Bluegrass is in an interesting spot in 2022. Young artists with strong songwriting chops and broad appeal—looking at you, Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle—have seen bluegrass’s popularity creeping into the mainstream to a degree not seen since the early 2000s … Read More
Whether it’s by train or by plane, bluegrass songs love to feature a man on the move. Whether it’s going back to the old home place or on the road to nowhere, some of bluegrass’s most iconic songs talk about … Read More
Tim O’Brien is a man of many musical hats. Through the years, he has evolved a mandolin style that seems at home in every genre he touches: folk, rock, country and Western, and of course, bluegrass. While you probably know … Read More
John Hartford is one of the most quintessentially American musicians to ever hit the bluegrass scene. Like Tony Rice and David Grisman, he crafted music that was somehow as ancient as it was modern, all with songwriting skills that recall … Read More
B” is for bluegrass—and the key of B is where the best bluegrass tunes and songs live! Bluegrass songs in B are conducive to some of the tightest harmonies and highest and lonesomest tunes out there. This list features performances … Read More
Time for another round of double plays! What was once old is new again in bluegrass—songs written nearly a century ago are kept alive by today’s great bands, who put a new spin on them every time. On this list, … Read More
It’s all about family for plenty of history’s—and today’s—best bluegrass bands. From the proto-bluegrass legends of the Carter Family to foundational groups like the Stanley Brothers, sharing family ties was a key aspect of the genre’s early days. Today, that … Read More
While bluegrass is now enjoyed around the country and around the world, it’s no secret that the genre has deep southern roots. Bill Monroe was from Kentucky, Lester Flatt was from Tennessee, and Earl Scruggs was from North Carolina after … Read More
At the core of most bluegrass songwriting is nostalgia, longing, reverence—whatever you want to call it—for the “old home place.” And for a lot of bluegrassers, that home is in the mountains. Centuries-old Appalachian mountain music was a major influence … Read More
The dobro is sometimes seen as “optional” in bluegrass band lineups, but that reputation can obscure the fact that it is an awesome instrument with many champions. From bluegrass music’s inception, the dobro has been a driving force thanks to … Read More