Encouraged by her parents to learn to play an instrument, Alison Krauss began taking classical violin lessons at five years old. By eight, she had discovered bluegrass fiddle, and soon began playing festivals and entering (and winning) fiddle contests. Although her initial acclaim was as an instrumentalist, soon her voice was capturing people’s attention.
Signing a record deal with Rounder Records at age 14, her first release “Too Late To Cry” came out when she was 16. A Grammy nomination came at 18, and she has gone on to win, collectively and individually, 10 Grammy awards. Since her teens, she has toured with Union Station, though the band membership has changed several times since she joined at the invitation of bassist and songwriter John Pennell.
In 1993, Alison joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry, and in 1995 she released “Now That I’ve Found You: A Collection” which has sold more than two million copies and garnered Alison four Country Music Association awards.
Alison maintains a heavy touring schedule with each release, but always makes time to work in the studio with others, whether it’s with band member Dan Tyminski or Dolly Parton or Yo-Yo Ma. Alison is also in demand as a producer. She’s scheduled to produce Nickel Creek’s follow up album (she also produced the first). Other producer credits include three albums for the Cox Family, and, most recently, two songs for Reba McEntire.
No stranger to recording for film and television, Alison has three songs on the double platinum “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack, including “Down to the River to Pray”, “Nobody But the Baby” and “I’ll Fly Away”. She also has had songs used in Twister, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Providence, Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil and Happy, Texas.
