“I considered myself a folksinger, and then we all became bluegrass musicians. When it turned rock and roll, I turned to my typewriter.” - Robert Hunter, The Golden Road, 1984

The Infamous Stringdusters should be way more famous.

Not to say they haven’t earned numerous accolades, including a Grammy win for Best Bluegrass Album in 2018. The quintet also tops the bill at many string-based festivals. While perhaps not yet a “household name” in the bluegrass pantheon, the Stringdusters may be the worst-kept secret in the genre.

Acoustic Disc is thrilled to spotlight an extraordinary piece of bluegrass history this week with the featured album "Breakdown" by the iconic ensemble Old & In the Way. Originally released in 1997, this remarkable live recording showcases the virtuosic talents of Vassar Clements on fiddle, Jerry Garcia on vocals and banjo, David Grisman on mandolin and vocals, Peter Rowan on vocals and guitar, and John Kahn on acoustic bass.

Jerry Garcia's impact on bluegrass music will be on full display for the next two years at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in Owensboro, Kentucky. The exhibit, called Jerry Garcia: A Bluegrass Journey, opened on March 28, 2024, with a historic weekend of music, panel discussions, documentary screenings, and other festivities honoring the late Garcia's career.

Get ready to experience the magic of Jerry Garcia at Fenway Park this summer! The Boston Red Sox are thrilled to announce the return of Jerry Day, set to take place on Tuesday, July 30th, at America's Most Beloved Ballpark. This special night is dedicated to celebrating the legendary Jerry Garcia, an event that promises to blend the worlds of music and baseball in an unforgettable summer evening.

Special Offer for Ticket Holders

The Garcia Project, acclaimed for their faithful recreations of classic Jerry Garcia Band shows, is thrilled to announce their much-anticipated Pacific Northwest Tour in March 2024. Fans of the legendary Jerry Garcia will have the opportunity to relive the magic of his performances across a series of dates in California, Oregon, Washington, and Utah.

Tour Dates and Highlights:

The opening weekend of "Jerry Garcia: A Bluegrass Journey" Exhibition at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum launches with an immersive experience of exhibition tours, live music, historic panel discussions, and more to celebrate the bluegrass career of music icon Jerry Garcia. The exhibition explores Garcia's early years as a banjo player, his deep connection to bluegrass, the influence it had on his legendary career, and will run for two years.

Old and In the Way were (ironically) mostly not old – and certainly not at all in anyone’s way! – when they gathered in 1973 to play about 50 live shows. Fiddler Vassar Clements, born in 1928 and having joined Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys at 21, was still under 50. The other members of OAITW were only about 30 at the time, give or take a few years.