by David Chernack
The year of 2024 was sleeper year for new bluegrass—with some hugely underrated releases by artists who will likely come to define what bluegrass is ten years from now.
#10: All That Will, Shadowgrass
Shadowgrass—undeniably cool name—is a relatively newcomer in a vast crop of newcomers to the bluegrass genre in the past few years. In their short time on the scene, the Shadowgrass guys and gals have accumulated a staunch following among younger bluegrassers—as in, actually younger folks under 30, not statistically young fans under the age of 65. That following is largely derived from their energetic performances, as well as the inspirational cues taken from the forward-leaning songwriting and arranging attitudes of the likes of Newgrass Revival and Billy Strings. Their original songs feature plenty of I-iii-IV progressions (a mainstay of Strings’ style) and ooze with forceful panache (like Newgrass Revival). Meanwhile, their renditions of more traditional numbers like the Stanley Brothers’ “Highway of Regret” provide opportunities for this group of twenty-somethings to flex their instrumental muscles. (Especially of note on that front is the guitar playing of Kyser George—make sure to watch that kid.) I’m incredibly impressed by this sophomore effort by Shadowgrass—it’s a huge improvement over their first record from just two short years ago, and the whole album is worth a listen.
My favorite track: “Pleasantly Aimless”
#9: Unfinished Bridges, Rock Hearts
Rock Hearts won’t break—believe it, my dear! Unfinished Bridges is the most polished, tight, and energetic release to come from Rock Hearts, which is saying something. Fiddler (and friend of the show) Austin Scelzo contributes heavily to the band’s fast-paced vibe, helping to set alight many original songs on the record written by mandolinist Alex MacLeod. And it’s the original songwriting that really makes this album shine—while the band rips into classics like “On My Mind” and “Before I Met You” with abandon, Rock Hearts are most themselves while forging their own classics. Songs like the inspired gospel number “Let Me Be The Best Bible” and “Pretty Little Bird” show that this band is ready to punch above their weight—and with Unfinished Bridges, Rock Hearts is poised to do just that.
My favorite track: “Tall Stands of Timber”
#8: Live from the Ryman, Dan Tyminski
This decade has so far been a great one for Dan Tyminski fans. Last year’s God Fearing Heathen was my favorite new bluegrass album in years. With 2024 comes a live album which covered much of that record’s material—plus some old classics we haven’t hear Dan record in several years. Live from the Ryman doesn’t quite hit the highs of previous live recordings Tyminski has been a part of in the past—talking specifically about the incomparable Alison Krauss and Union Station Live from the Louisville Palace here—but it’s well executed, undeniably fun, and features great performances from his wonderful young band. Dobro maestro Gaven Largent gets to lay down an excellent instrumental intro to Dan’s old standby “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn” with a medley of “Home Sweet Home” and “Shenandoah”—really sweet stuff, and great to see a leading man with as much cachet as Dan Tyminski let his band members strut their stuff so prominently. Tyminski’s vocals remain as commanding ever, and it’s just a blast to hear him and his band mash in front of a live audience on this album.
My favorite track: “The Old Home Place”
#7: Far Away with You, Woody Platt
It’s not hyperbole to say we’ve been waiting half a decade for this album. Ever since founding member Woody Platt left the Grammy-winning machine that is The Steep Canyon Rangers, avid fans have awaited his return with an album of original songwriting that brought so much dynamism to the Rangers. And it was worth the wait—Woody doesn’t disappoint with this thrilling and star-studded album. Featuring great dobro work by Jerry Douglas, harmony vocals and fiddle from Balsam Range’s Buddy Melton, and guest appearances from a slew of stars including Tim O’Brien, Shannon White, Del McCoury and more, this one is a home run with tons of great performances—plus the expected witty, creative, and irreverent we’ve come to expect from Woody Platt. I’m so glad to have him back on the scene, and excited to see where he’ll go next.
My favorite track: “One Last Goodbye”
#6: Going Out of Style, The Caleb Daughtery Band
Another element of great bluegrass that seems to be becoming more and more prominent and important in the genre’s future: overlap with country. This shouldn’t be a surprise. In the past few years, country legends like Alan Jackson (with The Bluegrass Album) and Sturgill Simpson (with Cuttin’ Grass Volumes 1 & 2) have come to drink from the bluegrass well to great critical acclaim. Now, bluegrass bands like the fantastic and underrated Caleb Daughtery Band are now pursuing the same approach in the reverse. With razor-sharp precision and superb performances all around, Going Out of Style—the band’s sophomore full-length outing—both samples the form and the repertoire of country music. The band deploys a twangy pedal steel guitar intro to their rendition of Moe Bandy’s “Cowboys Ain’t Supposed to Cry,” while they settle for straightforward bluegrass mash to tackle Randy Travis’s “Better Class of Losers.” The band also debuts a slate of original songs, including the excellent “Rattlesnakes and Copperheads” and “Tell Me No Lies,” which feature vocal harmonies that are passionate and soulful. Definitely give this whole album a listen if you haven’t yet—I have a feeling we’re all gonna be hearing more from the Caleb Daughtery Band in the near future.
My favorite track: “Better Class of Losers”
#5: City of Glass, AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Hot take: AJ Lee and Blue Summit ought to be as famous, and receive as many accolades, as Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway. AJ Lee and Molly Tuttle both grew up in the fertile central California bluegrass scene and have both forged their own paths through the genre with excellent songwriting and assembling superb bands. But Lee has a much more sensitive touch than Tuttle—this shows in her songwriting and arrangement styles, with delicate storytelling and an emotional touch which still feels substantial and powerful. Her band—how can you say no to guys like Scott Gates and Molly’s brother Sully, both on guitar—are the perfect group of fellas to execute her vision of gentler, yet still bold, bluegrass. City of Glass instantly reads as the pinnacle of that vision, and I’m still not over the fact that it wasn’t nominated for a Grammy this year.
My favorite track: “I Can’t Find You at All”
#4: Earl Jam, Tony Trischka
Now we’re really cooking. Earl Jam is the kind of tribute album that really gets me excited—pulling the deepest of the deep cuts, introducing them to unconventionally cool combinations of musicians, and just seeing where things go. Tony Trischka put this album together after pouring over a set of unreleased recordings of impromptu jams between Earl Scruggs and John Hartford from the 1980s, which sounds incredibly cool in itself. But by bringing in pals like the Gibson Brothers (for “Lady Madonna”), Sierra Ferrell (for “San Antonio Rose”), Molly Tuttle (for “Dooley”), and more, Tony found a way to construct the kind of tailored tribute that rises above the rest. And, not like we needed a reminder, but this album really showcases how great of a banjo player Tony Trischka is. Earl must be looking down proudly with this one.
My favorite track: “Lady Madonna”
#3: Wanderers Like Me, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys have been one of the biggest names in bluegrass since their formation ten years ago, and with good reason. Their approach to recording, performing, and hell, dressing—has felt so moulded in the visions of the Stanleys, Monroe, and other first generation heavyweights, without feeling like a pastiche à la the Earls of Leicester. Their authenticity isn’t a tribute—it’s just their way of pickin’ ‘grass. Turns out that approach will win you a lot of fans. This year’s new release is the best that the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys have released since 2019’s Toils, Tears & Trouble with one key additive: Laura Orshaw’s sublime fiddling and singing. She shines on cuts like “I’m Still a Fool for You” and “Trying to Live the Dream,” and her energy is a great match for the cool, collected, and laser-precision of Jerome Brown’s banjo style. C.J. Lewandowski’s mandolin picking is as distinctive and commanding as ever, and the whole band just lays it down on this record with an authoritative energy that most bands these days can only aspire to. Wanderers Like Me is just about a masterpiece—the kind of record that, in most years, would be #1.
My favorite track: “Wanderers Like Me”
#2: Highway Prayers, Billy Strings
This is another album that, in a year that’s not 2024, would have been an easy #1. Billy Strings has done exactly what I hoped he’d do when he released his first true solo effort Turmoil and Tinfoil back in 2017—experiment, and then keep experimenting. Get weird lyrically, structurally, instrumentally, thematically, and see what turns up. Now six albums in, Billy is doing just that with the Americana- and car culture-inspired Highway Prayers, featuring songs that cover all sorts of bases. And from the andante spoken word tale of “Catch and Release,” to the gospel-inspired a capella ode of “Richard Petty,” to the psychedelic mandocello-intro’d “Stratosphere Blues,” to the conventional and expertly executed instrumental “Seney Strecth,” you start to notice a few things about the artist. First among them is that Billy Strings has absorbed a lot of good habits from his many collaborators from the last decade, from Bela Fleck’s long-unmatched wizardry in arranging fiddle tunes to Post Malone’s colorful exploration of songwriting around marijuana usage. Second is that he knows that variety is the spice of life—and of bluegrass. There’s something for everyone, even conventional—not to mention beautiful—bluegrass music here for anyone who is willing to embrace everything Strings is doing, rather than ignoring the “weird” stuff. Highway Prayers is clearly Billy Strings’ most poetic, thoughtful, balanced, and forward-looking album yet. No one can do it like him—but ten years from now? Let’s just say we’re looking at the mould.
My favorite track: “Don’t Be Calling Me (at 4AM)”
#1: I Built a World, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
No surprise here! As I wrote in my full-length review of fiddler Bronwyn Keith-Hynes’ second album back in July: her “broad range of repertoire choices, the assertive vocal and instrumental attitudes, and even the way Keith-Hynes uses her band to compliment her unique fiddle voicings felt distinctly mature and reminiscent of a more experienced bluegrass veteran,” and after dozens of listens this year, my appreciation for this crowning achievement of a record has only deepened. “Can’t Live Without Love,” the first track on the album, is almost unbelievably rich and well crafted; “Will You Ever Be Mine,” featuring Dudley O’Connell, is boundless in its joy and energy; “Trip Around the Sun” is, I’m not exaggerating, a game-changing bluegrass performance. Bronwyn Keith-Hynes and projects like I Built a World are what will come to define bluegrass ten years from now: smart, joyful, collaborative, fiddle-forward, and fun. Be sure to read the full review of this one to get my full take—or better yet, enjoy it for yourself.
My favorite track: “Trip Around the Sun”
Happy New Year! Let me know what you think of my picks in the comments—what were some of your favorites from 2024? What releases are you looking forward to in 2025?
David I’m so tickled that you gave high ratings to Rock Hearts, Po’ Rambling Boys and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes! Three of my particular favorites.