The Mountaingrass festival team are always excited to present women in bluegrass, this year we have Karen Lynne, the first Australian Daughter of Bluegrass with the Louis Family!

The Louis Family present a mix of very traditional style bluegrass songs and tunes, and acoustic country, with some originals as well. Blue Mountains couple, Karen Lynne and Martin Louis (banjo) have been performing bluegrass and traditional country music in various line-ups featuring some of the best musicians in Australian Bluegrass, for over 30 years. It’s also no surprise their son William, an amazing multi-instrumentalist in his own right - is now sharing the stage with them.

Karen & Martin have toured in both the UK and Europe. One tour included a support for Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder. They've performed in an International Showcase at the IBMA Annual World Of Bluegrass Convention in Nashville and on two of the Australian Bluegrass Cruises.

Karen was honoured in 2013 as the first Australian Daughter of Bluegrass, with a track on Pickin’ Like A Girl (a US Project to feature and promote women in bluegrass).  Karen was the first Australian Female Artist to release a complete bluegrass album in 1999, with Acoustic Shock called Blue Mountain Rain. She later released a solo contemporary bluegrass and acoustic album called Changes, re-released with a few track changes as Wishing Well under the ABC Records Heartland Label.

Karen's most recent album is a traditional Bluegrass Gospel album Shine Your light produced in Tom T. & Dixie Hall’s Nashville Studio by Jerry Salley.

Martin and William Louis have so far achieved six wins between them in the Australian Bluegrass Awards, and the Battle of the Bluegrass Awards, and continue to enjoy playing banjo together. William released his first album Pick it Son! (duets with dad) when he was only eight, containing 12 twin banjo tunes, four of which he wrote himself. William has continued to  write and perform his own tunes and while retaining a strong appreciation for the bluegrass tradition, finds his musical tastes broadening into a rich mixture of folk, Indie rock, singer-songwriter influences as showcased on his 2022 EP release Clouds, which showcases a maturity of musicianship, composition and recording expertise way above his age.

The Louis Family have been 'taking care of business' at home for a few years, now with great delight that they are looking forward to sharing their music together again!

The Louis Family will be joined at Mountaingrass by equally talented company - Quentin Fraser on dobro and Liz Frencham on double bass.