Railroad Earth 11/29

For over two decades, Railroad Earth has captivated audiences with gleefully unpredictable live shows and eloquent and elevated studio output. The group introduced its signature sound on 2001’s The Black Bear Sessions. Between selling out hallowed venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO, they’ve launched the longstanding annual Hangtown Music Festival in Placerville, CA and Hillberry: The Harvest Moon Festival in Ozark, AR—both running for a decade-plus. Sought after by legends, the John Denver Estate tapped them to put lyrics penned by the late John Denver to music on the 2019 vinyl EP, Railroad Earth: The John Denver Letters. Beyond tallying tens of millions of streams, the collective have earned widespread critical acclaim from David Fricke of Rolling Stone, American Songwriter, Glide Magazine, and NPR who assured, “Well-versed in rambling around, as you might expect from a band named after a Jack Kerouac poem, the New Jersey-built jam-grass engine Railroad Earth has let no moss grow under its rustic wheels.”

Baltimore-born and bluegrass-bred, The Dirty Grass Players have established themselves as a national touring band with one toe-tappin’ foot in traditional bluegrass while pushing boundaries towards progressive jam-grass. They have the flawless technique of the craft of fast pickin', and combine that with fearless creativity that leaves the audience astounded.

Comprised of Connor Murray on Bass, Alex Berman on Banjo, Ben Kolakowski with the guitar, and Ryan Rogers on mandolin, this four piece is successfully bringing their growing fanbase a down & dirty performance. Their ability to seamlessly transition from down-home bluegrass to spirited improvisation makes each performance unique. Throw in some Allman Brothers, Pink Floyd, and Hot Rize, and you’ll quickly understand what they mean by 'dirty grass'.

Their inaugural self-titled album was released around the same time they won the 2017 Charm City Bluegrass & Folk Festival Band Competition. For the next few years, they successfully toured the Mid-Atlantic with festival and headline appearances all over the East Coast and support slots for the likes of the Travelin' McCoury's, Cabinet, and their hometown hero Cris Jacobs. In 2019, amid a busy touring schedule, they released their 2nd studio album, “Beneath the Woodpile”. Put together with alluring melodies, the band presents a sound precisely at the crossroads of traditional and progressive bluegrass.

The pandemic crashed their world - as it did most musicians. But the Dirty Grass Players made the most of it, and got to writing and recording. Now, with a tour schedule of over 120 dates in 2022, they're getting ready to release their 3rd studio album, produced by Cody Kilby (the Travelin' McCoury's). They're making their way across the country with many festival dates along the way, so catch them where you can and let's get dirty!