16/07/2026
JOHN GOODFELLOW AND THE BARE BONES TRIO:
Great Songs, Stripped to the Soul
Some bands attempt to overpower an audience with sheer volume. John Goodfellow and The Bare Bones Trio take a different approach. They strip the music back, find the heart of the song and allow the melody, lyrics and musicianship to do the heavy lifting.
It’s an approach perfectly reflected in the band’s name. There is nothing unnecessary, artificial or overproduced about what they do. The Bare Bones Trio deliver recognisable rock favourites, Australian classics, blues, folk-rock and original material through an earthy acoustic sound built around strong vocals, rich harmonies and decades of collective musical experience. The band describes itself as a broad selection of rock and Australian classics performed acoustically with vocal harmonies, but that simple description only begins to explain what happens when these musicians share a stage.
At the centre of the band is leader, lead singer and songwriter John Goodfellow, a Southern Highlands’ musician who has spent 45 years singing, writing and performing. A guitarist, harmonica player and keyboardist, John draws inspiration from a remarkably broad musical landscape. The laid-back grooves and understated storytelling of JJ Cale sit alongside the expansive soundscapes of Pink Floyd, the foundational blues of Muddy Waters and the contemporary rock-pop power of Pink.
That mixture tells you plenty about John’s musical instincts. He’s never been interested in being confined to a single genre. His music can be bluesy without being predictable, reflective without becoming sombre, and powerful without needing to shout. His voice carries the weathering of experience, while his songs emerge from the life of a creative thinker who has also worked as a builder, welder, TAFE teacher, business owner and owner-builder.
Those years away from the stage have not distracted John from music. They’ve given him more stories to tell.
His original songs explore love, loss, mortality, resilience and the complicated ground between happiness and heartache. Highland FM recognised John as its 100% Home-Grown Artist of the Month in July 2023, featuring recordings including Comes Alive, It’s Alright to Cry, Lost and Found, Ain’t No Reason, Amazing, Captivated and Paint a Picture. The radio station described his sound as a meeting of blues and modern rock, driven by acoustic guitar, harmonica and emotionally direct vocals. John has also collaborated closely with songwriter Mark Tickner in developing an extensive catalogue of original material.
John’s musical journey has now entered another important chapter. In March 2026, he spent four days at Old Binda Road Studios in Crookwell recording a collection of original songs. John says the work will contribute to an album planned for release towards the end of the year, with an interview about the project scheduled to air on Highland FM on Tuesday, 21 July.
While John provides the voice, songs and creative direction, The Bare Bones Trio would not have their distinctive feel without the musicians surrounding him.
Bassist John Pearce has been playing for most of his life and brings far more than a steady bottom end to the band. His greatest influences include two bassists who helped redefine the instrument’s role in rock music: Chris Squire of Yes and Roger Glover of Deep Purple.
That influence can be heard in the way John approaches the bass as both a foundation and a musical voice. He understands when to lock tightly with the drums, when to leave breathing space and when a bass line can become a melody of its own.
His musical interests extend well beyond bass players. Michael Hutchence, Robert Plant and David Gilmour have helped shape his appreciation of vocal performance, atmosphere and dynamics. His favourite songs include Behind Blue Eyes by The Who, Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd and Psycho Killer by Talking Heads, three songs that demonstrate his attraction to music with character, tension and emotional depth.
Behind the drum kit is Nick Tomlinson, a Southern Highlands’ local with 40 years of experience and a musical history stretching from old-time dance bands to hard rock covers.
Born and bred in the region and educated at Moss Vale High School, Nick has spent much of his working life as an electrician. Away from the stage, Nick is a keen motorcyclist and devoted dad. Music plays a major role in his family life, with all of his children sharing both his passion for music and his natural musical talent.
Nick’s influences range across Dire Straits, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Cold Chisel and the Divinyls. His favourite material includes Bow River, I Am an Island, Moondance and Have You Ever Seen the Rain. It’s a selection that reveals the qualities he brings to The Bare Bones Trio: a feel for groove, a strong sense of song structure and an understanding that good drumming is not about filling every available space.
Nick has already travelled through numerous eras and styles of live music, but his reason for continuing is refreshingly uncomplicated. He’s still having fun playing with great musicians. That attitude is central to the band’s appeal. The experience is there, but there’s no sense of musicians going through the motions. They continue to play because they genuinely enjoy the songs, the camaraderie and the connection created with an audience.
Together, the three musicians create something greater than the sum of their individual histories. John Goodfellow brings the stories and unmistakable voice. John Pearce gives the songs their movement and depth. Nick Tomlinson provides the pulse holding everything together.
The band has become a familiar presence across the Southern Highlands and surrounding districts, performing at local hotels, community events and festivals. Appearances have included the Bundanoon Hotel, the Southern Highlands Festival of Lights celebrations and the RockCan community music event at Mittagong RSL. The trio has also been announced among the performers for Wyadra Brewing’s Day on the Paddock event – which is coming soon.
The band’s appearance at The Gig Room will also feature special guest Gregory Olsen, a guitarist, composer, poet, former music teacher, environmentalist and community advocate whose own musical history stretches back to 1970.
Greg is the kind of musician who struggles to nominate a single instrument he plays, because his answer is effectively any stringed instrument fitted with frets. His influences include Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Yes, Deep Purple, Frank Zappa, Allan Holdsworth and Focus, placing him firmly within the adventurous world of classic rock, progressive music and jazz-rock fusion.
His involvement adds another musical dimension to the performance. Greg possesses the technical ability to bring colour and complexity to a song, but also the maturity to recognise when restraint will serve the music better.
Greg began teaching guitar during the 1970s and independently released the predominantly instrumental album Take Your Pick in the early 1980s. His career has included performances with Australian artists Stevie Wright and Jeannie Lewis, alongside decades spent composing, recording and helping other musicians develop their craft. He relocated to Bundanoon in 2019 and has remained active within the local music community, including performing with the Bundanoon group, Stormy Teacup.
His musical life has been driven by curiosity. From Hendrix and progressive rock to alternative guitar tunings, world music and contemplative instrumental compositions inspired by nature, Greg has continued searching for new sounds rather than simply repeating what he already knows.
That sense of curiosity makes him an ideal guest for The Bare Bones Trio. He understands the traditions from which the band draws, but he’s also capable of taking the music somewhere unexpected.
This Sunday’s performance brings together four musicians whose combined experience spans well over a century. Yet this is not a museum exhibition or an exercise in nostalgia. It’s living, breathing music played by people who have spent their lives learning why certain songs endure.
Audiences can expect timeless rock favourites, Australian classics, blues-drenched grooves, memorable vocal harmonies and possibly a glimpse of John Goodfellow’s growing collection of original material.
Most importantly, they can expect musicians playing for the right reasons.
John Goodfellow and The Bare Bones Trio, featuring special guest Gregory John Olsen, will appear at The Gig Room’s Open Mic at the Bundanoon Club this Sunday, 19 July, from 3pm.
Come along, support live music in the Southern Highlands and experience a band that proves great music doesn’t need unnecessary decoration. Sometimes all you need are great songs, experienced musicians and the very Bare Bones.
Artists bookings are essential on 0409 871 763.
