Role

:

Performer

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

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July 23, 1971 in Decatur, IL

 

Alison Krauss is a renowned American bluegrass and country music artist, known for her angelic voice and exceptional fiddle playing. Born on July 23, 1971, in Decatur, Illinois, Krauss grew up in a musical family and began playing the violin at the age of five. Her parents, Fred and Louise Krauss, were both musicians, and her brother, Viktor Krauss, is a bassist. Krauss showed a natural talent for music from a young age and began performing with her family band, The Krauss Family, at local fairs and festivals. By the age of ten, she had won her first fiddle contest and was already making a name for herself in the bluegrass community. In 1985, at the age of 14, Krauss signed her first recording contract with Rounder Records and released her debut album, "Too Late to Cry," the following year. The album was a critical success and established Krauss as a rising star in the bluegrass world. Over the next few years, Krauss continued to release a string of successful albums, including "Two Highways" (1989) and "I've Got That Old Feeling" (1990), which earned her a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. Her unique blend of traditional bluegrass and contemporary country music, combined with her ethereal voice and virtuosic fiddle playing, set her apart from other artists in the genre and helped to expand the audience for bluegrass music. In 1995, Krauss formed the band Alison Krauss and Union Station, which included guitarist Dan Tyminski, banjo player Ron Block, bassist Barry Bales, and Dobro player Jerry Douglas. The band's first album, "Every Time You Say Goodbye," was released in 1992 and earned Krauss her second Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. Krauss and Union Station went on to release several more successful albums, including "So Long So Wrong" (1997) and "New Favorite" (2001), which won Krauss her third and fourth Grammy Awards for Best Bluegrass Album, respectively. The band's live performances were also highly acclaimed, and they became known for their tight harmonies and instrumental prowess. In addition to her work with Union Station, Krauss also collaborated with other artists, including country singer Brad Paisley, with whom she recorded the hit duet "Whiskey Lullaby" in 2004. The song became a crossover hit and earned Krauss her first Country Music Association Award for Musical Event of the Year. Krauss's success continued into the 2000s, with the release of her album "Lonely Runs Both Ways" in 2004, which won her two more Grammy Awards for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals and Best Country Album. She also contributed to the soundtrack for the Coen Brothers' film "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" in 2000, which helped to popularize bluegrass music and earned her another Grammy Award for Album of the Year. In 2007, Krauss released the album "Raising Sand" in collaboration with rock musician Robert Plant. The album was a departure from Krauss's bluegrass roots and featured a mix of country, rock, and folk music. It was a critical and commercial success, earning Krauss and Plant five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for their hit single "Please Read the Letter." Krauss has continued to record and perform, both as a solo artist and with Union Station. In 2011, she released the album "Paper Airplane," which won her another Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album.

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