The Grass Mountain Hobos

The Grass Mountain Hobos

The Grass Mountain Hobos are a group from Prince Edward Island. They form around a traditional acoustic setup that includes two acoustic guitars, banjo, mandolin, doghouse bass and fiddle, with six vocalists contributing layered harmonies. Their music draws on swing, bluegrass, blues and folk, and their live performances are built around a stomping, crowd-involving style that evokes older travelling stage entertainment, including carnival, farm, tavern and circus influences.

Formation and early development

The band begins in June 2007, when they enter the showcase at the Rollo Bay Old-Time Music Festival in Prince Edward Island in exchange for free festival tickets. They win the fan choice award and are invited to perform the following night for payment. After that weekend, they continue busking, travelling and performing widely across Canada.

Recordings and awards

Their first album, The Grass Mountain Hobos, wins three PEI Music Awards in 2009 and also receives the East Coast Music Association award for Bluegrass Album of the Year in 2009. Their work is described as combining humour and musicianship, with a sound associated with wandering and train-hopping imagery.

Members

The lineup includes Josh Ellis on lead vocals and guitar, Peter Cann on guitar, Peter Webb on banjo, Thomas Webb on big bass bull fiddle, Thomas Kirkham on mandolin and Gordie MacKeeman on fiddle.