Multi-instrumentalist and classically trained Ross Smithard cut his folk musical teeth playing with a NSW based bush band as a 15 year old.
Since then, as a testament to Ross’s versatility and skill, he has performed at multitude of festivals, including The National Folk Festival (numerous times) Illawarra, Uranquinty, Cobargo, Candelo, Port Fairy, Maldon, Dorrigo, Tamar Valley, Mt Roland and Cygnet folk festivals with various bands across varying genres including folk roots, blues, Western swing, Irish and old time music.
A prolific tunesmith, Ross composes Appalachian style fiddle tunes and he received a grant in 2021 from the Tasmanian Folk Federation to help with the production of his CD of original tunes “Where’s the Red Chook?”
He launched this at the Mt Roland Folk Festival in November 2021 and since then performed at the Cygnet FF, Verandah Fest, Garlic Fest, Mid Winter Fest, regularly at MONA and the TAS Folk Federation Dances. The CD has been well received by the old timey music community in Australia and the USA , with the Canberra Old Time pickers and Fiddlers playing and learning many of his tunes and his CD is being played on Bill Smedley’s Old Time Music Hour in the USA. Ross has recently been invited to Melbourne by the Double Dole String band to teach his tunes to the old time session musicians at Cafe Gummo. Ross is traveling to the USA this year to play and hone his old time fiddle playing skills at various festivals and music sessions.
Ross plays with his own band “Up Jumped Trouble”, performs in a duet with Jeremy Marcotte ( USA now Tasmania) with Craig Woodward (VIC) when he visits Tasmania , he is the fiddle player in Tiffany Eckhardt’s band and performs with Dave Steel ( Archie Roach and ex weddings, parties and anything) ..