Gympie Music Muster Embraces The Blues With New Music Additions

A staple of the Australian country music scene for almost 40 years, Gympie Music Muster is also home to an amazing smorgasbord of blues and roots acts that highlight the latest round of additions to the 2018 line-up.

With a resume that includes playing with Eric Clapton, Emmy Lou Harris, Bill Wyman and The Everly Brothers, Albert Lee joins the Muster this year. Clapton has described Lee as: "The greatest guitarist in the world. The ultimate virtuoso."

Australian veterans Kevin Borich (who is celebrating 56 years in the industry) and former Cold Chisel guitarist Ian Moss will be performing up close and personal in the Blues Bar throughout the entire weekend.

Fiona Boyes runs with the tag 'best gal guitarist… since Memphis Minnie' and with acoustic, slide and fingerpicking instruments in her tool kit, she'll be mixing it up with some livelier bluegrass and roots-style sessions.

"I've always loved the enthusiastic crowds at the Gympie Muster and the festival's unique, beautiful, bushland setting," Fiona says.

"This year's focus on quality roots music acts, with strong cross-over appeal for blues and country fans alike, makes the opportunity for me to perform at the 2018 Muster especially exciting."


Also adding a new flavour to the line-up this year is the Melbourne Ska Orchestra, a 26-piece band led by energetic and charismatic vocalist Nicky Bomba of ex-John Butler Trio fame. No act like this fun-loving big band has ever graced the Muster stage before – patrons should prepare to be surprised and entertained in equal measure.

Muster Program Director Jeff Chandler says the Blues Bar will be the place to kick back when the boot scooting becomes overwhelming. "If country music is the heart of Muster, blues is the soul," Jeff says.

"For 37 years we've been providing our patrons with the true Australian music festival experience… bringing together this country's best musicians to perform over four big days.

"While neither the Blues Bar nor the genre are new to our line-up, this year marks a renewed offering that might give the most seasoned of Muster-goers a chance to find even more to love about our event."

Click here to read our March 2018 interview with Jeff Chandler.

With the devastating passing of one of Australia's greatest electric guitar players and Muster veteran Phil Emmanuel (who was scheduled to perform at this year's Muster), has inspired the addition of his close friend Pop Standen to the line-up.

The two performed together many times over the years, including at a Muster or two, and Pop is proud to pay tribute to his dearly departed mate through a performance at the 2018 festival. Phil will also be honoured in a Phil Emmanuel Tribute, part of the Vox Guitar Jam.


"Many people have tried to describe Phil's skill as a guitar player… there aren't words for that," Pop says.

"But not many got to know him personally. I spent hours driving, flying, eating, sleeping with him… And during that time I felt like a brother to him. Our sense of humour was so similar. He was a simple little fellow with a gift to create an amazing sound from his guitar, sure, but for me he was also a great mate."

2018 Gympie Music Muster runs 23-26 August. Tickets are available now. Click here for more details.

2018 Gympie Music Muster Line-up

THURSDAY

Raise Your Glass Pink Tribute
Rebecca O’Connor as Tina – Simply the Best
Minnie Marks
Route 33
Liam Brew
Gretta Ziller
Asa Broomhall
Brooke Schubert
Neilly Rich
Blue Eyes Cry
Brook Chivell
Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes
Jake Sinclair
Andrew Swift
Buddy Knox
Lloyd Spiegel
Aleyce Simmonds
Josh Setterfield
Iain Archibald
Heath Milner
Tennessee Lights
The Muster Poets
Gympie Blues Club

FRIDAY

Lee Kernaghan
John Williamson
Travis Collins
The Wolfe Brothers
Drew McAlister
LMT Connection
Hat Fitz & Cara
Tim Gaze
Tania Kernaghan
Pete Denahy
Brad Butcher
Lloyd Spiegel
Dee Jaye Bux
Lindi Jane
Gympie Blues Club
Aleyce Simmonds
Tori Forsyth
Jeff Bown
Bec Hance
Dean Perrett
Anita Ree
Dianne Lindsay & Peter Simpson

SATURDAY

Troy Cassar-Daley
Beccy Cole
Ian Moss
Sara Storer
Melbourne Ska Orchestra
Albert Lee
The Wolfe Brothers
The Pigs
Fiona Boyes
Shane Nicholson
Hat Fitz & Cara
Kevin Borich
Jayne Denham
Ben Ransom
Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes
Tania Kernaghan
Blue Eyes Cry
The Faceless Men
Route 33
Minnie Marks
Lloyd Spiegel
Kristy Cox
Benn Gunn
Lindi Jane
Andrew Swift
Gretta Ziller
Kellys Heroes
Bob Abbot & The Fabulous Green Machine
Brad Butcher
Imogen Clark
Buddy Knox
Greg Champion
Tennessee Lights
Katie Jayne
Dee Jaye Bux

SUNDAY

Sara Storer
Drew McAlister
Melinda Schnedier
Jayne Denham
Ben Ransom
Kevin Borich
Matt Cornell
Casey Barnes
Brook Chivell
Jake Sinclair
Brooke Schubert
Asa Broomhall
Lloyd Spiegel
Kristy Cox
Brad Butcher
Benn Gunn
Neilly Rich
The Faceless Men
Minnie Marks
Andrew Swift
Gretta Ziller
Good Will Remedy
Greg Champion
Imogen Clark
Katie Jayne
Bob Abbot & The Fabulous Green Machine
Dee Jaye Bux
Gympie Blues Club