The Davidson Brothers, Hamish and Lachlan, surely among Australia’s most notable bluegrass acts, have announced Jacob McGuffie as the recipient of the 2021 Australian Bluegrass Scholarship.
Since 2011, the Davidsons have awarded a $1500 cash grant and a day in the studio to especially promising young bluegrass artists in Australia. This year, they didn’t have to go far to find a suitable candidate, as Jacob is the guitarist in their touring group, The Davidson Brothers Band.
In bestowing this award, the Brothers shared this brief bio of McGuffie:
“The Australian music community has watched Jacob develop into a fine bluegrass musician over the last decade. Since 2004, Jacob has taught guitar in the Bendigo region and inspired a generation of guitarists. Jacob came to bluegrass after studying jazz and becoming interested in American roots music. He cites performing at the IBMA conference in North Carolina both in 2013 and 2014 as some of his foremost career highlights. His biggest influences in bluegrass music (on guitar) are Tony Rice, Kenny Smith, and Bryan Sutton, and also (as a musician) Chris Thile, Stuart Duncan, and Béla Fleck.
Jacob has a bluegrass trio called The Beekeepers, a western swing band called The Canyon Callers, and he works as a sideman for Michael Waugh and various others across the folk and country genres. Through all of his various projects, Jacob is making a significant cultural contribution, and the Davidson Brothers are thrilled to be able to support what he does.”
Have a look at Jacob with The Beekeepers…
…and with The Davidson Brothers.
Previous recipients of the Australian Bluegrass Scholarship include:
- 2020 – Pepita Emmerichs
- 2017 – Thomas Kendall
- 2016 – Jeri Foreman
- 2014 – Paddy Montgomery
- 2013 – Daniel Watkins
- 2012 – George Jackson
Congratulations to Jacob McGuffie for this honor, and hats off to Lachlan and Hamish for their support of up and coming pickers!
