Keith Donnelly
From UK, armed only with a seemingly unlimited supply of anecdotes and his trusty beat-up acoustic guitar, Keith can transform the most downbeat concet into a rioyous party for the audience. He has entertained audiences from Torquay to Tasmania, from Felixstowe to the Falklands. Most amazing of all is that he really is "Fun for all the family" You can bring 9 to 90 year olds and they'll all laugh and never be offended. You have to see him to believe him.
Laura Love
Laura Love is an African-American funk bassist/songwriter with an astonishing voice and an aclectic style. She has been influenced equally by Billy Holiday and Bill Munroe, James Brown and Greg Brown, Ralph Stanley and Stan Getz. Since the early 1990s, Laura has released nine CDs, and has toured throughout North America, performing at every legendary music festival on the continenet. Laura weaves and amalgam of styles together, mixing American and British folk melodies, jazz, bluegrass and blues into an exciting stew that she calls "folk-funk". This is strong stuff - Laura's vocals sail over her funky bass and everyone who hears this is never the same. This is Laura's first Australian tour. Come and see why she has thousands of rabid fans all over North America.
Judy Small
Judy Small describes herself as an old-fahioned stand-up-with-a-guitar-and-sing-political-songs-folksinger. 
She has been peforming for more than 30 years all over the English speaking world. Her powerfully political performances are spiced with humour, and have been described as "more like an evening with a favourite aunt than a concert".
Madviolet
Hailing from Canada, Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac have been traveling the globe for 7 years promoting their "tumbleweed pop" sound. With 2 UK produced, award-winning albums, a little bit country and a little bit pop, theses songstresses have been winning over audiences with their road stories and rootsy fiddlin', their harmonies, humour and heart-felt songs.
David Ross MacDonald
Waifs and Missy Higgins drummer gone songwriting troubadour David Ross Macdonald’s lyrics are dark and thoughtful, and in combination with his hypnotic fingerstyle guitar work, they create evocative songs with a haunting, poignant quality.
Totally Gourdgeous
Totally Gourdgeous play instruments made from gourds, but that's just the start of it. Four of Australia's most adventurous singer songwriters musicians; Penelope Swales (guitar), Carl Pannuzzo (drums), Mal Webb (bass, mbira and bugle) and Andrew Clermont (violin, mandolin and guitar) sing songs of love, fellowship and environmental sanity. Folk-Funk-Philosophy. Outrageous eclectic beauty, united under gourd. Imagine Joni Mitchell and James Brown getting down in Bob Marley's pumpkin patch in glitzy costumes.
Milk
Milk shows are like a party with tears, moving enough to make pirates dance, politicians tap their toes and court houses crumble. This talented, four piece band is inspired by the folk tradition of storytelling and social commentary. They write and perform songs about rivers, racism, refugees, living rough, gold, love, and pirates.
Milk is Helen Begley: vocals, guitar, accordion; Emily Hayes: vocals, percussion; Greg Craske: double bass; Teal Bain Roben: drums percussion.
Betty Means Business
Betty Means Business is a highly-strung harmony trio from the plucking edge of Melbourne's exploding ukulele underworld. Comprising 3 voices, and 3 ukulules, Betty Means Business defy the simplicity of theitr tools to conjure a wide spectrum of emotions with impeccable harmonies and dexterous digits that weave a unique and compelling acoustic sound, their repertoire includes oroginal songs spiced with cunningly rearranged popular tunes, from smoky jazz smoochers of the 20's to disco classsics and new romantic jewels of the 70's and 80's.
Feetbus
Feetbus presented by Feet Theatre.
Feet Theatre formed as a group in 2005 and have since performed in many festivals across Australia. In 2006 they toured Europe performing in England, Austria, Hungary, Romania and France.
While much of their work involves festival streets they also have a strong background in large-scale outdoor ritual theatre, having worked on the Woodford Folk Festival Fire event in Australia and the Beltane Fire Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. These events engage in powerful processes that inspire community building and fulfilling celebration. Feet theatre are bringing their feet bus which is the latest in ‘zero emissions’, ‘socially powered’ festival transport to get you around the festival. They will be part of our procession on Friday night.
Shemesh
Shemesh is a killer band from Melbourne comprising of Ronit on strong vocals and guitar, Clare Whitcombe on funky keys and soulful harmonies, Lucas Taranto bringing a smooth jazzy flavour on the bass and Jimmy Mileto laying down the rock on drums. They have a distinctive and dynamic sound, like a ménage a trios between Janis Joplin, Jeff Buckley and The Pixies. Add to this melting pot a seductive Middle Eastern flavour and you begin to describe Shemesh. The exciting chemistry between this four piece band takes the listeners on a musical journey with the ear candy harmonies of Ronit and Clare and perfectly felt build ups from acoustic mellow tunes into an ecstatic rocked out frenzy.
Michael Kennedy
Michael has been hailed as arguably the most beautiful male voice on the Australian folk scene. Winner of the National Folk Festival award for vocal excellence. With a voice "ice Pure" and "lyrics to pry you open". Michael mixes poetic intimacy with a love of audience participation.
Brett Robin Wood with Liz Frencham
Brett Robin Wood has been called the Michael Leunig of Singer/songwriters and "Leonard Cohen meets Charlie Chaplin". With catchy tunes, sparking guitars and agile wordmanship, Brett leaves you smiling at what it is to be human. Accompanist Liz Frencham (JigZag) weaves gorgeous bass and harmonies into Brett's acoustic musical storytelling.
Kate Grealy
Kate Grealy is a singer songwriter based in Melbourne, who performs folk music with jazz and pop inflections. Grealy's rich vocal style is reminscent of artists Joni Mitchell and Jeff Buckley, while her song-writing style, centres around poetic story-lines.
Dev'lish Mary
Dev'lish Mary (Melbourne) are Australia's hottest new old-time band, featuring Ruth Hazelton, Liz Frencham, Sally Taylor and Cat Moser who play "Hilljilly tunes with bangles, aprons and strings.." Line up includes twin fiddles, guitar, bullfiddle, and 5 string banjo. Dev'lish Mary peform old-time, bluegrass and western swing tunes and songs and bring their own spicy interpretation of hillbilly and American roots music to Australian audiences. Their repertoire is a gumbo of musical genres with extra chilli of course.
The Counterfeit Gypsies
The Counterfeit Gypsies play an intensely energetic mix of Eastern European Gypsy and Balkan music with wild melodies and driving grooves. With a fat sound and tunes that will make your head spin, this band has a great live show. Fast instrumental dance music that won't disappoint anyone looking to party with some good-time up-tempo Gypsy tunes… the overall effect is great and the dynamism and sheer enjoyment of performing is clear.
Megan Bowman
Hailed as sexy and intoxicating, Megan Bowman fuses roots, jazz and pop in a one-woman show. Megan has played in Australia, New York, various festivals in Australia and North America and is a recipient of a 2006 John Butler Seed Grant. Her debut album 'Wonderlust' is lauded as "one of the strongest releases of 2006" John Carver PBS fm.
Ryan Sterling and Shane French
One acoustic guitar, one drum kit, a handful of harmonicas and a couple of voices. Ryan and Shane play music which is at times raw and raucous and at other times gentle and sweet.
Tecoma
Tecoma's unique mix of influences range from contemporary roots, to jazz and traditional middle eastern music styles. The music sensibility of the young singer-songwriter at Tecoma's heart, Amira Pyliotis, has been informed as much by life playing out in the jazz dives, sky-rise office blocks, suburban streets and acoustic cafes of Melbourne, her city of origin, as it has by the awe inspiring natural landscape of Tecoma's adopted home in Alice Springs, Northern Territory. For the first time this award winning song writer is bringing her band to Yackandandah to play music designed to take you from the kitchen to the road to the dance floor and back. Amira Pyliotis: Voice, guitar, trumpet, Gavin Shoesmith: Double bass, slide bass, harmonica, Michael Boase: Drums, percussion
Sal Kimber
Sal is a local girl who first played at Yackandandah folk festival in 2003, since then she has played at many of the major festivals winning the 2004 Port Fairy Young Talent Award and the Wangaratta Jazz Festival Open Mic comp. in 2005. Sal writes strong and frisky flavoured songs, painting stories of the land, love, travel and the tussle between country and city living. Her on stage performance - honest, raw, genuine and playful pulls the audience in as she connects and plays with a certain warmth and intimacy audiences remember.
Rosie Burgess
Stomping away on her homemade stompbox, Rosie sings up a storm with her rootsy slide guitar, harmonica and mandolin. Her music flows straight from the heart and blood. Here quirky and original tunes are captivating audiences wherever she goes. Her high energy live shows and many live-to-air radio performances have secured her a growing fan base of acoustic blues and roots lovers around the globe.
Cloud 9
Cloud 9 are a high energy, up beat show, guaranteed to get every foot stomping, every face smiling and every booty shaking to the driving jungle fun. Combining didgereedoo, wild percussion, strumming guitar, flute, vocals and shakers, Cloud 9 will have ages 3 to 93 smiling and enjoying the 100% original, Australian music. Damio Sun: percussion, didgereedoo and vocals, Melani M : drums, percussion, flute, guitar and vocals, Obi Sun: drums and dance.
Dirtbird
Majestic slo-mo acoustic 2-piece Dirtbird combines lush harmonies with a sparse acoustic guitar and soaring cello. The dark, visionary songs they conjure from the ether are unique and sometimes slightly unsettling. Influences range from Neil Young to Low and Gillian Welch, but their ethereal warmth and sheer otherworldliness is all their own. The Dirtbird sound combines the "whisper-to-a-roar" vocals and understated guitar work of songwriter David M. Lewis with the assured, lyrical cello playing and intimate, soulful voice of Cathy English.
SourSob Bob & Emma Luker
Soursob Bob is an original songwriter and folk musician from Adelaide. His music is an accomplished take on folk, with a definite Australian slant… Nothing is sacred in SourSob's world. As he puts spin on everyday and unusual occurrences. His lyrical content is excexcptionally sharp, satirical and poitically provocative. His delivery is dead-pan and very, very funny.
Violinist Emma Luker has played and recorded with Colcannon and Eric Bogle and is now doing the same with Soursob Bob. Emma met Bob at the National Folk Festival where she bought two of his CDs. Having listened to them carefully, and learnt all the songs, she'll be joining him at Yackandandah with her clever and tasteful fiddle playing.
Soursob Bob has released four full length cds, his most recent being "dont quit your day job", and an EP of instrumentals with Emma Luker called "Journey Someplace and other stories"
Sam Niedra
Sam played at Yackandandah earlier in his career when he lived in Beechworth. He is now a Melbournite and is looking forward to "coming home" and playing his unique style of guitar. 
He is an award winning singer songwriter and finger style guitarist. He uses a variety of non - standard guitar tunings to produce extremely original, melodic, rhythmical and emotive songs.
Rosie Haden & John Fairbridge
Since forming three years ago, Rosie and John have been performing their original brand of feisty country-blues at various venues and festivals around Melbourne/Victoria. "beautifully crafted songs" Mescalito Records, "hugely popular" Maldon Folk Festival, "Sounds like Grace Slick" Jeff Lang, "one of the best voices I have ever heard" Chris Wilson.
O' Shea- Ryan Irish Dancers
The O'Shea - Ryan Irish Dancers range in age from very young to adults, and include dancers who have performed extensively, in Australia and overseas. They present solo, group, hard and soft shoe dances in a colourful and lively display of Irish Dancing.
Datu Efren and Lisa Mandipensa
Tribal Chief Datu Efren from the village of Mindanao in the Phillipines and his partner and previous Yackandandah resident, Lisa, present Ethno-environmental alternative folk songs and stories in 5 languages. They will be joined by outstanding local musicians to provide accompaniment on guitar, percussion and tribal instruments.
The Hellands
Two brothers and their sister 16-19 yrs playing a variety of world folk music from Celtic to Klezmer and the odd original piece combining violins, viola, bouzouki, flutes, bodhran, recorders, harmonica and vocals. Their pieces range from harmonious and sweet to fast and furious played with youthful exuberance that’s inspiring and contagious.
Wildfire
Wildfire is a dynamic local duo who play a range of Celtic styles with a contempory feel. Owen plays Flute, Wooden whistle, Tenor Saxaphone. Eddy plays Guitar, Bouzouki, Fiddle and Djembe. Both sing. Performing a mixture of original songs, and tunes from Ireland, England, Gallacia, South America and Australia, Wildfire's music has energy and sensitivity.
The Rainmakers
The Rainmakers are Jane Thompson & James Rigby (from Blackwood) and their 3 daughters Maggie, 14, Elsie 12, and Naomi 10, Their music is vibrant, colourful and delightful incorporating songs from all over the world but especially Australia and The Pacific. Close acappella harmonies, songs accompanied by ukulele, guitar, fiddle and tunes on marimbas, their ever expanding repertoire is presented with warmth, gentle humour and inevetable, unpredicatable family dynamics.
Tom Richardson
After winning the 2005 Individual Junior Busking Championships at the Mortlake Buskers Festival and the 2005 Port Fairy Rhapsody in June competition, young Blues and Roots mult-instrumentalist, Tom Richardson is spreading his wings. His mixture of old and new blues and rhythms capture audiences' attention with his hands busy on the slide guitar, both feet occupied by a stomp box, percussion and loop station, while his mouth controls the microphone or occasionally a bit of kazoo.
Tom Yates
I got songs I sing for family, songs I do for fun, songs of social comment, some burned in the sun, sha na na na na, Hey friend gather round, don't you love the sound of a good song going down.
