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Rating

★★★★★

4.8

from

65 reviews

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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.

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Back Porch Bluegrass Show - 20-10-2026

2026/10/20

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 - 13-10-2026

2026/10/13

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.

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - 06-10-2026

2026/10/06

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.

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - 29-09-2026

2026/09/29

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.

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - 22-09-2026

2026/09/22

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!

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - 15-09-2026

2026/09/15

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!

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - 08-09-2026

2026/09/08

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!

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - 01-09-2026

2026/09/01

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.

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - 25-08-2026

2026/08/25

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.

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - 18-08-2026

2026/08/18

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 Porch Bluegrass Show - 11-08-2026

2026/08/11

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.

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - a replay from 01-08-23

2026/08/02

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.

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - 28-07-2026

2026/07/28

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.

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - Replay of 25-07-23

2026/07/21

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.

Back Porch Bluegrass Show - 14-07-2026

2026/07/14

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.

Podcast reviews

Read Back Porch Bluegrass podcast reviews

4.8 out of 5

65 reviews

★★★★★

JKM86guitarbanjo 2025/04/10

Just the radio show I was looking for

Was looking to listen to and also learn more about bluegrass… this show is perfect! Love the commentary in between songs. Keep it up! I still have all...

★★★★★

Joanie969 2024/12/02

If you love bluegrass

Best bluegrass podcast I’ve found! Love host, Paul Trenwith’s , comments and stories about the music and musicians as he plays tunes from his EXTENSIV...

★★★★★

Witchyn 2024/01/25

My Favorite

This is the best show of modern time.

★★★★★

Grandpopie’ delight 2023/09/12

Sounding good!

Dancing in the kitchen in the U S of A. North Carolina! Thanks for the great music!

★★★★★

Elevator Monkey 2022/08/26

Great!

Great show! Paul has a soothing voice and top notch musicians on this weekly podcast. I look forward to it every week!

★★★★★

Mike Salyer 2021/12/06

Love the Variety

Paul, blue grass is so deep in its culture, we love the history and all the inside stories, I’d love to hear more James King, I look forward to your s...

★★★★★

owen severne 2020/02/04

Great show

Great bluegrass show, not quite as good as Main Street bluegrass but still wonderful.

★★★★★

Mando Newbie 2020/01/28

Unbelievable

What a fantastic show Paul. After hearing recently about your show couple weeks ago from another great Podcast, “Grasstalk Radio” podcast, I’m furious...

★★★★★

Big Salyer 2019/09/21

Great blue grass variety

Thank you so much for your bluegrass and gospel. Your show is very entertaining and educational on the history of bluegrass and its culture. I love ...

★★★★☆

tonkadel 2019/08/30

Need show notes!

I’d give this podcast 5 starts if it included show notes of the playlist for each show! Pretty please?

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