Bluegrass is a vibrant American musical genre rooted in Appalachian folk traditions. Characterized by its upbeat tempo and virtuosic instrumentation, it blends elements of Scotch-Irish folk music with jazz and blues influences. Typical bluegrass ensembles feature acoustic instruments like the banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and upright bass. The genre’s hallmark is its high, harmony-rich vocals and complex, improvisational solos, often performed in a fast-paced, “breakdown” style. Over the years, bluegrass has evolved while still preserving its traditional core, resonating with audiences through its authenticity, storytelling, and lively spirit.

I became a fan of the genre when the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou came out where Dan Tyminski sings “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow.” In today’s music news, his new album is out now and it includes that song.

Dan Tyminski is an icon of modern-day bluegrass. In addition to reaching Number 1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums chart with solo albums like 2008’s Wheels and 2023’s God Fearing Heathen, he has won 14 Grammy Awards, released multiple records as a member of Alison Krauss & Union Station, and topped the charts in more than 10 countries with “Hey Brother,” his genre-bending collaboration with DJ Avicii. Tyminski sang “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow” on O Brother, Where Art Thou?’s multi-platinum soundtrack, inspiring a new generation to discover bluegrass and traditional American folk music. His new release, Dan Tyminski: Live From The Ryman captures him onstage in Nashville, Tennessee, performing a mix of songs from throughout his career with a string band. (IV-PR, 2024)

Released via 8 Track Entertainment and ADA/Warner Music Group, Dan Tyminski: Live From The Ryman shines a light on his acclaimed live show. Recorded in Nashville at the Ryman Auditorium—the legendary venue known as “The Birthplace of Bluegrass”—the new album showcases the sharp songwriting, full-throttle vocals, and guitar chops that have powered Tyminski’s music for decades. It’s also a showcase for his ace band, a young group of fiery flat-pickers, hotshot instrumentalists, and harmony singers whose sheer talent is matched only by the band’s frontman. The result is a blend of old and new: a record that makes room for traditional influences, progressive energy, cover songs, originals, and unreleased material.

Fans can stream or purchase Dan Tyminski: Live From The Ryman right now. Physical copies of Live From The Ryman—vinyl and CD—will be available at all retail outlets on October 4.

“The musicians in this band grew up listening to my music, so they know my stuff much better than I do!” Tyminski says. “If you listen to how they play and how well they listen to each other, you’ll notice there’s a conversation going back and forth at all times.”

That conversation springs to life during instrumental numbers like “Cumberland Gap.” It continues with live renditions of “Ode to Jimmy” (a tribute to Tyminski’s childhood hero, Jimmy Martin), “Silence in the Brandy” (which examines the lingering effects of PTSD on soldiers returning home from war), and “GOAT” — all of which appeared on God Fearing Heathen, which debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart in 2023—and breathes new life into older material like the aforementioned “This Sad Song,” which Tyminski first performed on Alison Krauss & Union Station’s Grammy-winning Lonely Runs Both Ways. On “Whiskey Drinking Man,” Tyminski sings about hard liquor with a commanding voice that reaches all the way to the rearmost rows of the Ryman, then cedes the spotlight to mandolinist Harry Clark, fiddler Maddie Denton, Dobro player Gaven Largent, banjoist Jason Davis, and upright bassist Grace Davis. There’s also a standout performance of “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow,” the career-changing song that won a Grammy Award in 2002 and has since served as a bridge for multiple generations of music fans, helping them discover their own love of bluegrass and traditional folk music.

Dan Tyminski: Live From The Ryman tracklist:
This Sad Song
Let Me Fall
Modern Day Jezebel
Cumberland Gap
Ode to Jimmy
God Fearing Heathen
The Boy Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn
I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow
Silence in the Brandy
Say Won’t You Be Mine
GOAT
Whiskey Drinking Man
Old Home Place

Catch Dan Tyminski on tour:
August 30-31 – New Richmond, QC – New Richmond Bluegrass Festival 2024
September 20 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond 2024
October 5 – Doswell, VA – State Fair of Virginia
October 11-12 – Big Stone Gap, VA – Blue Highway Fest 2024
October 18-19 – Farmers Branch, TX – Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival 2024
October 20 – Brownwood, TX – Brownwood’s Lyric Theatre
November 16 – Rochester, NY – Kilbourn Hall