Alison Krauss
With a voice of crystalline purity, she became bluegrass's most decorated ambassador, bridging tradition and the mainstream.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American musician and producer·Birthday: July 23·Generation X
Biography
Alison Krauss was a fiddle prodigy who, by her teens, was already reshaping the sound of American roots music. She didn't just possess a technically flawless voice; she wielded it with a haunting, emotional clarity that could make any song feel like a whispered secret. While deeply rooted in bluegrass tradition with her band Union Station, Krauss's collaborations—most famously with rock producer Robert Plant on the album 'Raising Sand'—demonstrated her genre-defying appeal. She became a unlikely but potent force on pop radio and at award shows, collecting Grammys at a staggering rate. More than a performer, she is a curator and producer, using her exacting standards to spotlight songs and musicians, ensuring the sophisticated soul of acoustic music reached a vast, modern audience.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Alison was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alison Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Alison's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Has won 27 Grammy Awards, one of the most by any artist and the most for a female musician.
- Her collaborative album 'Raising Sand' with Robert Plant won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2009.
- Her instrumental 'The Lucky One' became a major bluegrass hit, showcasing her songwriting and bandleading skills.
- Contributed the haunting track 'Down to the River to Pray' to the multi-platinum 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' soundtrack, introducing her music to millions.
Did You Know?
She won her first state fiddle championship at the age of twelve.
Krauss signed her record deal with Rounder Records when she was only 14 years old.
She has a species of insect named after her: the 'Megalopsius alisonkrausae' leafhopper.
Despite her success, she has expressed stage fright and a preference for studio work.
“I just love to sing. I'm not a writer, so I'm always looking for great songs.”
