The Washboard Union

This trio’s tonsorial choices—two epically bearded members and one sans whiskers—have often gotten them dubbed the ZZ Top of Canadian country. In truth, The Washboard Union are closer to a stew of Flatt & Scruggs, Mumford & Sons and Blake Shelton. With David John Roberts on mandolin (and the washboard that gave the group their name), Aaron Grain on guitar, Chris Duncombe on banjo and all three singing and writing, The Washboard Union blend bluegrass, pop and country flavours into a sound that’s earned them a raft of Canadian country and bluegrass honours. It all began when Duncombe and Grain met as teens in Kelowna, British Columbia before moving to Vancouver and hooking up with Roberts in 2010. Legendary rock producer Bob Ezrin worked on their self-titled, self-released 2012 debut album, but things really took off when the trio signed with Warner Music Canada: widescreen anthem “Maybe It’s the Moonshine” and good-time stomper “Shot of Glory” from 2015 EP In My Bones hit the Canadian Country Top 10.