Back Porch Bluegrass

Back Porch Bluegrass

Host: Free FM
Categories: Music
Languages: English

Free FM
Produced By: Free FM
Programme Website

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.

All Episodes

Back Porch Bluegrass - 10-06-2025

Published: 10/6/2025 10:00 p.m.

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.


Back Porch Bluegrass - 03-06-2025

Published: 03/6/2025 10:00 p.m.

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.


Back Porch Bluegrass - 27-05-2025

Published: 27/5/2025 10:00 p.m.

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!


Back Porch Bluegrass - 20-05-2025

Published: 20/5/2025 10:00 p.m.

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.


Back Porch Bluegrass - 06-05-2025

Published: 06/5/2025 10:00 p.m.

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.


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