Band passed away last week. In this show, I play some of the tracks featuring his great vocals. I’ve also included some fine music from High Fidelity, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, Vassar Clements, Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen, the Thomas Porter band, the Petersens, and even an old-time banjo/dulcimer tune. Lots to enjoy in this episode.

This week I’ve included several artists who do not regularly appear on the show, but are definitely worth hearing: Dr Peter Wernick and his band, Starlett & Big John, Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys, Unspoken Tradition, as well as some who might appear more often – the Earls of Leicester, Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie, Lester Flatt & Mac Wiseman, Dudley Connell together with Don Rigsby, NZ’s Pipi Pickers, and an introductory tune from myself with Jean-Luc Leroux. Join with me and enjoy the music.

Back in the Studio, with songs from 1936 through to 2026 – 90 years of bluegrass! The Monroe Brothers, Terry Baucom, Red Wilson, Dale Ann Bradley and NZ’s own you Me Everybody get the show started, then we follow up with the Cattlestops, Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, the 1970’s Country Gentlemen and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band. Red Wilson plays a fiddle tune and the Stanley Gospel Tradition bring us a fine gospel song. There’s lots to like.

In this replay of the show from 01 August 2023, there's a variety of bluegrass styles, including music from Blue Highway, Claire Lynch, Monroe Crossing, the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, and Sawmill Road. There’s some fine picking from Norman Blake, some classic bluegrass from Marvin Howell and the Franklin County Boys, the Lonesome River Band, and a great starting tune from yours truly, recorded back in 1976.

This show features some more treasures from the LP’s my friend Barry has given me, with the bands Spectrum and Shenandoah Cut-ups being featured. We’ve also got music from Del McCoury, the Nashville Bluegrass Band, Bobby Hicks and Cliff Waldron. The Allen Brothers do some nice harmony for us, and Craig Smith picks some fine banjo. The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band dust off an old crowd favourite, and Allen Shelton takes us out with a traditional banjo tune. It’s real bluegrass, folks.

On a trip to Wellington in 2023, I went shopping for (and purchased) some second-hand CD’s – but NEW to me. I thought I’d share them with you all. Music from Jim Lauderdale, Chris Jones, Alison Krauss, the original Jimmie Rodgers, Ricky Skaggs and Roy Acuff. There’s some songs from Dierks Bentley, and Delia Bell and Bill Grant, as well as a tune from the HCBB featuring mandolinist Graham Lovejoy.

I was doing a recording session on banjo for music producer Dan Cosgrove, and thought he’d be a great guest on Back Porch Bluegrass. I was right! I ask Dan about his recording work, the ins and outs of being an engineer/producer/musician, and how he goes about it. I also play him some bluegrass music that I know he’ll be interested in, for the variety of techniques used in production. The CD’s I used on this show feature Dan Tyminski, Claire Lynch, the Bluegrass Album Band, Flatt & Scruggs live, Seldom Scene, Earl Taylor, and Dan Crary.

I’ve just been given a box of LP’s from my guitar-playing friend Barry Paterson, and there’s some real treasures in that box. This episode of BPBG features three of those LP’s – the Bluegrass Cardinals, Country Gazette, and Frank Necessary & Al Jones. I’ve also included tracks from the Stanley Brothers, the Foggy Hogtown Boys, James Monroe, Herb Petersen, and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band. Irene Kelley plays a lovely gospel song, and Kenny Baker takes us out with a classic fiddle tune. A brand new album from the Kody Norris Show rounds out an action-packed programme.

From the 1950 Lonesome Pine Fiddlers to a brand-new album from Claire Lynch, this episode features a great range of bluegrass. The Earls of Leicester, Audie Blaylock & Redline, Scott Vestal and JD Crowe get us underway, and that’s followed up by the Kody Norris Show. Then we’ve got the afore-mentioned LPF, we’ve got Tony Ellis playing a banjo tune, and of course, two songs from Claire’s new album. The Isaacs do a classic Stanley Brothers gospel tune, and some fancy picking from JD Crowe rounds out the show. Great bluegrass music!

This episode of Back Porch Bluegrass has a ‘country-ish’ feel to it, with several songs taken from the country music genre. But bluegrass has always borrowed songs from other genres, and it makes for interesting listening. Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road, Special Consensus, Del McCoury and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band all feature such songs. Of course, we have some bluegrass classics from Dudley Connell & Don Rigsby, the Stanley Brothers, and Blue Highway, and some old-timey fiddling from the Iron Leg Boys. An eclectic mix!

Music for show #700 has been taken from new CDs (2026) and my old LPs. Lots of variation of the genre here! From Bill Monroe through to You Me Everybody, with tracks from Ricky Skaggs, Lindsay Butler, High Fidelity, Russell Moore, and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band (presenting a bit of tomfoolery!), Tony Rice, Larry Sparks and Butch Robins, there’s something for all tastes.

Show originally aired on June 7, 2022. I’ve found some 1950’s ‘classic’ bluegrass for you, as well as some great music from Sawmill Road, Nu-Blu, Tony Rice and even NZ’s own Hamilton County Bluegrass Band. Flatt & Scruggs, the Kentucky Travellers, Bill Clifton, Allen Shelton all contributed greatly to the bluegrass genre, as do more current performers such as Jeanette Williams, Joe Walsh and Kenny & Amanda Smith. A very varied collection!

The ‘theme’ song of this show, aptly titled ‘Back Porch Bluegrass’, kicks off, and then we have some great music from the Kody Norris Show, the Lynn Morris Band, Kenny Baker playing a tune (about my latest project, boat building), the fine Canadian band Jerusalem Ridge, and the Lonesome River Band. There’s a couple of Stanley Brothers tunes from Seldom Scene and Doc Watson, and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band features Colleen in the classic tune, ‘Ashokan Farewell’. Dolly Parton sings some bluegrass, and we round out the show with some great tunes from the bands listed above. Fine music.

We start the show with a very driving Dobro tune, then feature some fine performers, including David Grisman, the Gibson Brothers, banjo picker Jim Mills, and the Bluegrass Album Band. Claire Lynch sings a couple of lovely songs, and Little Roy Lewis picks some hard-driving banjo. The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band do a great version of a Dillards tune – really, the best of bluegrass.

I’m using three LPs on this episode of the Back Porch Bluegrass Show, meaning I’m digging deep into my archives. Country Gazette, the Johnson Mountain Boys, and John Hartford all feature from the vinyl collection. I’ve dug into my CDs, too – Dan Tyminski, Lee Ann Womack, Junior Sisk, Sierra Hull and High Fidelity all get to pick and sing, and banjo picking favourite Bill Emerson plays his version of a song from the 1850’s. I hope you enjoy them all.

We kick off with a banjo tune named after a being from Greek mythology (or a place in NZ), then feature some of my favourites – the Country Gentlemen, Sawmill Road, John Hickman, and the Osborne Brothers. Some Canadian artists in this episode, too – the Spinney Brothers from Nova Scotia, and John Reischman & the Jaybirds from British Columbia. Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice and Tim O’Brien all contribute, and NZ’s HCBB have some ‘Good Clean Fun’. Lots of fun, actually.

Some bluegrass, some old-timey, some Gospel. The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band kick off the show with a twin banjo duet, the we have Seldom Scene, the New Vintage Bluegrass Band, the Kentucky Colonels and the Travelling McCourys. The Bluegrass album Band, Tony Ellis and Aussie outfit Old South follow on, and Mike Seeger sings a couple of old-timey songs. Lots of fine picking and singing.

A broad range of the bluegrass genre in this episode of Back Porch Bluegrass, from the rather ‘rocky’ Dierks Bentley to the solo performance of some fine finger-style guitar from Doc Watson. In between we have Mike Compton playing a previously unrecorded Bill Monroe tune, A del McCoury classic, and some ballads from Iris DeMent. NZ’s own Hamilton County bluegrass Band play an Alan Rhodes tune, and Jimmy Martin sings of his home state, Tennessee. The Nashville Bluegrass Band, Here Today, and the Stanley Brothers round out the programme. So much to enjoy!

We’ve just had Easter Weekend, and this show includes some great gospel songs with an Easter inclination, then we have recordings from the NZ National Banjo Pickers Conventions in the late 1960’s, which were always held on Easter Weekend. Cliff Waldron, Dale Ann Bradley, Doyle Lawson contribute some nice songs, Fiddling Billy Hurt does some fiddling, as does Chubby wise with Bill Monroe, and NZ performers get to perform as at the NBPC.

It’s almost Easter Weekend, so I’ve included some gospel songs in this show, including the Stanley Brothers’ classic ‘Cry From The Cross’. We’ve also got songs from Flatt & Scruggs, Kathy Kallick & Laurie Lewis, Nothing Fancy and some fine picking from Mike Scott & Co, and Scott Vestal & Co. Merle Haggard sings a Jimmie Rodgers song; there’s all sorts of goodies in the Back Porch Bluegrass basket. Enjoy!

Tony Rice kicks off the show, followed by Billy Strings & his Dad, the Dillards with some fine banjo picking, and Nu-Blu with a song from the writing of Nanci Griffith. Curly Seckler, Chris Jones, Jim Lauderdale with Ralph Stanley, follow on, and we’ve another couple of great tracks from Aussie songstress Anne Kirkpatrick (with me playing banjo!). Mike Auldrige closes the show with some great Dobro playing. What more could you want from a bluegrass show?

I’ve just returned from visiting old friends in Australia, and some of the music in this show includes recordings we made together back in the 1970’s, with Anne Kirkpatrick, and Country Sound. There’s also some ‘Irish’ items included, being as it’s St Patrick’s Day, including Hot Rize, Marian Burns, and Dublin band Whistle. And playing some classic bluegrass, the Earls Of Leicester, Larry Sparks, and the Trenwiths. A rather eclectic mix!

This show previously aired 8-03-2022 Emerson & Waldron – great band from the 1970’s - kick off proceedings, with a real mixture of bluegrass styles from diverse bands to follow, including Kenny Baker, the Foggy Hogtown Boys, Stuie & Camille, Larry Sparks and NZ’s own Pipi Pickers.

Classic bluegrass from the Bluegrass album Band, some ‘older’ recordings from johnny Whisnant, the Lilly Brothers and the New lost City Ramblers, and some contemporary bluegrass/country from Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road. The Kody Norris Show do a couple of songs, and Patty loveless sings some great bluegrass stylings. The Trenwiths sing about ‘Banjoing along’ and You, Me, Everybody get some ‘Misdirection’. A real sampler.

A broad range of bluegrass offerings in this episode, from Bill Monroe singing gospel, to the fiddle & banjo tunes of Byron Berline & John Hickman. In between, we’ve got the Chapmans, Sideline, the Price Sisters, Doyle Lawson and the NZ band You Me Everybody. The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band get some humour into their live performance from 1970, and Ickes & Hensley do a fine version of a bluegrass classic.

A very diverse collection of bluegrass in this episode, from the 80+ year-old Stoneman Sisters, to the stalwarts of classic bluegrass, the Bluegrass Album Band. Dan Tyminski, Barry & Holly Tashian, Emerson & Waldron, the Osborne Brothers get us started, then the Country Gentlemen and Northern Lights take us out. In between we have the Stoneman Sisters, Lorraine Jordan playing some country music -bluegrass style, and it all sounds great, believe me.

If you’re in the South Island, NZ, then ‘Kindred Spirit’ will be playing near you this week or next (when they’re not fishing!). And if you’re in the North Island, NZ, then get your tickets for ‘You, Me, Everybody’ as they play a number of concerts to promote their new album in March. This week’s show features the above bands, as well as Russell Moore & Third Tyme Out, David Grisman, Dr Peter Wernick, and Northern Lights. We’ve also got the Rice Brothers (all four of them), and some ‘live’ Vern & Ray from the 1968 San Francisco Folk Festival. Scott Vestal & friends do some fancy picking to close the show. Great bluegrass!

I’m delighted to be advertising TWO imminent bluegrass tour in NZ, one with NZ band ‘You, Me, Everybody’ to promote their new album, and one with the North Carolina-based duo ‘Kindred Spirit’. I’ve featured tracks from both groups in this show. We’ve also got tracks from JD Crowe & the New South, the Gibson Brothers, the Steeldrivers, and Blue Highway. High Fidelity play a fiddle tune, as does Glen Duncan, and we’ve a song from Pam Findlay with the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band.

An eclectic collection of bluegrass styles in this episode, from Bill Monroe to the Lost Pines. American Drive play some hard-driving bluegrass, the Waller Brothers have a couple of duets, the Stanley gospel Tradition do a great SB song in their inimitable style. Alison Brown picks banjo like no-one else, and Rhonda Vincent sings her own brand of bluegrass. We’ve got an old-timey tune from Phil Rosenthal & Family, and the Trenwiths feature on a tune we usually use to start our live shows. Lots to like.

Bluegrass music continues to provide us with a wide variety of musical influences and styles, from slow country ballads, story songs, bouncy instrumentals to hard-driving pieces about a wide variety of topics. This week, we have offerings from Wildfire, Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, Danny Paisley, Walden Dahl and the Osborne Brothers. There’s some instrumentals from Bill Monroe, Red Wilson and even the Trenwiths, and some Aussie bluegrass from Acoustic Shock. Doc Watson demonstrates his fine picking and singing and there’s some very country-ish bluegrass from the Can’t Hardly Play Boys.

I’ve got music from three of my favourite LP’s on this show – the Johnson Mountain Boys, John Hartford, and Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver – all top music. There’s some fine picking from John Hickman, Richie Simpkins, and some songs from NZ tourists – Sassafras. Michelle Nixon and Drive, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers get some songs into the programme, and there’s some early bluegrass from the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, pioneers of this genre. What a collection!

Being as this is the first show for 2026, I’ve started with a delightful song about the ‘First Day of the Year‘ from Joe Newberry, after some rather contemporary picking from 1972 from the HCBB. That’s followed by some of the earliest bluegrass from Flatt & Scruggs, a great song from Kathy Barwick & Mary Gibbons, and music from the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys and Rhonda Vincent. JD Crowe and the Kentucky Mountain Boys play a couple of tunes, and Laurie Lewis gives us a rather different version of the race between Molly & Tenbrooks. The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band take us ‘Down To The Hall On Saturday Night’, and John Reischman rounds out the show with an original song and an original instrumental. Bluegrass at its most diverse.

This week’s show has a rather diverse collection of early ‘classic’ bluegrass, jazzy numbers, Christmas carols, brand new NZ bluegrass, archival NZ bluegrass and stories about NZ baches. Always something to like. You can listen to Claire Lynch, Jerry Douglas, Larry Sparks, Tony Trischka, Jimmy Martin, the Petersens, Ricky Skaggs and NZ’s ‘You, Me, Everybody’ and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas packed with classic Bluegrass - enjoy this festive repeat episode from 24-12-2019.

Many of the selections in this show come from ‘compilation’ albums, featuring tracks from performers that I don’t have in my general collection. As always, there’s some great picking and singing, from the likes of Ricky Skaggs, reno & Smiley, Arthur Smith, the Witcher Brothers, Hot Rize, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, and Charlie Sizemore. The Trenwiths get a song into the mix, as do old favourites the Seldom Scene, and I feature two tracks off an LP I just found in a local OpShop, from Joe Stuart – one of Bill Monroe’s most reliable Blue Grass Boys.

Quite a few of the selections on this show have an ‘old-timey’ feel to them, making it all sound very relaxed. Mark Johnson & Emory Lester get us started after a burst of ‘Sunburst’, then Nothing Fancy, Chad Manning, Dix Bruce and Jim Nunally and Raymond McLain all contribute. The Johnson Boys do a brief ‘set’, Bob Baker sings a song his Mum taught him, and the Barefoot Nellies play a tune in the Amnesia pub in San Francisco. Merle Haggard sings a Jimmie Rodgers favourite, Bill Emerson picks a foxy tune, and Caroline Jones and the Trenwiths do a very bluegrassy version of a Christmas song. We’re definitely into December!

Selections from banjo man Butch Robins, the Bluegrass Album Band, Bobby Hicks, and the Foggy Hogtown Boys. Bill Monroe, Doc Watson feature with ‘live’ recordings, and Caroline Jones does a Christmas song with the Trenwiths. A song from ‘Oh Brother’, and one from the Petersens. Lots to like.

A rather ‘odd’ mix of early bluegrass, old country songs, Western Swing and dynamic fiddle tunes. It must be bluegrass!

Lots of ‘classic’ bluegrass, from the likes of Red Allen & Frank Wakefield, the Johnson Mountain Boys, and the Friendly City Playboys. The Dillards play a couple of tunes, as do Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, and we’ve a couple of songs from Beth Stevens & Edge. Pam Findlay (with the HCBB) sings a beautiful song, and Third Tyme Out round out the show. Not to be missed!

We’ve got a disparate selection of songs from the very broad ‘bluegrass’ genre; with some classic bluegrass, some songs from Arizona, songs about home towns, great instrumentals, and sad love songs. Bluegrass Album Band, Peter McLaughlin, Iris DeMent, the Kathy Kallick Band, the ‘classic’ Country Gentlemen, NZ’s own Hamilton County Bluegrass Band and Patty Loveless.

While on my weekend away in Wellington for the Wellington Folk Festival 60th Anniversary, I visited Slow Boat Records in Cuba St, and found some bluegrass CDs there that I considered necessary to add to my collection. Consequently, I’ve featured some music ‘new’ to Back Porch Bluegrass, as well as a few more familiar performers.

Another deep dig into my shelves, and I’ve found some lesser-known bluegrass artists for your enjoyment. I’ve also featured a brand-new album from the master, Larry Sparks. The Osborne Brothers, Louie Setzer, Leon Morris all feature, as does Dailey & Vincent, Laurie Lewis & Friends, and NZ’s own Hamilton County Bluegrass Band.

Special Consensus are first up (after the opening track by Colleen Trenwith & myself), followed by the Bluegrass Album Band, the Kruger Brothers and the Brombies. We’ve also got the Price Sisters, Earl Taylor and the Stoney Mountain Boys from the 1960’s, and Roy Acuff playing some fine ‘pre-bluegrass’. Old South Bluegrass Band from Adelaide play a tune, and Missy Werner sings for us. The Trenwiths take us out with some driving contemporary bluegrass. Lots to like here.

Some familiar artists this week, with maybe a few you’ve missed. Longview play some driving bluegrass to get us started, then it’s the Skaggs & Rice duet, fiddling Kenny Baker, old-timer Clyde Moody, and Cliff Waldron. The Country Gentlemen get a couple of tunes, the Kruger Brothers play a classic, and Aussie Kay Armstrong sings a song she wrote. The HCBB and Scott Vestal & Friends round out the programme.

It doesn’t get more bluegrassy than Ricky Skaggs singing ‘Little Maggie’, but then we have the Gibson Brothers, Bill Evans and Bill Monroe in a couple of ‘live’ performances. The Cox Family sing one of their best-known songs, David Grisman (together with the Nashville Bluegrass Band ) do a classic song, and the Lonesome River Band feature with two in a row. Dale Ann Bradley and Corrina Rose Logston round off a very broad bluegrass programme. Lots to love.

We kick-off with some ‘Bluegrass Picking’, then go straight into some classic Flatt & Scruggs style bluegrass from the Earls of Leicester. You’ll hear from the Petersens, Cumberland Gap Connection, Joe Mullins (with Del McCoury helping out) and the Get Down Boys. Karen Lynn & Martin Louis from Australia sing a couple of songs for us, as does Chris Jones & the Night Drivers (great name for a bluegrass band) . And we’ve got a great rendition of a gospel classic from Seldom Scene.

‘Sounds Like Bluegrass to Me’ – Tony Ellis plays bluegrass with some long-time friends; Kathy Barwick plays several instruments, and Jeanette Williams sings some songs for us. The Stanley Brothers early recordings (now classic bluegrass) are featured, with some offerings from Doyle Lawson, the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, and Ricky Skaggs.

There’s so many tracks of great songs and tunes that often remain ‘hidden’ on lesser-played albums. I like to dig them out, and I think I’ve got some beauties here. Bluegrassers like Sawmill Road, Lou Reid, the Bluegrass Album Band, Monroe Crossing and Mike Compton come up with some real gems, and I’ve included a couple of tracks from a ‘live show’ from Slim Dusty and the HCBB. The Soggy Bottom Boys feature, as do Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss from ‘O, Brother’, and David Parmley gets to sing a song too. Lots to like. Album / Source Artist Track Title Date 1 Bluegrass Picking Paul Trenwith /Colleen Trenwith Dobro On The Loose 1976 2 Fire In The Kettle Sawmill Road Rose Of Donally’s Hollow 2009 3 Carolina, I’m Coming Home Lou Reid & Carolina Carolina, I’m Coming Home 2003 4 Across The Blue Mountains Monroe Crossing Nail That Catfish To A Tree 2001 5 Bluegrass Album Volume 2 Bluegrass Album Band Your Love Is Like A Flower 1982 6 3 Silver Dollars David Parmley & Continental Divide She’s Lying In The Cold, Cold Ground 2008 7 Rare & Fine Mike Compton California Forest Fire 2022 8 Live At Tamworth Slim Dusty & HCBB Cunnamulla Feller 1973 9 Live At Tamworth Slim Dusty & HCBB feat, Joy McKean My Clinch Mountain Home 1973 10 Oh Brother Where Art Thou Soggy Bottom Boys In The Jailhouse Now 2000 11 Across The Blue Mountains Monroe Crossing Letter From My Darlin’ 2001 12 O Brother Where Art Thou Alison Krasuss & Gillian Welch I’ll Fly Away 2000 13 Lady’s Fancy Dan Crary Pretty Little Indian 1977

Created by Free FM, Hamilton, New Zealand

I enjoy finding albums from those bands that have not been featured often on Back Porch Bluegrass, and today I have included some music that will likely be new to you, as well as some that may be familiar. Listen up for music from the Davidson Brothers from Australia, Ramona Church, Andy Owen, Danny Paisley, and the Bluegrass Experience. Of course, a few favourites like the Bluegrass Album Band get aired, as does Larry Sparks, and we have another Aussie band, Bluestone Junction. Lots to listen to.

We have a couple of songs from early Blue Grass Boy – Clyde Moody – who went on to become a popular and accomplished country singer. From ETSU we have David Grindstaff, we have Wildfire, Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands, Wayne Taylor, and a fiddle tune from Red Wilson. And from the fiddle of Colleen Trenwith, a sentimental-sounding version of a Jimmie Rodgers song. Lots to listen to and enjoy in this episode of Back Porch Bluegrass.

Back to bluegrass! Sometimes I miss hard-driving, 3-chord bluegrass, as I feature lots of variants on BPBG. So this week, I’ve made sure there’s an abundance of fast banjo picking, great singing and dextrous instrumental work. This comes from the likes of David Grisman, the Nashville Bluegrass Band, Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, high fidelity, and Thomas porter. Dolly Parton, with her fine bunch of bluegrass pickers gets to sing a couple of classics, Hot Rize do a great gospel song, and Tony Ellis picks some fine banjo. Real bluegrass here.

The Petersens, who visited NZ early this year, are featured, as are Adam Steffey, Alison Krauss and the Cox Family, Hot Rize and Seldom Scene. I also play a track from Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie that I couldn’t fit in last week. Jean-Luc Leroux plays a track, as does the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band. I also feature IIIrd Tyme Out ‘in concert’ with a couple of fine tracks. Lots to enjoy this week!

We’ve just had Billy Strings in NZ, I went to his show, and feature a couple of tracks from his album ‘Me and Dad’. We’ve also got music from Dale Ann Bradley, Kenny Baker, Kenny & Amanda Smith, and Bill Emerson. Chris Henry plays a couple of tracks, Johnnie Whisnant plays a banjo tune, and the HCBB play a ‘live’ version of a Beatles tune. Very diverse bluegrass in this episode.

Bill Clifton, the Gibson Brothers, the Sonoran Dogs, the Dillards – some top-notch bluegrass here, with a lot of songs that are comparatively unknown – check them out. Bill Emerson, Nu-Blu, Australia’s Old South Bluegrass Band, Joe Mullins, and Curtis Burch make it an action-packed programme. Our studio at FreeFM is being remodelled, so I’m replaying some shows that you might have missed.

Time for some hard-driving bluegrass, with maybe a couple of ‘softies’ thrown in. Tracks from the Bluegrass Album Band, American Drive, the David Grier Band, High Fidelity, the Kody Norris Show, Balsam Range and others – some top picking and singing here.

The Free FM studios are being renovated, so I’ve chosen this show from five years ago to be played in lieu of recording a ‘new’ show in a building site! I have my good friend, band-mate and luthier Keith MacMillan in the studio with me. We talk about how to set up your guitar or mandolin to get the best from it, and we get to pick a couple of tunes as well. Also featured in the show is some fine picking and singing from Joe Mullins, Curly Seckler, Sawmill Road, Alison Krauss, JD Crowe, and the Dreadful Snakes, and there’s some recorded music from the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band featuring both Keith and me.

This week, I have re-visited some of my first influences for banjo playing, from Earl Scruggs, Bill Keith, Don Parmley, Doug Dillard, Mike Seeger, Walt Hensley, and Ralph Stanley, and of course the music that the bands they were part of were playing. I’ve also featured the brand-new album from the Kody Norris Show, The Kathy Kallick Band, and that gentleman of bluegrass, Bill Clifton.

A broad spectrum of bluegrass in this week’s show, and there’ll be something for all musical tastes, I’m sure. The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band kick-off (well, they would if it was a rugby match), then we’ve got Chris Jones and the Night riders, Tony rice & David Grisman, Missy Raines & Alleghany, and the East Tennessee State University band to follow. JD Crowe, Joe K Walsh and even the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band get to play a song. Lots to enjoy.

Mid-winter here in NZ, but this show has nothing to do with the season. All year round, it’s great to listen to bluegrass music, and there’s plenty of it here. The Lost Pines from Texas, the Earls of Leicester, Chad Manning, Claire Lynch, and the Osborne Bros get us started, then there’s Longview, Mike Auldridge, and the Bluegrass Album Band. I’ve also featured a new single from NZ band You Me Everybody, which has only recently been released.

I’ve just received the brand-new album from Seth Mulder & Midnight Run from Rebel Records, and it’s a beauty. I play a couple of tracks from it. I’ve also featured some music from the Lynn Morris Band, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys (the track I didn’t get to play last week!) and the Price Sisters. Doc Watson with Flatt & Scruggs play a tune, and Curly Seckler (former F&S alumni) sings a great tune with the Shenandoah Cut-Ups. Aussie friend Pete Denahy sings about a hanging (150 years ago) and Marc Bolen picks an unusual banjo tune he wrote. Lots of great music.

Larry Sparks kicks off today’s show, followed by a great bunch of performers including the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, John Hickman, the Kruger Brothers, Bob Baker, and Double Overtime. We have some new music from Irish band Whistle, and some from NZ’s Pipi Pickers.

All sorts of bluegrass and allied music in this week’s show, from Laurie Lewis’s ‘Nashville’ recordings to Snuffy Jenkins and some ‘pre-bluegrass’ sounds. Here you’ll find the Stanley Brothers, Patty Loveless, Del McCoury Band, Tony Ellis, Nothing Fancy, and some HCBB fiddling and Trenwiths’ original songs. Have a listen!

I’ve just returned from a week in Australia with friends, so there’s some music from these friends included in the show, as well as some from ‘regular’ artists – like Cumberland Gap Connection, Special Consensus, Kay Armstrong, Flatt & Scruggs, Skaggs & Rice, Joe Mullins, and a fiddle tune from Corrina Rose Logston. My Aussie friends in ‘Country Sound’ get to feature in a couple of tracks. All great listening.

May is NZ Music Month, and I’m playing some early NZ bluegrass from the 1960s and ‘70s. Groups include the HCBB, excerpts from the National Banjo Pickers’ conventions of 1968 and 1969, the Beale St String Stretchers, Phil Garland, and Colleen Trenwith.

Back to my deepest shelves for much of today’s programme. Charlie Moore, Rich In Tradition, Lorraine Jordan & Carolina, the Lewis Family for a couple of gospel favourites, Merle Travis, Herschel Sizemore, and Colleen Trenwith. We also get to hear from the Gibson Brothers, Grasstowne, Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum, and some Uncommon Tunes from Bill Monroe via Mike Compton.

We’ve just had Easter, this Friday we NZers and Aussies celebrate ANZAC Day. I’ve included songs, appropriate to both these occasions, in this week’s show, featuring artists such as High Fidelity, Bill Clifton, Blue Highway, John Reichmann & the Jaybirds, and Flatt & Scruggs, There’s some mandolin picking from Jean-Luc Leroux, and a special ANZAC song from NZ singer-songwriter Rosy Parsons.

I’ve just been re-reading Neil Rosenberg’s superb book, ‘Bluegrass Generation’, chronicling the years in the early 1960’s that he spent being very involved the music programs at the Bill Monroe’s Brown County Jamboree (otherwise known as ‘the old barn’ at the Beanblossom Festival site. Fascinating. So, I’ve included some music from that era in this edition of Back Porch Bluegrass, that you might’ve heard if you’d been at one of the shows, including Bill Monroe with his ‘hot’ new banjo picker, Bill Keith.

Lots of great bluegrass music here, from Sam Bush, Nu-Blu, Cliff Waldron, Jim Hurst and Ricky Skaggs. There’s some fine instrumental work from Bill Evans & Fletcher Bright, Jerry Douglas & friends, Ivan Rosenberg, and some live gospel music from Reno & Smiley. A veritable treasure trove of bluegrass.

Extraordinary banjo player Eddie Adcock passed away recently; this show features some of his playing with both the Country Gentlemen and with Martha Hearon. We also play a track from the brand new Big Country Bluegrass album, some tracks from Canadian band Jerusalem Ridge, and some music from David Grier, the Dry Branch Fire Squad, Sister Sadie, and a look back at some NZ country music from Tex Morton & Sister Dorrie, featuring Tex’s fine guitar picking.

Some ‘variety’ songs in this week’s show, from the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, and the Greenbriar Boys – entertainment rather than bluegrass, but essential in a show. Of course, we’ve got some straight-ahead bluegrass from the Johnson Mountain Boys, the Country Gentlemen, Jim & Jesse, Sister Sadie, the Stanley Brothers and Sideline, and an Aussie version of a classic Bill Monroe tune.

Seldom Scene, Traveling McCourys, Doc Watson, Merle Haggard, Rhonda Vincent, lots of variety in this week’s bluegrass performers. There’s also tracks from the Lonesome River Band, the Petersens, and some fine fiddle playing from Ralph Blizzard. The HCBB get to round out the show with a nod to St Patrick’s Day, with the Keith MacMillan composed tune, Hikuai Hornpipe. Sound Irish to you?

I went to see the Bob Dylan movie “A Complete Unknown" the other day, and it reminded me of how many great songs Bob Dylan wrote, that were covered by bluegrass bands. I’ve included a few on this show, from bands such as the Dillards, Marion Arts, Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, the Country Gentlemen, and Tony Rice / Rice Brothers. Of course, I’ve added in some great music NOT written by BD, from performers such as the Petersens, Doyle Lawson, Jim Gaudet, Claire Lynch, and the Mainland Hoedowners. Have a listen!

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing two members of the Petersen Family, who are presently touring the North Island of NZ. Ellen (banjo player) and Matt (guitar player) kindly consented to be interviewed in my home studio, and we talked about lots of different things! I’ve also played a couple of tracks from one of their many albums. The rest of the show features an eclectic range of bluegrass, from Seldom Scene to Buzz Busby, Rhonda Vincent to the Shady Valley Boys, Ramona Church, and some hot dobro from Leroy Mack.

I’m playing tracks from some of my collection of ‘compilation’ albums today, because that gives me an opportunity to feature artists who we might not otherwise hear on the show. Although reasonably extensive, my LP and CD collection has large ‘gaps’ in it, and these albums help fill those gaps.

The opening tune is my first self-composed instrumental, from 1969, played on my RB100 banjo, with it’s rosewood fingerboard, hence the title of ‘Rosewood Ramble’. We then hear from Mark Newton, master song-writer Larry Cordle, the dynamic young band Flatt Lonesome, and the Osborne Brothers reprising some of their formative years’ music. Mark Johnson & Emory Lester pick a couple of tunes, Pam Crowe sings with the HCBB, and Don Stover plays some hard-driving bluegrass. Join me!

The legendary Johnson Mountain Boys, Live At The Birchmere, kick off this episode, and we’ve got some great bluegrass from my vinyl collection, including Del McCoury and Alison Krauss. Some contemporary music sneaks in, too, from the Kody Norris Show, and High Fidelity, and there’s some old-time banjo picking from Snuffy Jenkins. I’ve included a couple of crazy radio ads from the late 1960’s, performed by the HCBB, and some great picking from Scott Vestal & Co, and Bill Emerson. Not to be missed!

Lots of straight-forward bluegrass music on this episode, from the Bluegrass Album Band, Mac Wiseman, Lynn Morris, Emerson & Waldron, and Laurie Lewis. There’s a double-banjo offering from Australian bluegrass icons, John Kane & Ian Simpson, and a two-tune feature of Bill Runkle & Smith Hollow. Have a listen!

This show remembers the huge contribution Buck White, who died on January 13th, has made to both bluegrass and country music. He, together with two daughters, has played memorable music since the early 1970’s, and I have several tracks featuring him. We also have music from Rich In Tradition, Flatt & Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs, Herschel Sizemore, and Joe Mullins. A varied programme, for all tastes.

I’ve featured some top bluegrass here, both old and new (well, newer!) including the Kathy Kallick Band, the Sonoran Dogs, the Nashville Bluegrass Band, High Fidelity, Balsam Range, and even the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band. Earl Taylor and the Stoney Mountain Boys get to play a bluegrass ‘classic’, and Stu Jamieson’s Boys play some old-timey. To round it out, we’ve got the bluegrass/country sound of Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen. Top Music, for sure.

The first show for 2025, featuring a wide variety of bluegrass performers. You’ll hear the Hagar’s Mountain Boys, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Snuffy Jenkins, Joe Newberry and Larry Cordle, and that’s in the first 20 minutes! New Vintage Bluegrass Band gets a couple of songs, as do the fine duo Reno & Smiley with some of their 1950’s recordings. Paul Williams & the Victory Trio play some gospel, and Hunter Berry fiddles his heart out with a fine backing band. The best of bluegrass!

It’s the last show for 2024, and I’ve picked out some favourite tracks as well as some less-well-known tracks. In this show, you’ll find Nothing Fancy, Niall Toner, the Forest Hills Bluegrass Band, Billy Strings, Raymond McLain, and the Bluegrass Album Band. There’s an instrumental from the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band from 1969, and some fine picking from Scott Vestal & Friends. Much to enjoy!

It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m playing some Christmas songs, some familiar, some not, but all good listening. I also get to talk to Anna Tukuitoga, singer and song-writer, banjo player, guitar player, about her music and music studies at Massey University.

Digging deep into my shelves of CD’s, I’m finding some real gems of bluegrass. We hear from Emerson & Taylor, David Parmley, some ‘Blue Ridge’ bluegrass from Mickey Galyean, some favourite performers like Laurie Lewis, some old-time from the New Lost City Ramblers, and more. Great listening!

The Christmas theme is creeping into Back Porch Bluegrass, with a carol from Tony Trischka with David Grier, and a contemporary song from Becky Buller. We’ve got songs from Larry Stephenson, Chris Stuart & Back Country, Richard Bennett, Dale Ann Bradley, and some instrumental work from Scott Vestal & Co, and Leroy Mack. My son Sam Trenwith sings ‘Banjoing Along’ which gets me every time. Lots of ‘pre-Christmas’ music to enjoy.

I kick off the show with an instrumental from the mid-1970’s, featuring the ‘Scruggs’ pegs’ on my banjo, then we get into the show with the Nashville Bluegrass Band, Red Allen, Blue Highway, Beth Stevens & Edge, and the Steep Canyon Rangers. A couple of musical offerings from some 80+ years-old women (the Stonemans), Doyle Lawson, Sam Bush & Jerry Douglas, and Don Rigsby. Some really fine bluegrass music here! Of course, I remind you all about the forthcoming NZ tour of that great family band, the Petersons, in February 2025.

The Steeldrivers, Russell Moore & Third Tyme Out, Detour and Longview are all presented in this episode, as are the Lovell Sister, Dan Tyminski, and some NZ bluegrass from the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band. Lyman Enloe plays a fiddle tune, and the Kentucky Colonels play a gospel tune. Of course, I remind you all about the forthcoming NZ tour of that great family band, the Petersons, in February 2025.

I enjoyed sharing the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with you all so much last week that I have included another couple of tracks this week, too. We’ll also hear from the Kody Norris Show, the High Desert Band, the Poor Valley Girls (from ETSU), and Tony Ellis. The Dry Branch Fire Squad introduce some humour and some fine banjo playing from Bill Evans, and there’s a couple of tracks from a live recording of Lou Reid and Carolina.

I’ve included a couple of tunes from that classic album “Circle” album from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, featuring them and some of their musical heroes. I’ve also included tracks from my musical hero, Doug Dillard, and offerings from Hot Rize, Jerusalem Ridge, the Osborne Brothers, the Earls of Leicester, Kathy Kallick, and of course, NZ’s own Hamilton County Bluegrass Band. It’s coming up to Christmas (already!) so I’ve sneaked in a song from the Trenwiths with Caroline Jones, too.

Some of my LP’s get an airing this week. The Johnson Mountain Boys, Charlie Moore, J D Crowe on the highly-regarded ‘Model Church’ album from 1971, and some Jimmie Rodgers songs from the great Merle Haggard album ‘Same Train, Different Time’. Of course, I’ve got some more recent music from Sally Jones, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Daniel Boner, and Rickie Simpkins. Something for all tastes!

I’m continuing to dig deep into my CD shelves, and I’ve selected some great music for you. Today’s show includes music from Karen Lynn (of Australia), Kathy Barwick, Eddie & Martha Adcock, the Barefoot Nellies (love that name), and I get to play the John Hartford track I missed out last week. We’ve also got Bill Monroe, Seldom Scene and the Earls of Leicester. Lots of great listening here. Best of all, I tell you all about the forthcoming NZ tour of that great family band, the Petersens, in February 2025.