Ash Grunwald

Ash Grunwald
Grunwald at Fly by Night Club, September, 2010
Background information
Birth name	Ashley Mark Groenewald
Born	(1976-09-05) 5 September 1976 (age 40)
Origin	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres	Blues roots
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar harmonica lapsteel stomp box
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Black Market Head Delta Groove
Associated acts	Blue Grunwalds Groove Catalysts Lloyd Spiegel TZU
Website	ashgrunwald.com
Notable instruments
Dobro Lap steel

Ash Grunwald (born Ashley Mark Groenewald, 5 September 1976) is an Australian blues musician. He has issued eight studio albums and has received five nominations for ARIA Music Awards. Four releases peaked in the ARIA Albums Chart top 50: Fish out of Water (September 2008), Hot Mama Vibes (June 2010), Trouble's Door (May 2012) and Gargantua (by Grunwald, Scot Owen and Andy Strachan, July 2013).

The Blue Grunwalds, one of Grunwald's first bands, released the album Groove Cave, which generated some local interest.

In 2001 Grunwald formed a trio called the Groove Catalysts. The Groove Catalysts played a number of blues venues in Melbourne and at several festivals throughout 2001 and 2002. As a solo artist, Grunwald has maintained several residencies over the past few years and has toured throughout Victoria and the east coast of Australia. Throughout 2001 Grunwald also played in a duo with Lloyd Spiegel.

Grunwald drew attention as a solo artist with the release of 2002's Introducing Ash Grunwald, a collection of originals and blues standards that included "Smokestack Lightnin'" (Howlin' Wolf) "The Sky Is Crying" (Elmore James) and "Rolling And Tumbling" (Robert Johnson) recorded live with only acoustic guitar and foot percussion consisting of a stomp box and tambourine.

The album also includes "Dolphin Song," which is based on an actual encounter Grunwald, a devout surfer, had with a shark and the pod of dolphins that came to his rescue.

The positive response to Grunwald's debut resulted in two Australian Blues Awards (The Chain Awards) for 'Best Emerging Talent' and 'Male Vocalist of the Year' in 2003.