The Nashville Bluegrass Band is an American bluegrass music ensemble founded in 1984.
The group's members first played together in 1984 as a backing band for Vernon Oxford and Minnie Pearl; each of the members was an established musician from the Nashville bluegrass community. They signed to Rounder Records and recorded their Béla Fleck-produced debut, My Native Home, in 1985. Incorporating elements of black gospel and spirituals, then a rarity in bluegrass, they became critical and popular successes both in America and abroad. The group toured in some 20 countries and were the first bluegrass band to ever play in China.[ Nashville Bluegrass Band] at Allmusic
The group continued to record for Rounder and Sugar Hill into the 1990s; two of the albums, 1993's Waitin' for the Hard Times to Go and 1995's Unleashed, won Grammy Awards for Best Bluegrass Album.[ Grammy Awards], Allmusic.com Other albums were nominated for Grammys in the same category in 1988, 1990, 1991, 1998, and 2004. After the departure of bassist Gene Libbea and mandolinist Roland White in 1998, the group went on a brief hiatus, but after vocalist Pat Enright sang as one of the Soggy Bottom Boys from O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the group's career had a revival. They played as the backing group for many performers on the Down from the Mountain tour and album, and toured again on their own in the 2000s.
Guitarist and founding member Pat Enright died on August 18, 2026 at age 81. No cause of death was immediately given.
Members Current members Alan O'Bryant - banjo, vocals Mike Compton - mandolin Stuart Duncan - fiddle Andy Todd - bass
Past members Pat Enright - guitar, vocals Mark Hembree - bass Gene Libbea - bass Roland White - mandolin Dennis Crouch - bass
Discography Released Title Label Number Notes1985My Native HomeRounder0212LP1986Idle TimeRounder 0232LP1987To Be His ChildRounder0242gospel LP, reissued on CD1988New Moon RisingSugar HillCD 3762 Grammy nominee, with Peter Rowan1990The Boys Are Back in TownSugar HillCD 3778Grammy nominee1991The Nashville Bluegrass BandRounderCD 0232CD compiled from My Native Home and Idle Time LPs1991Home of the BluesSugar HillCD 3793Grammy nominee1993Waitin' for the Hard Times to GoSugar HillCD 3809Grammy winner1995UnleashedSugar HillCD 3843Grammy winner. Some sources list the pre-release title as Still Unplugged1998American BeautySugar HillCD 3882Grammy nominee2004Twenty Year BluesSugar HillCD 3959Grammy nominee2007Best of the Sugar Hill YearsSugar HillCD 4036compilation, 1990–2004
References
External links Official website