Appalachian music, Australian flair for St Georges-in-the Hills

St Georges’s next concert, booked for Sunday September 14 at 2pm will feature the trio Frogmouth and an interesting new style and combination of instruments.

The concert committee expects that with guitar, fiddle, clawhammer banjo, whistle and vocals Frogmouth is bound to excite St George’s regulars with its unique sound and toe tapping rhythms.

“We are also hoping to attract some new followers to the third concert in our 2025 series, with this local group Jeremy Dunlop, Ally Bing and Mitch Ruggles who combine years of experience with a fresh new approach,” they said.

As individuals, the Frogmouth group are impressive musicians, with Jem Dunlop being much sought after as an accompanist at Maleny community singalongs and at festivals such as Woodford.

He is also an experienced teacher delivering guitar workshops at the National and Celtic Folk Festivals, and a regular tutor at Woodford’s trad school. He plays the guitar and fiddle with Frogmouth.

Mitch Ruggles, playing banjo and guitar, has honed his skills on bass with multiple groups in Brisbane and around the Sunshine Coast. Arguably one of the best banjo players in the area, he has recently moved into the world of the modal style of the Appalachian clawhammer banjo, with its West African roots.

As a child Ally Bing listened to the stories of her grandmother and attended contra (bush) dances in the Appalachian mountains of south east America, where she was born. 

With powerful vocals and diverse application of her musical skills on banjo and guitar, Ally has introduced her native music to the area. She plays also with the Bizarrely Quartet, teaches privately and conducts the Upbeat Arts Sunshine Coast choir.

“We expect Ally to contribute to this concert a blend of heartfelt original traditional music that tugs on the heartstrings and taps the toes”, says the St George’s concert committee.

Tickets are available from humanitix.com.au or at the door either for cash or on card. The price of $25 includes home-made afternoon tea in the hall after the concert, where the audience can chat with members of the group. 

Venue, St George’s Anglican church, is on the corner of Tallowwood St and Walker’s Drive, Maleny.

Ally Bing with her clawhammer banjo.