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.

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - 27-10-2026

Host Paul Trenwith is a founder member of the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, playing banjo and occasionally singing harmony parts. From the mid-70's to the mid-90's, Paul and his fiddle-playing wife Colleen played as mostly gospel music, bluegrass-style, with a group of friends, and often featuring songs that Paul had written. He has become something of a musical 'jack-of-all-trades', playing banjo, dobro, pedal steel and rhythm guitar. He also plays double bass in the Hamilton-based Irish band.
Paul has always been an enthusiastic advocate for and promoter of bluegrass music, and the show includes tracks from the classic bands, the traditional stylists and contemporary groups as well as some 'roots' bluegrass and new-grass. NZ and Australian bluegrass gets an airing, and every show includes some of his personal favourites.