Showcasing homegrown talent

One of the artists performing on the Homegrown stage will be Louise MacGregor from Bendigo.

“I’m playing with Sam Pollack, who is a blues guitarist from a band called The Ratbags,” Louise said.

“He and I are good mates and we decided to start playing together about six months ago, which made me feel a little bit more entitled to apply for the blues festival.

“We are going to do my songs with a bit of blues guitar flair.”

Many locals would know Louise from regular gigs at the American, the Axedale Tavern and the Handle Bar in Bendigo.

“I just write songs for myself when I feel like it,” Louise said.

“I was trained in jazz and classical, so I don’t sound bluesy or folky and then when I pair up with other musicians, it seems my songs start to lean towards the other genres.

“When I play with Sam, they will start to sound a bit more bluesy than when I sing with Daniel Mays under my band, Longley Lane.”

Louise is in the process of recording new material with local producer Daniel Mays and asks you to follow her on socials at Lousie MacGregor Music to be notified when the new music comes out.

Louise looks forward to seeing Bill Barber and the Holding Cell at this year’s Winter Blues.

“I used to host an open mic night in Healesville and his father used to bring him in to play his slide guitar on open mic night,” she said.

“And he was enthralling as a 14-year-old and seeing him play with a full band now is out of this world.

“So, I will be very excited to see him play.”

Louise will perform on the Homegrown stage, Little Hopwood St, on Sunday, July 28 at 1.45pm.

The Homegrown stage is in Little Hopwood St and will run from 10.45am to 4.45pm both days.

Frankie Bell, Dan Duggan, Kamali, Sarah Mackenzie-Ross, Toby Brooks, Rory Phillips and Corey Legge will perform on the Homegrown stage on Saturday, July 27.

Luke Harrington, The Locky Ukers, Elise Drake, Born n’ Bred, Louise MacGregor, Grim Fawkner and Miss Lou’s Blues will perform on the Homegrown stage on Sunday, July 28.