If You Like It You Can't Miss It: Alison Krauss & Union Station

Alison Krauss is one of the most important Blue Grass representatives; she was born in July 23, 1971. Alison started playing different instruments, such as the violin at a very early age, as well as her brother Viktor. She is native from Illinois; she also participated in bluegrass festivals and contests.

Her professional career started definitely when she was 14; nowadays she is a great producer and has driven her success in a very positive way. Besides producing the albums together with Union Station, she has produced other hits with the Cox Family and Nickel Creek. Her voice has conquered thousands of people who enjoy her artistic interpretations.

The male members of Union Station, who play other instruments and vocalize, are:

Tyminski has proved to be one of the most prolific and gifted artists of the bluegrass landscape; before being part of Union Station, he played the mandolin and was vocalist for the Lonesome River Band. He has won ten Grammy Awards.

Barry Bales, who was raised in Tennessee; he plays the bass and performs some vocals. He attended East Tennessee State University. He met Alison Krauss while he was studying there.

Ron Block, who plays the banjo and guitar, besides writing songs and being a vocalist, has been with Union station since 1991. He is native from California, and grew up listening to his father’s music and composition; he usually played with rhythms such as blues.

Jerry Douglas started his profession at age five; his favorite instrument at that time was the mandolin. When he was eleven, he started playing the guitar. When he was eighteen, he participated in the bluegrass festival circuit, playing with The Country Gentlemen. By 1983, he joined the Whites, and recorded three solo albums.

Alison Krauss & Union Station have been granted lots of awards; to mention the most important, we can include the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards. In 2003, they won for Album of the Year: Alison Krauss & Union Station for the album Live. The country music Association Awards have prized them with Music Video of the year, for Whiskey Lullaby, in 2004. And the most recent recognition they have earned is the Grammy Awards, in its edition for 2006, as the Best Country performance by a duo or Group with Vocal, for their production Restless.

Therefore, if your musical taste prefers bluegrass, Alison Krauss & Union Station is the best alternative for you.