Alison Krauss learned violin at age five, started fiddling at eight, and was winning contests with her bow a few years later. She earned her first record contract at 14, won her first of 17 Grammys while still in her teens, and was inducted into the Opry at age 21.
Now in her mid-30s, the multi-talented Alison has sold more than 7 million records, making deep inroads in the pop culture world for the American string music she plays and sings so well.
A fixture on awards shows such as the Grammys and Oscars, she and her talented Union Station band are also likely to pop up anywhere from David Letterman to Sesame Street. She was key to the success of the genre-expanding movie soundtrack O Brother, Where Art Thou?
When Alison joined the Opry in 1993, she brought with her the hot pickers of Union Station. Members of the band today include Barry Bales on acoustic bass, Ron Block on banjo and acoustic guitar, Dan Tyminski on acoustic guitar and mandolin and Jerry Douglas on Dobro. Alison became the first bluegrass artist in 29 years to be inducted and the youngest cast member at the time.
At 14, she recorded her first album, Too Late To Cry. By age 18, she earned a Grammy nomination for her 1989 release Two Highways featuring Union Station. The following year, Alison won the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Recording for I’ve Got That Old Feeling.
At just 17, Alison was already a veteran performer when she and Union Station made their first Opry appearance in 1989. They’ve performed on the show numerous times, charming Opry audiences with tight harmonies, superb musicianship, and the leader’s delicate, captivating voice.
Alison Krauss and Union Station won a second Grammy in 1992 for Every Time You Say Goodbye. In addition, she has been honored for her collaborations with James Taylor, the Cox Family, Shenandoah, and Vince Gill.
I’ve Got That Old Feeling was named the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) 1991 Album of the Year. In 1992, the IBMA awarded her Album of the Year honors for Every Time You Say Goodbye. Alison is a four-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year winner and has twice received Entertainer of the Year honors.
The accolades continued for Alison at the 1995 Country Music Association Awards when she took home four trophies—Vocal Event (with Shenandoah), Single of the Year, Female Vocalist, and the Horizon Award. Alison placed two more CMA Awards on her mantel in 2004 for the tear-jerking duet, "Whiskey Lullaby." The award winning collaboration paired Krauss with fellow Opry member, Brad Paisley.
Lonely Runs Both Ways put Alison in the 2005 Grammy record books as the most awarded Grammy female artist in history with an astounding twenty awards. The following year, she contributed to yet another nomination, but this time for her work as producer for Alan Jackson's Like Red on a Rose.
Recording with music legends such as John Waite, Sting, James Taylor, and Brad Paisely among others has catipulted Krauss to stardom among fans from a multitude of music genres. Her most recent project, Raising Sand, is a collaborative effort between Krauss and Robert Plant, former frontman for Led Zepplin. Debuting at number two on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart, the album has become an instant success.
Krauss is not only Raising Sand, but raising the bar for artists of all genres as Grammy nominations continue to beat down her front door.