Garrett a premier steel guitarist from Melbourne works and sessions with the best!

Notably Don Walker (Cold Chisel) What a pleasure to have him on the day.

Steve is a accomplished Singer-songwriter who has done many gigs in Melbourne for many years and has released a ton of work. We think he is an absolute monster of talent.

Music:

https://youtu.be/rtGsjRZD6B4?si=dPshKI4G4VfaBLaV

Alex’s, career is well documented.

One of Australia's most respected musicians, having performed at most major festivals in Australia and overseas at Edinburgh and various pacific locations, and numerous recordings, Alex, solo show brings together the broad repertoire of American string styles where blues meets early jazz. — with Alex Burns at Wesley Anne

Music:

https://youtu.be/652DCdZhQYM?si=Mm0DwX2XrJDaJcav

In 1965 at the age of 11, Bruce attended the Lou Toppano School of Music in Melbourne, receiving his tuition from well renowned player Les Adams which continued for over 3 years.

After playing in several bands in Victoria from the age of 15, Bruce bought his first pedal steel from George Xanthos who had the Emmons agency in Australia. Bruce now had “Georges” Zanebeck which was used in many of the “Hawking Bros” early albums.

Bruce then went on to purchase an Emmons single 6x2 pedal steel from “Ray Hasler” in 1977. This guitar was reputedly given to “Speedy West” by “Buddy Emmons” for Speedy’s music tour of Australia. The guitar was then left in Australia.

Bruce has been professionally involved in the entertainment industry for over 55 years with hundreds of demands for his pedal steel, dobro & harmonica  skills in both recording & stage presentations.

He has appeared with countless fine artists which include The Kernaghan Family, Alan Hawking, Johnny Chester,  The Hawking Brothers, Ian Castles, Alison Durban,Slim Dusty, Smoky Dawson and Reg Lindsay to name but a few.

Bruce has toured extensively throughout Australia having performed in every state.

Melbourne guitarist Kier Stevens is a prolific composer and performer within a wide array of styles including blues, improvisational, rock, songwriting, and intercultural settings, with a focus on bringing steel guitar (dobro/lap steel/pedal steel) outside of conventional contexts. Drawing on a wealth of experience gleaned from hundreds of performances and collaborations with a broad selection of musicians from vastly different backgrounds, Kier continues to develop a unique voice on steel guitar and brings increasing depth to his layered compositions.

Music link

https://kierstevensmusic.bandcamp.com/album/worry-on-my-mind-ep

Gerard’s steel guitar journey began in 1991 when he purchased his first steel from a pawn shop on Nashville’s Broadway. Since then, he has performed with Acuff’s Rose, Doug Mansfield and the Dust Devils, Jeff Williams, The Clearspacemen, Jody Galvin’s Roadhouse, The Moonee Valley Drifters, Twilight in Tulsa, The Grand Ol’ Twang Boys, Tanya Lee Davies and Greg Champion along with guest appearances with many others. Live performances include live to-air gigs on ABC Radio, ABC TV, and Melbourne’s RRR. His musical heroes include Tom Brumley, Buddy Emmons and Michel Rose. 

Music: 

https://clearspacemen.bandcamp.com/track/stranger-to-your-love

John is from the smalltown Churchill outside of Melbourne.

He plays Dobro with a unique style of contemporary music

That makes him sound as if that’s the way the song should have been written.

Certainly, a great addition to the Convention

Sunday West are a Melbourne based band performing a mix of original songs and classic covers. Experience their unique blend of folk, country & acoustic rock with a touch of pop. Featuring Peta Oates on vocals, Nick Mierisch on drums along with songwriters Paul O’Brien & Paul McSherry on guitars & bass.

Music

https://youtu.be/bZGWY9p45HQ?si=MA6agqFLKfs-vpTB

Timothy J Fry a Steel Guitarist who also is a singer songwriter and in a duo The Fry Brothers was raised on Australian and American country plays a variety of styles. Folk, Country, Rock. Only has one goal in mind an that is to make music shine as bright as possible for all to enjoy.

Music

https://youtu.be/3AWg67dzcGs?si=wV1L3h9l31AQNax4

Pete’s been an in-demand dobro player for sessions and live work since swapping over from guitar at the turn of the century. His technique is founded on bluegrass picking, featuring roll patterns and flat-bar pull-offs in the style of Josh Graves, Mike Auldridge and of course Pete’s hero, Jerry Douglas. Pete is well-known for his sideman work with Nick Charles, Bill Jackson, Bluestone Junction and The Cartwheels, among many other acts.

The tricky nature of the dobro in electrified settings (they’re very hard to amplify!) led Pete to the lap steel (and Country Rock), which in turn led to console steel (and Western Swing), and more recently to pedal steel and an interest in pure old style Country music. Somewhere in there he also found a love for the bullet bar and Hawaiian steel guitar. You could say Pete is a slide all-rounder.

Music link

https://soundcloud.com/petefidler/modern-murder-ballad?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Rob has played guitar all over Australia and the UK covering pretty much any style depending on the band of the day.

2015 saw him drawn to dobro and lap steel, which has been an inspiring journey.

Along with Denzil Glewis ( guitar / vocal ) Len Howey ( bass ) Ron Mahoney ( drums ) the lap steel gets to go where you might not expect it !

Dave Moore started playing Hawaiian music on Lap Steel in 1972 with his father Bill Moore before moving on to Pedal Steel Guitar in 1976 with the emphasis on country music. This came with the support and encouragement of George Xanthos former Pedal Steel Guitarist with the Hawking Brothers. He has played with countless Australian artists such as Adam Harvey, Beccy Cole, Gina Jeffries, Tania Kernaghan, Catherine Britt, Roo Arcus, Doug Bruce and Slim Dusty to name a few. Currently Dave plays with Rough Cut Band and the John Lawrence Band and has also played behind touring American artists such as Amber Digby, Justin Trevino, Heather Myles, Billy Wyatt, Jason Allen etc, and will be playing behind Dave Jorgenson from Texas on 24th May at the Springvale Townhall and Jason Allen again later in the year. 

Dave has also recorded on many albums including those of Adam Harvey, Doug Bruce, Amber Joy Poulton to name a few. Add to this extensive touring across Australia and several tours of Texas and Nashville and it’s been a fulfilled musical career to date with the future including performances with star female vocalist   Michelle Rose. 

Ken Baker has been playing steel guitar for 40 years.  His first time hearing the instrument was Rob E. G. playing 'SOUL'.  He immediately fell in love with the sound.  It was to his great surprise that his mother played Hawaiian Guitar in the 50's.  She bought an old acoustic guitar and taught him to play.  He went on to buying electric steels, and later a triple neck Fender Stringmaster.  But the sounds of the pedals was all he wanted.  He and a few mates played on the Reg Lindsay Show, and met Pee Wee Clark.  Later that year Pee Wee shipped him over a new Emmons guitar.  The rest is history.

Rick Dempster took up steel guitar in the mid-seventies, having been
attracted to the instrument by the playing of both Leon McAullife and
Buck "Uncle Josh" Graves. Being aware that Hawaiian music had been
very popular in Australia in the past, he contacted the musicians
union to find a teacher of what was then best known as the "Hawaiian
guitar", meaning the steel. As a result, he took lessons from
Australia's "King of Steel Guitar"(as he is referred to in Kanahele's
"Hawaiian Music and Musicians")  Les Adams, and later Jim Jensen, for
two or three years.
From 1981, Rick played in western swing band, the Dancehall
Racketeers, and later with Tom Forsell's Moonee Valley Drifters.
During the late 80s, he also had an island style trio called the
Island Serenaders. Rick currently plays every Thursday night at
Fitzroy North's Railway Hotel, with the all-acoustic "Railway Gang",
with ex-Racketeer Peter Baylor, vocalist uke player Tracey Miller and
bassist Jono Brown, playing a wide variety of styles, including
Hawaiian, Tex Mex, Calypso, blues and hillbilly and many forgotten old
Tin Pan Alley songs. The Railway is a residency now approaching twelve
years. Rick also plays in Peter Baylor's honky-tonk country-rockabilly
outfit, the Roadhouse Romeos.