Old South Bluegrass

Phil Parker, Andrew Hook, Dave Taylor, Geoff Bridgland and Leonard Cohen are Old South Bluegrass.  We’re all getting older and all heading South – ain’t that the truth.... We haven’t got an uncle named Pen or lost all our money but a two dollar bill, but we still do Bluegrass, Americana & Folk – we’ve kept the best of the old and the best of the new. The same broken hearts and lonesome nites of the 1940’s with the authentic train wrecks and lost dogs of the present.

Hot bluegrass, soulful blues, smooth harmonies, fast instrumentals. And all this misery and tears wrapped in the joy of singing and playing acoustic only. With over 100 years of playing experience we should know better....
Phil Parker - lead singer and guitarist.  Phil has a clear and powerful vocal style, perfect for the great lyrics of this music.  He has a commanding knowledge of harmony theory and technique, and ensures everyone knows their parts and remembers them!  He can spot a missed note or harmony blooper from 50 paces.  He’s been in a number of Adelaide bluegrass alliances, unions, collectives and ventures over the years, as well as a solo performer, and has an amazing repertoire – in fact some have styled him the “Bio-fuel Bluegrass Jukebox”.  Phil brings a wealth of songs, experience, talent and surprise to the band – he’s always got a NEW song.
Geoff Bridgland – Geoff has been playing bluegrass since he was in the “Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys” in his garage at home in 1968. Failing to learn from their error, there have been several bands over the years and occasionally several at once... Geoff plays 5 string banjo as straight as he can and is sometimes allowed to irritate the old time fiddle for a short while.  He sings baritone harmony.
Andrew Hook:-(mandolin, guitar). From Melbourne, Andrew has been playing in various Victorian bluegrass bands since 1980, and has worked extensively with PAUL WOOKEY and with THE RANK STRANGERS; with whom he released 3 albums and who were finalists in the Best Foreign Bluegrass band category in international competition in Nashville, Tennessee in 1989.

Dave Taylor - bass -

The thinking man’s bassist, tenor harmony singer and Timelord.
Dave’s musical background is stressed to the limit keeping the boys on time and in shape.
His harmony rounds out the Old South sound and his jokes have made the men realise that reality is optional after all, which puts him way ahead in this game.

Leonard Cohen

Leonard was born at an early age in New Zealand. One of the founders of the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, he joined the Skillet Lickers on moving to Adelaide. He has toured widely in New Zealand and Australia, performed on TV and radio and made numerous recordings. Leonard has played with Pete and Mike Seeger, Slim Dusty and Reg Lindsay. In 1998 Leonard was asked to play before the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Bedford and two other pubs in Broken Hill. Well known in concentric circles, Leonard plays a 1932 Dobro.

photo by I Fisk


Dave, Phil, Len, Andrew and Geoff photo by Ian Fisk at Kapunda 2010

most photos by Helen Lewis

Contact:-
Geoff Bridgland  Geoffb.100@bigpond,com  phone AH 08 8296 7496

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