With pop and R’n’B artists topping the charts, many may see bluegrass as an out-of-date musical genre. However, in recent years, there has been a resurgence of popularity for this traditional American music genre. Bluegrass has recently been attracting a new audience, with younger musicians now picking up the mantle. Such is the case for the young Kentucky-based bluegrass trio The Bluegrass Brothers, formed by Parker Malone, Cruse Edwards, and Noah Mason, all aged between 10 and 13.
When this trio of young musicians played at the Lanham Brothers’ Jamboree in April 2024, bluegrass fans were astounded at the connection the boys had formed with the traditional music style. Taking to the stage with a banjo, fiddle, double bass, and acoustic guitar, the group performed the classic hits ‘Dueling Banjos’, ‘Molly and Tenbrooks’, and ‘Daddy Sang Bass’ with their teacher from the Bluegrass Music Academy, Randy Lanham, joining them on the mandolin.
The boys proved that there is a space for young performers in the bluegrass genre as they brought the stomping energy of the music into the room, inspiring enthusiastic cheers from the audience. Bluegrass fans praised the trio online, too, taking to the comments on the video of their performance to write, “The future of bluegrass looks bright” and “I’m so glad that bluegrass music hasn’t been lost.” It seems The Bluegrass Brothers fill a space in the genre that many are relieved to see filled.
Alongside their appearance at the Lanham Brothers’ Jamboree, The Bluegrass Brothers have been busy performing at festivals and resorts over the last year, just proving that the appetite for the genre is still going strong. At the beginning of the year, they even made a special television appearance on ABC 25 Local Lifestyles. The boys saw in the New Year with a performance of ‘Rabbit In The Log,’ another classic bluegrass hit, complete with an acoustic guitar and two fiddles playing in harmony.
For a musical genre with such a long history, bluegrass fans are sure to be relieved at young folks like The Bluegrass Brothers bringing the genre into the 21st century and ensuring that it carries on into the future. Not only that, but the grins on the boys’ faces as they take to the stage to perform the old classics just go to show that bluegrass is for all to enjoy, no matter their age. Watching them play, it’s impossible not to feel the heart and energy in their music, guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone’s face. As ABC 25 Local Lifestyles presenter Ange Humphrey said of The Bluegrass Brothers’ music, “If that don’t light your fire, your wood’s wet.”
