In my opinion, bluegrass will never be better than it was in the 1990s. Some of the best bands in the genre’s history produced their standout works during this decade: Tony Rice made Tony Rice Plays and Sings Bluegrass, the best bluegrass album of all time (that’s right I said it); Hot Rize produced Take It Home, arguably their magnum opus; and Ricky Skaggs made Ancient Tones — which set the standard for top-tier bluegrass going into the 2000s. At the same time, promising young upstarts like Chris Thile and future legends like Blue Highway released their freshman efforts this year. The 1990s is such a rich decade for bluegrass because, more than any other time in the genre’s history, it defined tradition in transition from old to new. Enjoy this hand-picked playlist of the best bluegrass from the 1990s!

David Chernack
David Chernack is a fiddler, mandolinist, and guitarist from Hyde Park, NY. Trained as a classical violist, David found out about bluegrass music through the Strawberry Hill Fiddlers program and despite his best efforts has been unable to kick the habit. He picked up mandolin and guitar in college in Boston, where he studied environmental science and music. After moving to Denver and performing and touring with several Coloradan bands, he's back in the Hudson Valley. Aside from bluegrass, David also enjoys birdwatching and wrenching on cars.

Latest posts from David Chernack
- The Kids Are Alright: Young Bluegrass - September 28, 2023
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- Bluegrass Songs About Hammers – A Playlist - August 31, 2023