Established in 2012, The Barrel Boys have become one of Canada’s favourite acoustic stringbands. The band’s sound is built around rich vocal harmonies and virtuosic instrumental playing, and their unique repertoire of original material is informed by their fluency in classic bluegrass, old-time, country, and Americana. Each of the members writes and sings their own songs, making for a wide stylistic range within the band’s sound.

In addition to being great songwriters, The Barrel Boys are also seasoned performers. In their shows, the whole band crowds around a single vocal mic, making for a beautiful vocal blend, as well as an energetic and engaging experience. The group first honed its craft through a 2-year-long weekly residency at Toronto’s Cloak and Dagger Pub, where they performed 3-hr sets every Tuesday night. Since then, they have been featured on stages of all sizes across Canada, including Mariposa Folk Festival (ON), Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival (YT), Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival (NS), Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old-Tyme Festival (SK), Blueberry Bluegrass Festival (AB), and Salmon Arm ROOTSandBLUES (BC).
The Barrel Boys are: Nathan Smith (Fiddle); Rob McLaren (Banjo); Ben Wright (Guitar); and Tim O’Reilly (Bass).

In 2020, The Barrel Boys released Mainline, their third full-length album of original songs and tunes. The album showcases the band’s five unique singers and songwriters, complete with the rich vocal harmonies and virtuosic instrumental playing that Barrel Boys fans have come to love. Their songs capture experiences from their own lives, as well as stories the Boys have collected from their journeys touring across Canada. The album earned them a nomination for “Vocal Group of the Year” at the 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards.