Country Bluegrass (Showing 381 Results)

Country & Bluegrass: American Roots, Timeless Sound

Country and bluegrass music is the lifeblood of American storytelling. These styles of Appalachian folk music, gospel, blues, and frontier ballads have been shaping the music of today ever since. Whether it's the poignant twang of the vintage country or the fast-picking barrage of bluegrass, Elusive Disc's selection brings the heart of these acoustic traditions right into the audiophile domain.

From Johnny Cash's folk and prison recordings to Alison Krauss' bluegrass and folk music, our 180g vinyl, hybrid SACD, and deluxe CD reissues showcase the fidelity and legacy of American music with impeccable quality that only these formats can provide.

What Defines Country and Bluegrass?

These overlap, and the genres share in common, but they are also independent in their roots and characteristics:

Country Music

• Originates from the rural South
• Emphasizes narrative songwriting
• Usually includes steel guitar, fiddle, acoustic and electric guitar, and smooth vocals.
• Themes include heartbreak, pride, redemption, and the American way.

Bluegrass

• Rooted in Appalachian traditions
• Unplugged line-up: 5-string banjo, fiddle, mandolin, upright bass, and guitar
• High-powered instrumentation with fast tempos and playing Metalcore-style solos
• Close-pitched vocal harmonies ("high lonesome sound")

Both are rooted in straightforward, roots-based storytelling that lends itself well to analog listening.

Must Own Country & Bluegrass Recordings From Elusive Disc

Check out these curated highlights from our Country & Bluegrass collection:

Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison (180g LP)
A live album that has become one of the most available ways to feel Cash's primal power and kinship with the common man.

Alison Krauss + Union Station - New Favorite (SACD)
Bluegrass, Janis Ian, Lush harmonies, acoustic beauty, and emotional nuance from a bluegrass icon.

Willie Nelson - Stardust (180g LP)
In this genre-defying classic, country and jazz standards come together and are masterfully blended for maximum warmth.

Dolly Parton - Coat of Many Colors (Vinyl LP)
An autobiographical triumph delivered with honesty and an Appalachian soul.

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder - Bluegrass Rules! (CD)
High-octane picking and reverent nods to Bill Monroe's tradition.

Why Country and Bluegrass Belong on Audiophile Formats

Analog can seem warmer and “touchier” to the point of having a physical presence, which suits the organic textures and close-mic intimacy that are part of these genres. SACDs and vinyls keep those little differences that are:

• The sharp, percussive snap of a banjo.
• The pedal steel guitar's melancholy quiver
• Delicate vocal harmonies and fiddle swells
• Live Studio Session Room Acoustics

Elusive Disc features only the best reissues that are mastered from the best sources available.

Your Ideal Roots: Listen to Setup - So, How Do You Make It?

To get the most from your listening experience of acoustic country and bluegrass records, you will want to upgrade the following:

• Turntables with precision tonearms - for tracking delicate acoustic nuances
• Phono preamps with warm, tube-driven sound - for a cozier presentation of voices
• Nitty Gritty Record Cleaning Machines - to keep light and whisper passages clean
• BCW record sleeves and storage options - to protect your analog collection

These tools help showcase the details of your country and bluegrass collection.

Legendary Artists Who Helped Define the Genres

Country

• Hank Williams - The very first country star.
• Merle Haggard - Working-class grit and Bakersfield swagger
• Patsy Cline - a silky voice in Nashville's golden age
• Waylon Jennings - Outlaw Country's rebellious soul

Bluegrass

• Bill Monroe - Father of the genre and mandolin master
• Ralph Stanley - High lonesome harmonies and clawhammer banjo
• Del McCoury - A contemporary torchbearer for bluegrass
• Alison Krauss - Modernity with Historic Roots

Whether you prefer low-down dirty bayou blues or front porch pickin, you'll find definitive versions of the legends and up-and-comers alike here at Elusive Disc.

Country & Bluegrass's Continued Legacy

Today's progressive stars, from Sturgill Simpson and Molly Tuttle to Tyler Childers, defy traditional versus progressive binaries. Their lyrics confront current themes, and their arrangements dare to push boundaries while keeping tradition in mind, if not in body, and these genres have never been more needed.

The high-quality pressings of their work, found through Elusive Disc, are part of the future and the past of American roots music.

Final Thought: Tradition Be Sure to Continue to Commemorate Tradition!

Country and bluegrass aren't genres; they're sprawling, living, breathing traditions. The only response they can offer is to make us stop, think, and somehow find a way to relate with each other through played strings and sung words.

At Elusive Disc, we are dedicated to preserving the sounds that make us smile. Explore our full Country & Bluegrass collection and discover the records that stir your soul.