Article Contributed by Compass Records
Published on 2026-03-30
Photo: David Shayne and Drew Levin
People Magazine premiered a new video from GRAMMY Award-winning banjoists Steve Martin and Alison Brown, released in support of their chart-topping single “New Cluck Old Hen.” The video features the all-female powerhouse bluegrass quartet Della Mae on a reworking of the traditional Appalachian folk song “Cluck Old Hen,” filmed at Brooklyn’s beloved folk venue Jalopy.
“New Cluck Old Hen” appears on Brown and Martin’s debut collaborative album Safe, Sensible and Sane, out now via Compass Records.
In Martin’s clever reinvention of the song’s original lyrics, the protagonist leaves his wife only to be one-upped by her in the end. Celia Woodsmith’s emotive vocals provide the perfect foil to Martin’s lead. Alongside bandmates Kimber Ludiker (fiddle, vocals), Avril Smith (guitar, vocals), and Vickie Vaughn (bass, vocals), the performance blends bluegrass drive with sharp attitude—serving as a fitting capstone to Women’s History Month.
Martin explains: “I always loved the classic American mountain tune ‘Cluck Old Hen.’ Its only problem was it was about chickens. So one day I decided to see if I could give it a new lyric spin. Alison agreed and arranged it with ‘power/bluegrass/fusion.’ Whatever that is.”
Brown adds: “Once I read Steve’s lyrics I knew Della Mae would be perfect for the song. And they totally laid down the law, bringing the perfect combination of bluegrass drive and femme attitude to the track.”
Watch “New Cluck Old Hen”:
Brown and Martin are also featured in the American Currents exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Over the past three years, their collaborations have yielded four No. 1 singles on bluegrass radio and more than 77 million views across social media platforms.
Their new album Safe, Sensible and Sane showcases a wide-ranging evolution of banjo music, with contributions from Jackson Browne, Vince Gill, Indigo Girls, Tim O’Brien, Aoife O’Donovan, and Jason Mraz. Billboard named their collaboration with Jackson Browne, “Dear Time,” one of the 100 Best Songs of 2025.
Across their careers, both artists have received major honors from the International Bluegrass Music Association. Alison Brown made history as the first female recipient of the IBMA’s Banjo Player of the Year award (1991), while Steve Martin was named Entertainer of the Year in 2011. Martin also founded the Steve Martin Banjo Prize, awarding over $500,000 to banjo players across genres. Brown, a longtime co-chair of the prize, also co-founded Compass Records in 1995.
