Alison Krauss

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Alison Krauss

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Img_capt = Alison Krauss at MerleFest, 2007
Img_size = 250
Landscape = Yes
Background = solo_singer
Born = birth date and age|mf=yes|1971|07|23
Died =
Origin = Decatur, Illinois, USA
Occupation = Singer-songwriter, musician, record producer
Instrument = Vocals, fiddle
Years_active = 1987—present
Associated_acts = Rhonda Vincent, Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs
Label = Rounder
URL = [http://www.alisonkrauss.com/ AlisonKrauss.com]

Alison Krauss (pron-en|ˌælɨsən ˈkraʊs; [See [http://inogolo.com/pronunciation/d1508/Alison_Krauss inogolo:pronunciation of Alison Krauss] ] born July 23, 1971 [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/bio/index.jsp?JSESSIONID=GGThJkbKChCwp7L8XV2dhLv2pqvGKzRbSt8hJkHDllS1dJjGvtpb!951519870&pid=1502 Alison Krauss bio] for Billboard.com. Retrieved June 5, 2006.] ) is an American bluegrass-country singer and fiddle player. She entered the music industry at a young age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album at sixteen in 1987. She was invited to join the band with which she still performs, Alison Krauss + Union Station (AKUS), and later released her first album with them as a group in 1989.

She has thus far released more than ten albums, appeared on numerous soundtracks, and has helped usher in a new interest in bluegrass music in the United States. Her soundtrack performances have led to further popularity, including the Grammy-winning "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack, an album also credited with raising American interest in bluegrass, and the "Cold Mountain" soundtrack, which led to her performance at the 2004 Academy Awards. During her career she has won 21 Grammy Awards—more than any other female artist and tied for seventh-most among all artists—along with numerous other awards.

Biography

Alison Krauss was born in Decatur, Illinois, but was raised in Champaign, Illinois. [http://www.askmen.com/women/singer_300/324_alison_krauss.html Alison Krauss: Singer of the Week] for AskMen.com. Retrieved June 6, 2006.] She began studying classical violin at five years old but soon switched to bluegrass. Krauss said she first became involved with music because her "mother tried to find interesting things for [me] to do" and "wanted to get [me] involved in music, in addition to art and sports." [http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_music_beat/article/0,3034,GAC_26067_4785799_,00.html GAC interview and article] by Ronna Rubin for Great American Country June 19, 2006. Retrieved June 26, 2006.] At age eight she started entering local talent contests, and at ten she had her own band. At thirteen she won the Walnut Valley Festival Fiddle Championship,cite web | title = 1984 Walnut Valley Championship Archives - All Winners | publisher = Walnut Valley Festival official website | url = http://www.wvfest.com/contests/byyear.html?year=1984 | accessdate = 2007-02-07 ] and the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass in America named her the Most Promising Fiddler in the Midwest. Krauss first met Dan Tyminski around 1984 at a festival held by the Society. Every current member of her band, Union Station, first met her at these festivals.Interview with Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski for "The Collection" on Great American Country, originally broadcast on June 28, 2006. Retrieved June 29, 2006.]

Krauss made her recording debut in 1985 on the independent album, "Different Strokes"., featuring her brother Viktor, Swamp Weiss, and Jim Hoyles. She performed with John Pennell, bassist and songwriter, from the age of twelve in a band called "Silver Rail". Pennell later formed Union Station,Interview with Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski on "GAC Nights" for Great American Country originally broadcast on June 27, 2006. Retrieved June 28, 2006.] and Krauss joined at his invitation, [ [http://www.artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/archive/2003-2004/pr/krauss.asp UCSB Arts & Lectures and Sings Like Hell present the acclaimed Americana group Alison Krauss + Union Station at the Arlington Theatre] by Susan Gwynne for UCSB Arts & Lectures October 28, 2003. Retrieved June 7, 2006.] replacing their previous fiddler Andrea Zonn. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A03E0D71E30F933A05757C0A9669C8B63 MUSIC; Country, With Twang and Pop] for "The New York Times" by Robbie Wolvier on April 30, 2000. Retrieved July 8, 2006.] Pennell remains one of her favorite songwriters [ [http://www.dirtylinen.com/102/krauss.html New Favorite] by Kerry Dexter for Dirty Linen #102 October/November 2002. Retrieved June 7, 2006.] and wrote some of her early work including the popular "Every Time You Say Goodbye." [ [http://www.cowboylyrics.com/tabs/krauss-alison/every-time-you-say-goodbye-4618.html Every Time You Say Goodbye lyrics] for Cowboy Lyrics. Retrieved June 7, 2006.] Later that year she signed to Rounder Records, and in 1987, at sixteen, her debut album "Too Late to Cry" was released with Union Station as her backup band. [ [http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/krauss_alison/artist.jhtml#/music/artist/krauss_alison/bio.jhtml Alison Krauss bio] by Stephen Thomas Erlwine for Allmusic, hosted by MTV.com. Retrieved June 25, 2006.]

1989–1991: Early career

Krauss' debut solo album was followed shortly by her first group album with Union Station in 1989 "Two Highways". [http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/krauss_alison/bio.jhtml Alison Krauss CMT bio] for CMT.com. Retrieved June 6, 2006.] Many traditional bluegrass numbers appeared on the album, [ [http://www.luma-electronic.cz/lp/k/Krauss/krauss_two.htm Two Highways] for LP Discography. Retrieved June 7, 2006.] along with a bluegrass interpretation of The Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider." [ [http://www.secondhandsongs.com/medium/11933.html Midnight Rider] on Second Hand Songs. Retrieved June 7, 2006.] Krauss' contract with Rounder required her to alternate between releasing a solo album and an album with Union Station, [ [http://www.last.fm/music/Alison+Krauss+%2526+Union+Station AKUS] for Last.fm. Retrieved June 11, 2006.] and she released the solo album "I've Got That Old Feeling" in 1990. It was her first album to rise onto the Billboard charts, peaking in the top seventy-five on the country chart. [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=1502&model.vnuAlbumId=655684 Album Chart History performance for Alison Krauss] by Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2006.] The album also was a notable point in her career as she earned her first Grammy Award, the single "Steel Rails" was her first single tracked by Billboard, [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Singles&model.vnuArtistId=1502&model.vnuAlbumId=655684 Single Chart History performance for Alison Krauss] by Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2006.] and the title single "I've Got That Old Feeling" was the first song for which she recorded a music video. [ [http://www.mvdbase.com/artist.php?last=Krauss&first=Alison Alison Krauss] at the Music Video Database. Retrieved June 11, 2006.]

1992–1999: Rising success

Krauss' second Union Station album "Everytime You Say Goodbye" was released in 1992, and she went on to win her second Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album of the year. She then joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1993 at the age of 21. She was the youngest cast member at the time, and the first bluegrass artist to join the Opry in twenty-nine years. [ [http://www.opry.com/MeetTheOpry/Members.aspx?id=79 Alison Krauss] for Opry.com. Retrieved June 12, 2006.] She also collaborated on a project with the Cox Family in 1994, a bluegrass album called "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow". [ [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000002LJ I Know Who Holds Tomorrow] on Amazon. Retrieved June 12, 2006.] Mandolin and guitar player Dan Tyminski replaced Tim Stafford in Union Station in 1994. [ [http://www.alisonkrauss.com/?em434=14524_0__0_~0_-1_6_2006_0_0&content=bios Dan Tyminski bio] on AlisonKrauss.com. Retrieved June 7, 2006.]

"", a compilation of older releases and some covers of her favorite works by other artists, was released in 1995. Some of these covers include Bad Company's "Oh Atlanta," The Foundations' "Baby, Now That I've Found You," and The Beatles' "I Will." [ [http://www.rounder.com/?id=album.php&catalog_id=5930 Now That I've Found You] on Rounder Records by Sidney Cox. Retrieved June 12, 2006.] The single "When You Say Nothing at All" reached the top five on the Billboard country chart; the album peaked in the top fifteen on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, and sold two million copies to become Krauss' first double-platinum album. Krauss also was nominated for four Country Music Association Awards and won all of them.

"So Long So Wrong", another Union Station album, was released in 1997 and won the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album. Some critics said it was "untraditional" and "likely [to] change quite a few... Minds about bluegrass." [ [http://georgegraham.com/krauss.html So Long, So Wrong] review by George Graham. "The Graham Weekly Album Review #1065" as broadcast on WVIA-FM April 16, 1997. Retrieved June 12, 2006.] Included on the album is the track "It Doesn't Matter," which was featured in the second season premiere episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" ["When She Was Bad," originally released September 15, 1997. Twentieth Century Fox and Joss Whedon.] and was included on the "Buffy" soundtrack in 1999. [ [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00001R3O1 "Buffy" soundtrack] on Amazon. Retrieved June 12, 2006.]

Her next solo release in 1999, "Forget About It", included one of her two tracks to appear on the Billboard adult contemporary chart, "Stay." The album was certified gold, and charted within the top seventy-five of the Billboard 200 and in the top five of the country chart. In addition, the track "That Kind of Love" eventually became included in another episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". ["Entropy," originally released April 30, 2002. Twentieth Century Fox and Joss Whedon.] Krauss was married to Pat Bergeson from 1997 to 2001, and they had one son, Sam, who was born in July 1999. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0470295/bio Alison Krauss biography] from IMDb. Retrieved June 7, 2006.]

2000–present: Current career

Adam Steffey left Union Station in 1998, and renowned Dobro player Jerry Douglas replaced him. [ [http://www.candaceasher.com/press.html Candace Asher press release] by Candace Asher for CandaceAsher.com from September 2001. Retrieved June 6, 2006.] Douglas had provided studio back-up to Krauss's records since 1987's "Too Late To Cry". Their next album, "New Favorite", was released on August 14, 2001. [ [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005N8T1 New Favorite] on Amazon. Retrieved June 12, 2006.] The album went on to win the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album, with the single "The Lucky One" winning a Grammy as well. "New Favorite" was followed up by the double platinum double album "Live" in 2002 and a release of a DVD of the same live performance in 2003. Both the album and the DVD were recorded during a performance at The Louisville Palace. [ [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000A02WW "Live" DVD] on Amazon. Retrieved June 12, 2006.]

"Lonely Runs Both Ways" was released in 2004, and eventually became another Alison Krauss & Union Station gold certified album. Ron Block described "Lonely Runs Both Ways" as "pretty much... what we've always done" in terms of song selection and the style in which those songs were recorded. [ [http://www.alisonkrauss.net/index.php?id=bio31.php "Lonely Runs Both Ways" bio] from AlisonKrauss.net. Retrieved June 5, 2006.] Krauss, on the other hand, believes the group "was probably the most unprepared we've ever been" for the album and that songs were chosen as needed rather than planned beforehand. She also performed a duet with Brad Paisley on his album "Mud on the Tires" in the single "Whiskey Lullaby". The single was quite successful, ranking in the top fifty of the Billboard Hot 100 and the top five of the Hot Country Songs, and won the Country Music Association Awards for "Best Musical Event" and "Best Music Video" of the year.

Other work

Krauss has made multiple guest appearances on other records with lead vocals, harmony vocals, or fiddle playing. She has contributed to numerous motion picture soundtracks, most notably the soundtrack "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" in 2000. ["O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack. Originally released by Lost Highway on December 5, 2000.] She and co-vocalist Dan Tyminski contributed multiple tracks to the soundtrack, including "I'll Fly Away" (with Gillian Welch), "Down to the River to Pray", and "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow." In the film, Tyminski's vocals on "Man of Constant Sorrow" became the singing voice of George Clooney. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/1845962.stm O Brother, Why Art Thou So Popular?] for BBC News on February 28, 2002. Retrieved June 25, 2006.] The soundtrack sold over seven million copies and won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2002. [ [http://www.attachemag.com/archives/02-05/informed/infos2.htm Shelf Life: Turning Points] by Parke Puterbaugh for the Attache in February 2005. Retrieved June 5, 2006.] The unexpected success of the album has been partially credited, as was Krauss herself, [http://www.eastcoastentertainment.com/artist/Alison_Krauss_and_Union_Station.html Alison Krauss] on East Coast Entertainment. Retrieved June 24, 2006.] Interview on NPR "Morning Edition" with Bob Edwards on February 15, 2002. [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1138127 Hosted here] . Retrieved July 10, 2006.] with bringing a new interest in bluegrass to the United States. [http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608003580/Alison-Krauss.html Biography of Alison Krauss] on Musicians Guide.com. Retrieved July 26, 2008 ] . She has said, however, that she believes Americans already liked bluegrass and other less-heard musical genres, and that the film merely provided easy exposure to the music. [http://www.pbs.org/klru/austin/interviews/akrauss_interview.html AKUS Interview] with PBS May 3, 2002. Retrieved June 24, 2006.] She did not appear in the movie, at her own request, as she was nine months pregnant during its filming. [http://music.barnesandnoble.com/features/interview.asp?z=y&NID=452516 Interview] on BarnesAndNoble.com August 14, 2001. Retrieved June 24, 2006.] In 2007, Krauss released the anthology "A Hundred Miles Or More: A Collection," which was a collection of soundtrack work, duets with artists such as John Waite, James Taylor, Brad Paisley and esteemed fiddle player Natalie MacMaster, and newer tracks. The album was very commercially successful, but was received with a lukewarm reception from critics. One of the tracks, "Missing You", a duet with Waite (and a cover of his hit single from 1984), was similarly received as a single. On August 11, television network Great American Country aired a one-hour special, "Alison Krauss: A Hundred Miles or More" based on the album and featured many of the album's duets and solo performances.

Other soundtracks for which Krauss has performed include "Twister", "The Prince of Egypt", ["The Prince of Egypt" "Nashville" soundtrack. Originally released by One Way Records October 1, 2001.] "Eight Crazy Nights", "Mona Lisa Smile", "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood", "Alias", "Bambi II" and "Cold Mountain". [ [http://www.soundtrackinfo.com/search.asp?q=Alison+Krauss&pos=2 Alison Krauss soundtrack info] from the SoundtrackINFO project. Retrieved June 5, 2006.] She also contributed the song "Jubilee" to the 2004 documentary "Paper Clips". The "Cold Mountain" songs "The Scarlet Tide" by T-Bone Burnett and Elvis Costello, and "You Will Be My Ain True Love", by herself and Sting were nominated for an Academy Award, and she performed both two songs at the 76th Academy Awards, the first one with Costello and Burnett and the other with Sting. [http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2004/04.02.13.b.html Sting, Alison Krauss, Elvis Costello and T Bone Burnett to Perform at The seventy sixth Academy Awards] by Toni Thompson for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on February 14, 2004. Retrieved June 5, 2006.] She also worked as a producer for Nickel Creek on their debut self-titled album in 2000 and the follow-up "This Side" in 2002, which won Krauss her first Grammy as a music producer. Krauss also recorded a collaborative album, "Raising Sand" with Robert Plant in 2007. In October 2007, Krauss and Plant recorded a Crossroads special for the Country Music Television network (CMT) which first aired on February 12, 2008. A Krauss/Plant tour in the U.K., Europe and the U.S. started on May 5, 2008 culminating with a final date at the historic Mountain Winery in Saratoga, California on October 5, 2008. [ [http://www.robertplant.com/tour.php?l1=10&l2=0&l3=0&rt=TR&calendar_id=9 Robert Plant website, tour dates] ]

Reception and influences

Krauss's earliest musical experience was as an instrumentalist, though her style has grown to focus more on her vocals with a band providing most of the instrumentation. Musicians she enjoys include Lou Gramm of Foreigner, Paul Rodgers of Bad Company. [ [http://cgi.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Music/9911/16/wb.krauss/index.html Krauss cultivates bluegrass into crossover success] by Neil Curry for CNN on November 16, 1999. Retrieved June 29, 2006.] [ [http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/K/Krauss_Alison/1997/10/10/746703.html Krauss comes out on heavy metal] for JAM! Music by Jane Stevenson. Retrieved June 27, 2006.] [ [http://lubbockonline.com/news/101497/UX0381.htm Krauss still hanging on to eclectic style] for the "Los Angeles Times"/"Washington Post" on October 13, 1997. Retrieved June 29, 2006.] She cites Dolly Parton, with whom she has since collaborated a number of times, as a major influence. [ [http://www.dollymania.net/justquote.html Just Because I'm A Woman: Songs Of Dolly Parton] tribute album liner notes. Retrieved July 11, 2007.] Some credit Krauss and Union Station, at least partially, with a recent revival of interest in bluegrass music in the United States. Despite being together for nearly two decades and winning numerous awards, she said the group was "just beginning right now" (in 2002) because "in spite of all the great things that have happened for the band, [she] feel [s] musically it's just really beginning." Although she alternates between solo releases and works with the band, she has said there is no difference in her involvement between the two.

As a group, AKUS have been called "American favourites," "world-beaters," [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/folkcountry/reviews/alisonkrauss_live.shtml Review of "Live"] for the BBC by Chris Jones. Retrieved June 15, 2006.] and "the tightest band around." [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/folkcountry/reviews/alisonkrauss_lonely.shtml Review of "Lonely Runs Both Ways"] for the BBC by Sue Keogh. Retrieved June 15, 2006.] While they have been successful as a group, many reviews note Krauss still "remains the undisputed star and rock-solid foundation" and have described her as the "band's focus" [http://www.bluegrassworks.com/review.php?reviewID=112 Review of "Lonely Runs Both Ways"] for Bluegrass Works by Ben Fitzgerald on 12/13/2006. Retrieved June 15, 2006.] with an "angelic" voice that "flows like honey". Her work has been compared to that of the Cox Family, Bill Monroe, and Del McCoury, and has in turn been credited with influencing various "Newgrass" artists including Nickel Creek, for which she acted as record producer on two of their albums. [http://folkmusic.about.com/od/artistsaz/p/AlisonKrauss.htm Alison Krauss] on FolkMusic. About by Kim Ruehl. Retrieved June 24, 2006.] In addition to her work with Nickel Creek, she has acted as producer to the Cox Family, Reba McEntire, [ [http://www.hrmusic.com/artists/akrart.html Alison Krauss] on Harmony Ridge Music. Retrieved June 29, 2006.] and Alan Jackson. [ [http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,,GAC_26063_4724117,00.html Note on Krauss producing] from Great American Country on May 10, 2006 citing "The Tennessean". Retrieved June 26, 2006.] Adam Sweeting of "The Guardian" has said Krauss and Union Station are "superb when they stick to hoedowns and hillbilly music, but much less convincing when they lurch towards the middle of the road," [ [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,11712,1354230,00.html Review of "Lonely Runs Both Ways"] for The Guardian by Adam Sweeting on November 19, 2004. Retrieved June 15, 2006.] and "Blender magazine" has said the "flavorless repertoire [Krauss] sings... steers her toward Lite FM". [ [http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/kraussalison/lonelyrunsbothways Review hosted on Metacritic] originally from "Blender magazine Jan/Feb 2005. Retrieved June 15, 2006.] In addition, "Q" magazine and "The Onion" AV Club have said their newer releases are "pretty much the usual," and that although Krauss is generally "adventurous," these recent releases contain nothing to "alienate the masses". [ [http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/kraussalison/newfavorite Review hosted on Metacritic] originally from "Q Magazine" Sept. 2001 and "The Onion" AV Club. Retrieved June 15, 2006.]

Voice, themes, and musical style

Krauss generally sings as a soprano [ [http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1144334/a/So+Long+So+Wrong.htm One] and [http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1144388/a/Forget+About+It.htm two] reviews on CD Universe (for So Long So Wrong and Forget About It) and a [http://www.greenmanreview.com/film/film_krauss_live.html third] on Greenman Review (by David Kidney, of "Live") all describing her voice as a soprano. Retrieved June 26, 2006.] in a breathy yet penetrating style using little to no vibrato: her clear vocals have been described as "angelic". She has said her musical influences include J. D. Crowe, Ricky Skaggs, and Tony Rice. [ [http://www.dirtynelson.com/linen/102/krauss.html New Favorite] by Kerry Dexter from Dirty Linen #102 Oct/Nov 02. Retrieved June 29, 2006.] Many of her songs are described as sad, [ [http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/K/Krauss_Alison/1999/08/18/746702.html Sad songs, migraines don't get Alison Krauss down] by David Veitch for JAM! Music. Retrieved June 27, 2006.] and are often about love, especially lost love. Krauss herself has said of her song selection that she looks for "tunes that [she] can relate to" and "if they make you feel like crap, you oughta do 'em." Though she has a close involvement with her group and a long career in music, she rarely performs music she has written herself. She has also described her general approach to constructing an album as starting with a single song and selecting other tracks based on the first, to give the final album a somewhat consistent theme and mood. [http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/K/Krauss_Alison/2005/05/11/1034228.html "Krauss tends bluegrass revival"] for JAM! Music by Mary Dickie of the "Toronto Sun". Retrieved June 27, 2006.] She most commonly performs in the bluegrass and country genres, though she has had two songs on the adult contemporary charts, has worked with rock artists such as Phish and Sting, and is sometimes said to stray into pop music. [ [http://georgegraham.com/reviews/akus4.html Review of New Favorite] for The Graham Weekly Album Review #1250 by George Graham as broadcast on WVIA-FM 8/18/2001. Retrieved July 8, 2006.]

Music videos

Krauss did not think she would make music videos at the beginning of her career, and after recording her first she was convinced it was so bad that she would never do another. Nonetheless, she has gone on to make further videos. Many of the first videos she saw were by bluegrass artists, although Dan Tyminski has noted that the video for "Thriller" was very popular at the time she was first exposed to music videos. She has made suggestions on the style or theme to some videos, though she tends to leave such decisions up to the director of the particular video. The group chooses directors by seeking out people who have previously directed videos bandmembers have enjoyed. The director for a video to "If I Didn't Know Any Better" from "Lonely Runs Both Ways", for example, was selected because Krauss enjoyed work he had done with Def Leppard, and she wondered what he could do with their music. While style decisions are generally left to the various directors of the videos, many —including for "Restless", "Goodbye is All We Have", "New Favorite", and "If I Didn't Know Any Better"—follow a pattern. In all of these videos Krauss walks, sometimes interacting with other people, while the rest of the band follows her.

Performances

Krauss has said she used to dislike working in the studio where she had to play the same song repeatedly, but has come to like studio work roughly the same as live stage performances. Her own favorite concert experiences include watching three Foreigner concerts during a single tour, a Dolly Parton concert, and a Larry Sparks concert. [Interview with Krauss from the "Alison Krauss + Union Station: Live" DVD by Rounder Records released in 2003.] She appeared on "Austin City Limits" in 1992 and opened the show in 1995 with Union Station. [ [http://www.pbs.org/klru/austin/artists/program85.html Alison Krauss on Austin City Limits] from PBS from 1996. Retrieved June 27, 2006.] The "New Favorite" tour, after AKUS' album of the same name, was planned to start September 12, 2001 in Cincinnati, Ohio, but was delayed until September 28 in Savannah, Georgia following the September 11 terrorist attacks. [ [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1448899/09172001/krauss_alison.jhtml COUNTRY BEAT: Alison Krauss, Wynonna Judd, Dolly Parton ...] for MTV.com on September 17, 2001. Retrieved June 25, 2006.] Krauss also took part in the "Down from the Mountain" tour in 2002, which featured many artists from the "O Brother, Where Art Thou" soundtrack and was named after a documentary on the making of said soundtrack. [ [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1450115/10172001/krauss_alison.jhtml Krauss, Loveless Among Down From The Mountain Headliners] for MTV.com on October 17, 2001. Retrieved June 25, 2006.] [ [http://www.jimdirden.com/concert_reviews/dftm.htm Down from the Mountain tour] by Jim Durden for Tomlin Communications on July 20, 2002. Retrieved June 25, 2006.] "Down from the Mountain" was followed by the "Great High Mountain Tour", which was comprised of musicians from both "O Brother" and "Cold Mountain", including Krauss. She has also given several notable smaller performances including at Carnegie Hall (with the Grand Ole Opry), [ [http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,,GAC_26063_4729294,00.html Carnegie Hall performance] at Great American Country March 1, 2006. Retrieved June 26, 2006.] on Lifetime Television in a concert of female performers, [ [http://www.shorefire.com/artists/akrauss/pr_akrauss_10_23_03.html AKUS Fall television details] on Shorefire on October 23, 2003. Retrieved June 26, 2006.] on the radio show "A Prairie Home Companion" [ [http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/2004/05/01/index.shtml Program details] from Prairie Home Companion on May 1, 2006. Retrieved June 26, 2006.] where she sang two songs not previously recorded on any of her albums, [ [http://www.alisonkrauss.com/?em430=13089_0__0_~0_-1_6_2006_0_0&content=faq FAQ on PHC songs] from AlisonKrauss.com. Retrieved June 26, 2006.] and a performance at the White House attended by then-President Bill Clinton and then-Vice President Al Gore. [ [http://www.cybergrass.com/Articles/ak-white.html Alison Krauss at the White House] By Marian Leighton Levy at Rounder Records May 18, 1995. Retrieved June 29, 2006.]

Awards

Alison Krauss has won a record twenty one Grammy Awards [ [http://www.grammys.org/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx?title=&winner=Alison+Krauss&year=0&genreID=0&hp=1 Alison Krauss' Grammys] from Grammys.com. Retrieved February 11, 2008.] over the course of her career as a solo artist, as a group with Union Station, and as a record producer. This is more than any other female artist and tied for seventh most won by any artist overall. [ [http://www.properdistribution.com/news/full-story.php?pg=6&id=45 Alison Krauss & Union Station Win Three Trophies at Grammy's] for Proper Music Distribution on 2/20/06. Retrieved June 5, 2006.] She overtook Aretha Franklin for the most female wins at the 46th Grammy Awards where Krauss won three, bringing her total at the time to seventeen (Franklin won her sixteenth that night), and performed with Sarah McLachlan. [ [http://www.shorefire.com/artists/akrauss/pr_akrauss_02_09_04.html ROUNDER RECORDING ARTIST BECOMES GRAMMY'S MOST-HONORED FEMALE MUSICIAN] on Shorefire and the Los Angeles Times by Jen Chapin and Robert Hilburn on February 9, 2004.] The Recording Academy (which presents the Grammy Awards) presented her with a special musical achievement honor in 2005. [ [http://www.cmt.com/artists/news/1513293/11082005/krauss_alison.jhtml Recording Academy Honors Krauss, Scruggs, McGraw and the Winans] for CMT.com by Edward Morris on 11/8/05. Retrieved June 7, 2006.] She has also won seven Country Music Association Awards, [ [http://www.cmaawards.com/2005/database/ArtistDetail.aspx?artistId=40 Alison Krauss's CMA Awards] from CMAAwards.com. Retrieved June 5, 2006.] fifteen International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, [ [http://www.ibma.org/ibma.awards/recipients/index.asp Past International Bluegrass Music Association Awards Recipients] for IMBA.org. Retrieved June 5, 2006.] and two Gospel Music Association Awards. [ [http://www.gmamusicawards.com/ Homepage] of the Gospel Music Association Awards. Retrieved June 5, 2006.]

At the 76th Academy Awards in February 2004, where she performed two nominated songs from the Cold Mountain soundtrack, Alison Krauss was chosen by Hollywood shoe designer Stuart Weitzman to wear a pair of $2 million 'Cinderella' sandals with 4½ inch clear glass stiletto heels and two straps adorned with 565 Kwiat diamonds set in platinum. Feeling like a rather unglamorous choice, Krauss said, "When I first heard, I was like, 'What were they thinking?' I have the worst feet of anybody who will be there that night!" In addition to the fairy-tale-inspired shoes, Weitzman outfitted Krauss with a Palm Trēo 600 smartphone, bejeweled with 3,000 clear-and-topaz-colored Swarovski crystals. The shoes were returned, but Krauss kept the crystal-covered phone. Weitzman chose Krauss to show off his fashions at the urging of his daughters, who are fans of Krauss' music. [Lee, Lisa. [http://www.cmt.com/artists/news/1485404/20040227/krauss_alison.jhtml "'Cinderella' Krauss Tries On Her Slippers."] CMT.com. 27 Feb 2004. 31 Oct 2007.] [ [http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?ContentId=2381 "Grammy Award-winner Alison Krauss to carry Swarovski crystal-clad Treo 600 smartphone"] by Geekzone.co.nz. Retrieved: 1 Nov. 2007.]

Discography

*1987 – "Too Late to Cry"
*1989 – "Two Highways"
*1990 – "I've Got That Old Feeling"
*1992 – "Every Time You Say Goodbye"
*1994 – "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow"
*1997 – "So Long So Wrong"
*1999 – "Forget About It"
*2001 – "New Favorite"
*2004 – "Lonely Runs Both Ways"
*2007 - ""
*2007 – "Raising Sand" (with Robert Plant)

References

External links

* [http://www.alisonkrauss.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.alisonkrauss.net/ Rounder Records site for Alison Krauss]
* [http://www.akus.da21.nl Alison Krauss and Union Station Fan Community]
*last.fm|Alison Krauss
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:7ec1z84ajyv2 Alison Krauss] on Allmusic database
*MusicBrainz artist|id=6b064ead-91a4-4ac8-8076-b1febe4f4aac|name=Alison Krauss
*imdb name|id=0470295|name=Alison Krauss
* [http://www.honesttune.com/content/view/990/49/ Interview from honesttune.com about collaboration with Robert Plant]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15403831 Alison Krauss at NPR Music]

Persondata
NAME=Krauss, Alison
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=American musical artist
DATE OF BIRTH=July 23, 1971
PLACE OF BIRTH=Decatur, Illinois
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=