Press Kit

Biography

Rhyley McGrath is a travelling musician, gaining fans around Australia with his soulful vocal, catchy originals, and a honed skill on guitar.

Specialising in the space between finger-picking blues of the Delta, and acoustic folk music, Rhyley is always pursuing new songs, sounds and ideas to continually develop his style. On any standard night, blues standards, Dylan-esque folk, bluegrass influences and funky-grooves can all be heard.

Having begun his professional music career somewhere around 2016, Rhyley is quickly approaching almost one-thousand gigs played all around the country. From busy markets to Sunday sessions, under-patroned pubs to big production blues festivals. It is all just beginning, though.

What started as a twice-weekly drive to Melbourne and back, has grown into a country-wide network of venues where Rhyley now performs, touring regularly to all states, and the occasional roadtrip around Aotearoa. This endeavour has been wonderfully embraced by enthusiastic crowds and supporters all round.

During this time, Rhyley has performed a number of festivals; some of which include the iconic Forth Blues Festival, a number of small Victorian folk festivals, Queensland blues festivals and is a regular performer at the Bendigo Blues and Roots Festival. Rhyley always brings a captivating performance that will either have you up and dancing, or watching in awe.

Playing at the Forth Valley Blues Festival, Tas.

Playing at the Forth Valley Blues Festival, Tas.

Royal Oak Hotel in Penola, South Australia.

Royal Oak Hotel in Penola, South Australia.

Small street-corner gig at the fantastic Cafe Troppo, in Adelaide.

Small street-corner gig at the fantastic Cafe Troppo, in Adelaide.

 

Set List

Rhyley’s setlist is an ever-evolving arrangement of songs over multiple styles and eras. Fundamentally based in the blues, which has been a long stay, the sound has developed with the influence of the more folk-driven sounds prevalent in the current Aussie music landscape.

On any given night, the set is altered to match the audience. More relaxed sounds for a Sunday afternoon, or more upbeat, funky songs for a late-night gig. Some setlist mainstays below:

  • Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill WIthers)

  • House of the Rising Sun

  • Moondance (Van Morrison)

  • Bron Yr Aur Stomp Led Zepplin)

  • Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out

  • Pride and Joy (Stevie Ray Vaughn)

  • Superstition (Stevie Wonder)

  • Don’t Believe A Word (Thin Lizzy)

  • Young Man’s Dream (Marcus King)

  • Jimi Hendrix

  • Creedance Clearwater Revival

  • The Beatles

  • Eric Clapton

  • The Beatles

  • Jason Isbell

  • JJ Cale

  • Gary Moore

  • Robert Johnson

  • Brent Cobb

  • Original Material

Sunday afternoon sesh at Old Noarlunga Hotel, South Aus.

Sunday afternoon sesh at Old Noarlunga Hotel, South

Since 2017…

 

  • Kim Churchill

  • Geoff Achison

  • Pete Cornelius

  • Shaun Kirk

  • Phil Manning

  • Dallas Crane

  • Minnie Marks

 

  • Bendigo Blues & Roots Festival, Vic

  • Forth Valley Blues Festival, Tas

  • Banyo Blues Festival, Qld

  • Maldon Folk Festival, Vic

  • Newstead LIVE, Vic

  • Tamworth Country Music Festival, NSW

  • Begonia Festival, VIc

  • Easter Blues Bender, Vic

  • Goldfields Music Festival, Vic

  • Macedon Ranges Music Festival, Vic

Support acts

Over the last few years, Rhyley has played supporting sets for some Aus blues scene favourites, and beyond, including:

 

Festivals & Venues

Over the last four years, some favourite venues & festivals to play have been:

One of the original “regular” venues. Goldmines Hotel, Bendigo.

One of the original “regular” venues. Goldmines Hotel, Bendigo.

 
 
 
 

  • Baxter’s Lot, Melbourne

  • Pistol Pete’s, Geelong

  • Old Church On the Hill, Bendigo

  • Republic Bar, Hobart

  • Heads Shed, Wolvi

  • Cafe Troppo, Adelaide

  • Lucky Bay Brewery, Esperance

  • Dog With Two Tails, Dunedin

  • Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna

  • Welder’s Dog, Armidale

  • Wesley Anne, Melbourne