COLLARD, GREENS AND GRAVY

Collard Greens & Gravy were formed in Melbourne in 1995 as a blues trio by James Bridges on guitar and fiddle, Ian Collard on lead vocals, harmonica and guitar, and Anthony Shortte on drums. The group's name refers to a fictitious meal, Collard explained, "When we went to America we discovered that... everywhere we went people would say, 'You can't put gravy on collard greens. Your name doesn't make any sense'."  Their debut self-titled album appeared in 1999 via Black Market Music and was recorded live-in-the-studio at Soundhouse Studios. Benoît Felten of Planet Harmonica felt, "It is a very dark and haunting record, it has a kind of mean edge to it, not unlike some of the eeriest Robert Johnson stuff, although using different tools."

The group's second album, 'More Gravy!' (2000), won Best Blues & Roots Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2001. Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described how the group's, "energetic foot-stomping, country blues sound tapped into the very roots of the genre." Patrick Donovan of The Age observed, "their local brand of swampy countrified electric blues has earned them a reputation as the best blues band in the land."

At the International Blues Challenge (IBC) competition in February 2001, Collard Greens & Gravy represented Australia in the International Blues Performer of the Year category and finished second. The group undertook tours of the United States. Their third album, 'Silver Bird' (June 2004), was produced by John Durr. At the IBC competition in 2005, the album won Best Self-produced CD – tied with Robin Rogers' album, 'Crazy, Cryin' Blues'.

The group's fourth album, 'Devil in the Woodpile', appeared in November 2007. Sharon Kennedy of ABC South West WA, described their sound, "The music is Mississippi but from the hill country rather than the delta." Collard discussed Bridges' playing, "a really heavy, strong, deep sound... He puts a lot of thought into the guitar and amplifiers and the type of reverb." At the Australian Blues Music Awards of 2009, held in March, they won Album of the Year (Devil in the Woodpile), Duo or Group of the Year ("No Love"), Male Vocalist of the Year (Ian Collard) and Producer of the Year (John Durr for 'Devil in the Woodpile'). They were also nominated for Song of the Year ("No Love") but lost to Ash Grunwald's "Fish out of Water". McFarlane declared that this album and their follow up, 'Juke Joint Boogie!' (September 2010), were, "considered to be their best releases." According to McFarlane, the group broke up in 2011.

In 2011, Ian Collard formed another trio, a supergroup called Three Kings, with Benny Peters (ex-Benny and the Fly by Niters) on vocals and guitar, and Jason Liu Soon (ex-Chris Wilson, the Detonators) on drums. Meanwhile, Collard continued to perform with Collard Greens & Gravy, including at the Byron Bay Bluesfest in April 2011 after being announced as part of the final lineup in March. They performed at the Deni Blues and Roots Festival in March 2013.

Collard Greens & Gravy, and Collard as a solo artist, performed at the Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival in May 2014. During that year they released a compilation album, 'Greasy Greens'; while Ian Collard released a solo album, 'Swamp Stomp & Boogie'. In February 2015 Collard Greens & Gravy appeared at the Goulburn Blues Festival. In the following December they celebrated their 20th anniversary with a performance at Spotted Mallard. James Bridges died on 22 September 2016 of pancreatic cancer, he was aged 57. Shortte organised a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the funeral. Collard Greens & Gravy reformed in 2017; the new line-up had Collard joined by Jason Liu Soon on drums and Sean "Juke Boy" Emmett on guitar. They issued their sixth studio album, 'Luedella', in 2018, Ian Collard on vocals and harmonica, Ben Peters on guitar, Dale Lindrea on bass and Liam O'Leary on drums.

Members

Ian Collard (vocals, harmonica, guitar), James Bridges (guitar, fiddle), Anthony Shortte (drums)
Sean "Juke Boy" Emmett (guitar), Jason Liu Soon (drums), Ben Peters (guitar), Dale Lindrea (bass), Liam O'Leary (drums)