It’s on again! The 19th Kelly Country Pick - Back in Beechworth - is a Bluegrass and Old Timey music festival that attracts musicians and music lovers from around the country for a fabulous weekend of fun and friendship.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This year’s event will be held on the weekend of August 18-20 and features special guest, Rachel Eddy from West Virginia who performs and teaches full- time on fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin and bass.
She grew up listening to local fiddlers, her father among them, going to old-time festivals, and attending square dances. The old-time bug bit her early in life and Rachel now performs and teaches full-time. She has four full length albums: The Morgantown Rounders (2006), Hand on the Plow (2008 solo), Chilly Winds (2010 duo with Kristian Herner), and Nothin’ But Corn (2014 solo).
With 14 bands from around the country, including local favourites – The Kissin Cousins, plus workshops, concerts, open mics and non-stop jamming – it is a weekend with something for everyone.
The event is based in the Historic Old Priory, an iconic building of Beechworth which creates a unique setting for the festival; guests and musicians share a relaxed non-stop jamming area and concerts in the divine old hall are a special feature of the event.
It began in 1999 as an annual get together between a few pickers and families from Victoria and NSW for a relaxed music weekend. It now attracts some 300-500 musicians and patrons and is growing steadily.
The Kelly Country Pick focuses on ‘picking’, sharing music, and teaching technical skills, and provides a great opportunity to see some of Australia’s foremost bluegrass and ol timey musicians both in concert and in informal ‘sessions’.
Instrument workshops over the weekend have included old time fiddle, swing fiddle, cajun fiddle, twin fiddles, bluegrass fiddle, mandolin, double bass, flatpicking guitar, swing guitar, fingerstyle guitar, dobro and ol’ time and bluegrass banjo and autoharp.
No matter what your level of musicianship – there is something for everyone. But if you just want to watch and listen – that is fine too. You are sure to see and hear something special!!
Other venues taking part in the event include the Bridge Rd Brewery, Tanswells Commercial Hotel and the Hibernian Hotel. Come and join in. For more info and tickets - www.kellycountrypick.org
