Host Paul Trenwith is a founding member of the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band in NZ, playing banjo and occasionally singing harmony parts. Paul has always been an enthusiastic advocate for and promoter of bluegrass music, and the show includes tracks from classic bands, traditional stylists, and contemporary groups as well as some ‘roots’ bluegrass and newgrass. The show originally airs on FREE-FM in New Zealand and we rebroadcast it every Sunday at 5pm.
Back Porch Bluegrass - 23-04-2024
Bluegrass legend, and one of my heroes, banjo player Ben Eldridge died very recently. On this show I feature just some of Ben's magical banjo work with Seldom Scene and his prior work with Cliff Waldron & the New Shades of Grass. We've also got some m...
Apr 23, 2024
Back Porch Bluegrass - 16-04-2024
I've been digging deep into my shelves of CD's, and I've come up some selections from familiar performers that I've not played on this show previously, as well as a few 'favourites' that leap out me saying 'pick me, pick me'. Among the performers feat...
Apr 16, 2024
Back Porch Bluegrass - 09-04-2024
A new album from French bluegrass legend Jean-Luc Leroux, plus offerings from Travers Chandler, X-Train, the Price Sisters, and Dan Tyminski. We've got some old-timey banjo picking from David Holt, and a rare gospel song from the Hamilton County Blueg...
Apr 09, 2024
Back Porch Bluegrass - 02-04-2024
Some songs you may not have heard previously, some instrumentals, some NZ performers, some from the USA, all part of the wide variety that is bluegrass music.
Apr 02, 2024
Back Porch Bluegrass - 26-03-2024
Bluegrass from Wildfire, the Grascals, the Missy Werner Band, Lou Reid & Carolina, instrumentals from Seldom Scene, Sidesaddle and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, and gospel music from Rhonda Vincent as an Easter 'special'. Lots to like in this epi...
Mar 26, 2024
Back Porch Bluegrass - 19-03-2024
St Patrick's Day has just been celebrated the world over. And there's a lot of the Irish in bluegrass music. I searched my collection to come up with songs that give a nod to our Irish heritage, and have featured some songs and tunes in this episode. T...
Mar 19, 2024
Back Porch Bluegrass - 12-03-2024
We had a great concert in my backyard with George Jackson & Brad Kolodner, and I'm featuring their music on this show. I've also got some great tracks from the Travelling McCourys, Barry & Holly Tashian, the Stanley Brothers, and Junior Sisk. High Fid...
Mar 12, 2024
Back Porch Bluegrass - 05-03-2024
Still finding treasures in my deepest shelves of bluegrass LP's. This week's show has music from Billy Baker (fiddler), Mac Wiseman & the Osborne Brothers, and Merle Haggard singing a Jimmie Rodgers favourite. There's a brand-new release from Missy Rai...
Mar 05, 2024
Back Porch Bluegrass - 27-02-2024
I've dug deep into my shelves of LPs, and hauled out a few favourites - the Blue Velvet Band, Seldom Scene, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, fiddler Glen Duncan, to find some tracks I've not played on the show previously. We've got a little more contemporar...
Feb 27, 2024
Back Porch Bluegrass - 20-02-2024
Jim Hurst, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Dale Ann Bradley, Tim O'Brien with some fine bluegrass; a 'classic' tune from Bill Monroe, and some offerings from the HCBB, Trev Warner, Alison Krauss & the Cox Family. There's a strangely-named fiddle tune from ...
Feb 20, 2024