The Bluegrass Album Band

Formed in 1980, the Bluegrass Album Band came together as a bluegrass supergroup. J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Tony Rice, Bobby Hicks, and Todd Phillips comprised the original lineup, each already established as a progressive bluegrass musician. The project itself, however, set out to emphasize the traditional dimensions of their playing. Conceived as a one-off recording, the debut release The Bluegrass Album met with such strong response that four further albums followed across the decade. Although membership evolved, Crowe, Lawson, and Rice continued as the central figures. The final collection, The Bluegrass Album, Vol. 5: Sweet Sunny South, appeared in 1989 and included Crowe, Lawson, Rice, Vassar Clements, Jerry Douglas, and Mark Schatz.