Referred to as New Zealand’s first Bluegrass Supergroup, the excitement around their inception saw them play their first live gig as openers for The Felice Brothers as part of the Americana fest at Auckland’s Tuning Fork. They recorded their EP a week later and in February 2020, You, Me, Everybody released their self-titled debut EP, which reached number 13 in the New Zealand album charts. This debut also saw them named as finalists for Best NZ Folk Artist, 2021 in the Aotearoa Music Awards.
Their first full length album, Southern Sky, was released in January 2021, which again debuted in the top 20 of the NZ album charts. In April 2021, the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) selected the group as one of four bands to feature in performances as part of their online leadership summit, following a presentation by internationally renowned folk musician, Sarah Jarosz.
In 2023 they appeared in Netflix’s, Sweet Tooth, performing their song Stranger in an opening sequence. The song made such an impression that it got a second usage to end the episode. A New Zealand tour utilised the publicity that the show garnered and was followed up with a nine date tour of Australia.
You, Me, Everybody was formed by brothers Laurence and Sam Frangos-Rhodes. When Sam spied someone playing bluegrass fiddle, he asked if he could learn the instrument. Family band, Rhodeworks followed with Laurence choosing acoustic guitar. Within a couple of years, Sam found the mandolin and is now considered one of the best pickers in the country. Laurence built his style from flat picking heroes such as Tony Rice and now makes all of the guitars he plays.
When they decided to form their own band, they went to the ones they admired from other New Zealand folk and country artists. James Geluk studied bass at Massey University and was a member of The Frank Burkitt Band and Fables. Nat Torkington from The Pipi Pickers was known throughout Australasia for his 5 string banjo and Kim Bonnington was brought in on vocals and harmonies after working with almost every Americana act in Wellington and beyond. In 2022, James Geluk left for overseas adventures and in 2023, Rob Henderson from The Shake ‘em on Downers, Them Sundries and Sgt. Berties Lonely Jazz Club Band took over on bass.