Geoff Achison plays free early show at Pisgah Brewing

From the deep south of Australia, Geoff Achison was raised in the rural district of central Victoria and first heard American roots music via "Track Of The Blues," a late night weekly radio show heard through his older brother's crackly transistor radio.  

Achison plays a free solo acoustic set at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11 at Pisgah Brewing Co.

A self-taught musician, Achison began playing in local bands before moving to Melbourne where he joined Dutch Tilders & The Blues Club, backing up Australia's best known bluesman, Dutch Tilders. After several years with Dutch, he departed to concentrate on his own music. He began to play solo acoustic shows and developed his band-leading skills with his own group, The Souldiggers.

His international travels began with a trip to Memphis for the International Blues Challenge (he won the Albert King Award). He was chosen as one of the “Top Ten Hottest New Guitarists” by Guitar Player Magazine and was included in the “Top 100+ Guitarists You Should Know” roster. 

He’s been a 17-time guest guitar instructor at Jorma Kaukonen's (Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane) Fur Peace Guitar Ranch and has been featured on PBS, NPR, CNN and the BBC. His soulful voice and virtuosic acoustic guitar style have been favorably compared to Jeff Beck and Warren Haynes. A keen  improviser, he has been invited on stage to jam with names such as the Allman Brothers Band, Hot Tuna and many others.

In 2014 Geoff Achison & The Souldiggers celebrated 20 years of music making with a spectacular live album and DVD package. His latest album, "Another Mile, Another Minute" won five Australian Blues Music Awards in 2017. He frequently tours the USA and Europe and maintains a steady presence on the home front in Australia.