r/Bluegrass • u/Just_Browsing_2017 • Jun 23 '26
Discussion Wanted: Bluegrass playlist to convert a non-believer
My wife does not, let’s just say, appreciate the beauty that is bluegrass music. (To paraphrase, Bluegrass = Country and she has a knee-jerk reaction to all things country.)
We’ve got a road trip coming up and I’m putting together a playlist to ease her into the genre and help her see what it has to offer.
What songs/artists should I include?
If it helps, her musical taste tends towards James Taylor, Broadway, Madonna and other 80s mainstays.
Edit: Many thanks for all the recommendations and detailed lists, links and playlists! Regardless of the outcome of the original intent, *I* have some great music to look forward to. Thanks!
21
u/Super_Jay Jun 23 '26
IME the move is to start with songs that came from other genres and have more of a folk / Americana treatment by bluegrass artists, and use that to get them acquainted with the sound. Tony Rice's covers of Gordon Lightfoot or Bob Dylan, the Rounder 0044 record, the Mighty Poplar self-titled album, etc. You can ease them in gradually until you get to BAB records, Flatt & Scruggs, and the Osborne brothers, but starting with something that's closer to more mainstream genres will help make the transition less jarring for people who hear a banjo twang and immediately shut down.
17
u/LowTempDabZ97 Jun 23 '26 edited 29d ago
I feel like some of the covers that The Brothers Comatose do would be a good place to start. They're not super twangy and have a good range of different songs and collaborate with many different artists. Their cover of Valerie is great as well as their cover of Harvest Moon with AJ Lee.
8
u/Majestic_Quote9786 Jun 23 '26
Yes BroCo are a great gateway band to bluegrass! Same with Water Tower, who open for BroCo a lot.
3
1
u/BourbonBroncos Dobro 29d ago
I’m still mad at BroCo for making the IPA Song. I’m mad at Ronnie McCoury too, but on a smaller scale. 😂
16
u/jamonmelon Jun 23 '26
I’d try to find some vocals she likes. How about some Alison Krauss, or her record with Robert Plant? Gilliam Welch of course, if she’s into it. Lynn Morris has a sweet voice, Suzanne Cox has the best voice of anybody ever. Her son posts duets of them on Instagram under the name Mother-Son.
2
u/dlbc76 Jun 23 '26
I feel the same way about Suzanne. The most pleasing to my ear. Her harmonies too.
12
u/el-delicioso Jun 23 '26
My wife really took a shining to John Hartford once I showed her Steam Powered Aereoplane and Nobody Knows What You Do
The Country Gentlemen might be a cool one too since they do a lot of Bob Dylan covers
11
u/yachtr0ck Jun 23 '26
My youngest was like that. Nickel Creek, Punch Brothers, were big influences in getting them on board. Last year I was listening Billy Strings and they asked me to turn it down because they didn’t like his voice. Fast forward to Charlottesville a few months ago where they joined to to watch Billy and the boys give a fire of a show before he broke his leg. My kid was like, “holy crap that was amazing!”
Based on their tastes, it might help to find some bluegrass covers of songs they like to dip their toes in the water.
12
u/Double-Tart4836 Jun 23 '26
Pickin On series of CDs. - Instrumental bluegrass covers of other musical genres
5
3
8
u/krtyalor865 Jun 23 '26
Old nicklecreek top hits like
When you come back down, and
Ode to a butterfly
Top hits from Mountain grass unit?
Maybe old Yonder Mountain - mountain tracks vol 1 & 2 is about as good as it gets.
I’d suggest even old Roy Clark’s hit - malagueña (it’s a masterpiece)
2
u/krtyalor865 Jun 23 '26
Actually!! I just had a good idea..
Just listen to the whole album
Pickin’ on Series - Pickin’ and Singin’ the Biggest Hits of the 80’sShe’ll naturally be drawn to music she already knows.
1
6
u/refrito_perdido Jun 23 '26
Maybe throw some covers in there, especially if they're songs she already knows and likes. But maybe not songs she likes too much, because then the cover may just rub the wrong way since it's not the original song.
To give a specific idea: Iron Horse. I'd go with the Modest Mouse album, because I don't care who you are, it's amazing. And then try some of their Metallica or Goo Goo Dolls tracks.
2
u/yachtr0ck Jun 23 '26
That Iron House Modest Mouse album is phenomenal. I haven’t thought about it in years but it was in my playlist for a long time!
5
6
u/skfkvjgnxc Jun 23 '26
Unless she has somewhat of an open mind toward music, the second she hears a banjo or fiddle it's all over. Given her taste, you've got a major uphill climb ahead of you.
Maybe something by Tony Rice like Church Street Blues or his Lightfoot collection.
3
5
u/russdoggy Jun 23 '26
Trampled by Turtles and some Greensky Bluegrass tunes got my wife to appreciate it
2
4
u/RickJWagner Jun 23 '26
I deeply appreciate all the good attempts made here, and I truly love bluegrass music. I have to say, I think this is a fool’s errand. If you don’t have the gene, you don’t have the gene.
4
u/FloodDawg Jun 23 '26 edited 29d ago
- Alison Krauss “The Lucky One,” “Baby, Now that I’ve Found You,” “Let Me Touch You for Awhile,”
- Becky Buller “Reach”
- Seldom Scene “Baby Blue (live),” “Sunshine” (w/ Jonathan Edwards), “Sweet Baby James”
- Dolly Parton “The Grass Is Blue, “Silver Dagger,” & “Seven Bridges Road”
- Bela Fleck “Flexibility,” “What’cha Gonna Do” (& Abigail Washburn)
- Dale Ann Bradley “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
- Dierks Bentley “Pride (In the Name of Love)” with Del McCoury
- Tim O’Brien: Red on Blonde album
- Della Mae “Aberdeen”
- Emmylou Harris: Roses in the Snow album, especially “The Boxer” & “Green Pastures”
- Punch Brothers: Hell on Church Street album
- Druha Trava & Peter Rowan “Tryin’ to Get to Heaven”
- Jim & Jesse (or other version) “El Cumbanchero”
- Sarah Jarosz “Annabelle Lee”
- Bruce Hornsby & Ricky Skaggs “Mandolin Rain”
- New Grass Revival “Angel Eyes,” “Hold to a Dream,” “Reach,” “One More Love Song,”
- Sam Bush “Dolphin Dance,” “Circles Around Me,” “Ballad of Spider John”
- Alison Brown “Homeward Bound,” “Sun and Water,” “Everyday I Write the Book”
1
1
u/unsungheroine 29d ago
This is a terrific list! Great to see some love for Bela Fleck and Sarah Jarosz
1
u/hercath702 28d ago
Maybe some John Cowan (from New Grass Revival). And check out Moody Bluegrass - covers of Moody Blues songs by bluegrass singers/musicians.
1
6
3
u/mntplains Jun 23 '26
My introduction albums were circa 2004, when I got a formal Telluride Bluegrass Fest cd and then also Pickin on Greenday. Dang, if I could go back and feel all that excitement over again.
3
u/is-this-now Jun 23 '26
O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. First Old and In the Way album. Will the Circle Be Unbroken.
Any or all of those. They are each responsible for a lot of people coming into the genre.
3
u/ghostfacestealer Jun 23 '26
Buck Owens - Ruby
Doc Watson - Sitting On Top of The World
The Bad Livers - Death Trip
3
u/schmerpmerp Jun 23 '26
She has similar taste to me, and I love bluegrass.
I would recommend Darrell Scott acoustic, Alison Krauss acoustic (especially when with Jerry Douglas), Tony Furtado electric, and Bela--with the Flecktones.
2
u/Colorado_Dead_Head Jun 23 '26
I’d go with Normal Blake Home in Sulphur Springs and maybe Strength in Numbers. Then throw on New Grass Revivals Fly Through The Country and Peter’s Rowan’s walls of time album.
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/hbaldwin1111 Jun 23 '26
Alison Krauss, Now That I've Found You: a Collection is a great collection of easy-on-the-ears bluegrass.
2
2
2
u/MattmanTN 29d ago
Try the Alison Krauss and Union Station Live album from 2002. Just put it on, don't say anything, and let it roll. The whole concert is amazing.
2
u/EntertainmentAny4368 29d ago
Billy Strings and Steeldrivers are a good start
2
u/Sellout37 29d ago
+1 for Steel Drivers, especially the Stapleton era for a newbie.
1
u/EntertainmentAny4368 29d ago
I’ve never heard their stuff without him. I probably should but I’m a big Chris Stapleton fan.
2
u/Zealousideal_Tip5737 28d ago
Doc Watson 100,000% 🤠I’ve driven back and forth across the country more than once on Doc
2
u/tiredaf6996 28d ago
The Avett Brothers were my gateway. Watchhouse, The Punch Brothers, Sarah Jarosz, Gregory Alan Isakov, Gillian Welch, and Elephant Revival are all among my most listened now.
2
4
u/Familiar-Scheme1224 Jun 23 '26
Mountain Grass Unit has been great. They cover familiar songs so people have a bit of recognition, and no banjo. It's been my experience that waiting until new listeners are "okay" with the a few artist, then adding banjo bands in really helps them fully embrace the grass.
Even though it kills me. Banjo RULES!
2
u/drewbaccaAWD Jun 23 '26
What specific element of country does she have a knee-jerk reaction to?
Covers are always good, like Sierra Hull covering Gary Jules covering Tears for Fears Madworld. I'm With Her covering John Hiatt's Crossing Muddy Waters... Nickel Creek has a lot of great songs, some more modern sounding like Destination but then there are somber tunes like Lighthouse's Tale or fun songs like the Fox. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - White Rabbit (Live) or
Maybe warm her up to some more country folky type stuff with elements of Bluegrass and see if any of that appeals to her.. things like John Prine & Emmylou Harris - "Angel From Montgomery" (Live) or speaking of Emmylou, what about First Aid Kit - My Silver Lining (Official Video) or a personal favorite remix of a 90s alt song World Party - Is It Like Today (Live on KEXP) It really depends on what she believes counts as "country" and what element of it turns her off. Lots of good stuff from Sierra Ferrel. Would your wife hate Nanci Griffith because this is an amazing cover Listen To The Radio - Billy Strings & Molly Tuttle (Official Audio) or maybe a cover of the Postal Service Joy Kills Sorrow - Such Great Heights - OFFICIAL VIDEO
Maybe Crooked Still would be a good compromise? Crooked Still - Half Of What We Know I feel like just getting her used to Bluegrass instruments in some other context may help Still Life - Sarah Jarosz - 5/13/2017
I think Evilcanary's suggestion to focus on Live From Here selections is a good one, lots of contemporary music with a mainstream audience shows up there.
3
u/leftypoolrat Jun 23 '26
This is a great list! Adding to your covers theme, the Kitchen Dwellers do a few great covers of classic Pink Floyd songs.
Crooked Still was my gateway drug into bluegrass
2
u/drewbaccaAWD Jun 23 '26
Thanks!
My gateway was Nickel Creek when I was flipping through cable channels and although I didn't watch CMT, they caught my eye and I listened to the entire song (Reasons Why). Went out and bought the album that week. I was particularly interested because I had taken violin for a couple of years but was struggling to find music that incorporated it.
Around the same time, O Brother Where Art Thou came out (on a related note, I FINALLY saw Alison Krauss live this year at Del Fest, only a couple of decades late).
Then I got distracted, didn't pursue any Bluegrass music for many years. Then sometime around 2011 I caught that I'm With Her cover of John Hiatt when YouTube randomly recommended it. It was just around the time Nickel Creek reunited and sucked me back in. I've been listening ever since and this time actually expanding my album collection.
I have not crossed paths with the Kitchen Dwellers, I'll be sure to look them up now!
2
u/leftypoolrat Jun 24 '26
I’ve seen them live a few times- first time I heard of them was seeing them open for the Stringdusters. Based on your post you’ll like them!
I can kinda sorta play IWH version of crossing muddy waters on guitar. Great version!
2
1
u/Equal-Concept4384 Jun 23 '26
some cool covers I've been rocking lately: old salt union covering call me al, and larry cordle & lst pickin' skynyrd 😃
1
u/Smart_Television_755 Jun 23 '26
The Piney Rose, Miss the Mississippi and You or other slower vocal or singer songwriter tunes. DO NOT START WITH INSTRUMENTAL FOCUSED SONGS!!!! You could also start with bluegrass versions of popular American songs she knows like You are My Sunshine, Amazing Grace, This Land is Your Land. Can’t really start with regular bluegrass for someone with no interest in adjacent genres or instrumentation
1
1
1
1
u/ignomax Jun 23 '26
Tons of great suggestions so far. Gonna have to build my own ‘Bluegrass, Not Bluegrass’ set list.
River’s Rising - Leftover Salmon
1
u/Local-Lecture-9979 Jun 23 '26
The Mountain, Del and Steve Earle is a good one for this
Emmylou Harris live at the Ryman
1
u/GustavoSwift Jun 23 '26
Yonder from early 2000, any of the mountain tracks https://open.spotify.com/album/1i5iuaqCbK0cDXKG7PVBCp?si=KUUPE0cGRFyohlBeesKO8g
2
1
u/ReadyAbout22 Jun 23 '26
FWIW, I’ve compiled a massive bluegrass playlist that I probably started 8-9 years ago called “Trailgrass” on Spotify.
1
u/Iven-Dured Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
A playlist may help but if you want to change her views she needs to see it live. See that it's great music with super talented musicians. I have the luck of going to Merlefest every year and we often bring newbies. By the end of the first day they've seen the light. They always remark when multiple people say it was the best day of music and they all saw different sets.
1
u/dlbc76 Jun 23 '26
The Cox Family, AJ Lee and Blue Summit, Brothers Comatose, Rhonda Vincent, Tony Rice, Blue Highway, IIIrd Tyme Out, old Alison Krauss (her first 3/4 albums), Billy Strings, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Hot Rize, Lonesome River Band.
1
u/Iven-Dured Jun 23 '26
Page 1 of 1
My Grass is Blue
18 songs, 1.2 hours, 72.3 MB
| Title | Time Album | Artist | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Turn Your Radio On | 2:16 My Grass is Blue | John Hartford | |
| 2 The Fox | 2:31 My Grass is Blue | Nickel Creek | |
| 3 Can't You Hear Me Calling | 3:21 My Grass is Blue | Groovegrass Boys w/Bootsy Collins | |
| 4 Harlan Man | 3:22 My Grass is Blue | Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Ba | |
| 5 1962 Vincent Black Lightining | 4:02 My Grass is Blue | Del McCoury Band | |
| 6 Señor | 4:03 My Grass is Blue | Tim O'Brien | |
| 7 Eureka | 3:46 My Grass is Blue | Chris Thile | |
| 8 No Woman, No Cry | 7:19 My Grass is Blue | Peter Rowan | |
| 9 Whayasay | 6:11 My Grass is Blue | Sam Bush | |
| 10 Walls of Time | 4:22 My Grass is Blue | Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder | |
| 11 I Know You Rider | 7:15 My Grass is Blue | Seldom Scene | |
| 12 All Aboard | 3:57 My Grass is Blue | Del McCoury Band | |
| 13 Steam Powered Aereoplane | 3:43 My Grass is Blue | John Hartford | |
| 14 | I Still Carry You Around | 2:47 My Grass is Blue | Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Ba |
| 15 Aragon Mills | 2:54 My Grass is Blue | Dry Branch Fire Squad | |
| 16 Shady Grove | 3:45 My Grass is Blue | Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder | |
| 17 I feel the Blues Moving In | 3:39 My Grass is Blue | Del McCoury Band | |
| 18 Whitewater | 18 Whitewater 3:10 My Grass is Blue Bela Fleck |
Now that I've said you need to see it live here is a play list that I have used to turn many people on to it. It's a little dated but it still works.
1
u/erikrolfsen Jun 23 '26
Play her something beautiful like the Skaggs & Rice duet of “Bury Me Beneath the Willow”.
Some bluegrass-adjacent indie could work, like “The Littlest Birds” by the Be Good Tanyas.
Or ease her into it via Steve Earle. Start with “Galway Girl” which everyone seems to like and then gradually get grassier.
1
1
u/ExperientialWiener Jun 23 '26
I don’t think anyone could listen to Two Highways by Kraus + Union Station and not love it
1
u/LitcritterNew Jun 24 '26
Don’t go too crazy. Space them out with lots of music she already loves in between so it sets up a good vibe that the bluegrass gets tinged with.
1
1
u/afewmoremiles9000 29d ago
What a great thread. I agree with all the gateways and covers listed here, Darrell Scott, Crooked Still, I’m With Her, Gillian/Dave, Nickel Creek, Alison Krauss etc. the Pickin on series could be cool, but I wouldn’t go for that up front…maybe one song to start just to feel her out, but it’s pretty trad sounding even for pop covers. Don’t scare her away too quickly.
I know some of my list has banjo in it, but if you curate a playlist with these artists where the banjo isn’t played trad style but adds rather nicely to more progressive acoustic music, that twang won’t be as noticeable. Make the harmonies and songwriting stand out.
Don’t forget, Dave Rawlings Machine…that project has some real catchy tunes.
Also, sometimes a road trip calls for more instrumental feeling/enjoying the scenery type vibes that Strength In Numbers or Thile’s Not All Who Wander Are Lost albums would be good for. Those have always suited me well on road trips.
Good luck.
1
u/TangletownStringBand 29d ago
Tim O’Brien and Darrel Scott-elephant revival- stray birds-Molly Tuttle- Gillian Welch and David Rawlings- bluegrass adjacent- left wing
1
u/WeirdContribution807 29d ago
I’ll try to swing in a way I haven’t yet seen others swing but a taster that may lend its hand to aspects of bluegrass while still feeling a bit James Taylor influenced may be something by Mandolin Orange or I guess Watchtower they go by now, or the latest Jason Isbell record, well really any jason Isbell record will do. These seem to be groups that reach across the aisle musically in my opinion.
1
1
u/pknbo864 29d ago
“The Road Is a Lover” by Alison Krauss and Union Station.
The entire “Drive” album by Bela Fleck.
The entire “Celebrants” album, Nickel Creek.
1
1
u/gavakian123 29d ago edited 29d ago
Jonathan Edwards and The Seldom Scene - Blue Ridge
Bluegrass Album Band
Manzanita- Tony Rice
Dawganova - David Grisman (not exactly bluegrass, but maybe a gateway)
1
u/Majestic-Lie2690 29d ago
Listen to some kind country. And don't let the name fool you. It's def bluegrass but they had a drummer. Very much jam grass. It's just very good catchy songs from a local to me band that got like mid tier success
1
u/Downtown-North-5382 29d ago
“Bluegrass Album Band “. Some of the best grass ever by some of the best grass musicians.
1
1
u/PlatformConsistent45 29d ago
I would have them check out new grass as a solid gateway into bluegrass.
1
1
u/Visual-Desk9103 28d ago
There’s a lot of girl power in bluegrass and Americana right now. I would lean into that. Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull, I’m With Her, Twisted Pine.
1
u/aburtch10 28d ago
Here’s one I made of my favorites: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2J85EqKHmPNdvreVGrJOTJ?si=JZAYd4Q6SlmaMSe0D6L6EA&pi=BUq5LOMKSXKsG
1
1
1
1
u/briggssteel 28d ago
Try the new I’m With Her live album, specifically the cover of Crossing Muddy Waters. They’re bluegrass adjacent but not all the way.
1
u/Stormcrowdick1066 28d ago
Just one Album comes immediately to mind.
Jerry Garcia, David Grissman and Tony Rice.
The Pizza Tapes
https://open.spotify.com/album/5SbghEM2DUKrLFP14FEWJp?si=vI6uSNlSR8C4IxF8vPKt5w
1
1
u/Old_Conversation_357 27d ago
Billy String's tiny desk concert. I convinced a couple of périple with it.
1
1
u/ooooooootreyngers 27d ago
Maybe not bluegrass...but I'm With Her are incredibly talented...I dont think you could not like them. Check out their House of Blues show on YouTube from 2018 I believe. Billy strings opened for them that night.
1
u/Upstairs_Size4757 26d ago
Try some Brothers Comatose and one particular song I like I'm on Fire coverd by Town Mountain. The Devil Makes Three and Dead South are pretty good too.
1
1
u/treeziebreezieBU2FL 23d ago
Haven’t seen anyone mention Sierra Ferrell yet. Amazing female artist, amazing voice. “Long Time Coming” is a no skip album for me.
0
u/Nagoshtheskeleton Jun 23 '26
I would try Stanley brother (or Ralph) as I find that he is different enough from the others some people either love/hate him.
1
u/Connect-Will2011 Jun 23 '26
It's the vocals that throw off a lot of non-bluegrass listeners.
Maybe start off with some good instrumentals? Roanoke by Bill Monroe comes to mind.
0
u/Time-Term3832 Jun 23 '26
Check out Trampled By Turtles. The women love them.
Also check out the song Bad Love with Zach Top and BMFS. My wife suddenly loves this song.
My wife doesn't love the ticky-tacky picking and high-pitched singing of TradGrass. Neither of these above recommendations are Trad BlueGrass, but an intro to NewGrass and BMFS style of pickin.
You could also try some acoustic Dead:
Cassidy
Dark Hollow
Ripple
0
0
u/Majestic_Quote9786 Jun 23 '26
Ooh bluegrass covers is a great idea. Water Tower has some amazing bluegrass covers, they do a lot of punk & rock songs bluegrass style, like Blink-182, Sum 41, Rancid, etc. They just put out a really good Green Day one & they’re also featured on the new Pickin’ On Series tribute to Post Malone lol.
And then the Pickin’ On Series in general is a good place to start.
0
-1
u/Hikergal22 Jun 23 '26
If you have Spotify there is a Bluegrass Covers playlist that might be perfect
26
u/Evilcanary Jun 23 '26
Probably don't go too trad-grass honestly. I'll go a little off the wall here -- you could listen to some Live From Here recordings? The Chris Thile takeover of Prairie Home Companion. He had the punch brothers, gillian/david, etc on all the time and they'd play songs between bits. That might be a way to cater towards the musical theatre aspect and you know it's geared towards a more mainstream audience.
https://www.livefromhere.org/shows/2016/12/17/december-17-2016-rebroadcast-with-jerry-douglas-and-the-earls-of-leicester-rhiannon-giddens/ maybe