Alison Krauss began studying classical violin when she was five years old. By eight, she had discovered the sound of bluegrass, and soon was winning fiddle contests across the United States. Alison released her first album, Too Late To Cry, when she was 16. VOA's Katherine Cole reports it's primarily the pop side of Alison Krauss that you'll find on her new album, A Hundred Miles Or More.

In 1991, fiddle-playing singer Alison Krauss won her first Grammy Award. Her 16th trophy came for her duet with James Taylor on a remake of the Louvin Brothers' hit, How's the World Treating You. Today Alison has 20 Grammy Awards, the most ever won by a female performer, and proof that she's traveled far from her bluegrass roots.

The new collection, A Hundred Miles Or More, showcases Alison's career as a solo artist. The 16 tracks include several of her contributions to film soundtracks, including another Grammy winner, Down To The River To Pray. First heard in the film O' Brother Where Art Thou?, the song finds Alison Krauss singing in a chorus that also features Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Pat Enright and a Nashville church choir.

There are a few other soundtrack cuts on this record, including two that Alison recorded for Cold Mountain.  There are also songs that first appeared on compilation or tribute albums, such as 1996's The Best Of Country Sings The Best of Disney. Alison's contribution was a very sweet version of Baby Mine, from the Disney film Dumbo.

A Hundred Miles Or More

A Hundred Miles Or More also features five previously-unreleased songs, all self-produced. The album's title comes from the chorus of one of those new songs, Away Down The River.

A Hundred Miles Or More is perfect for Alison Krauss "completists" (those who want the full body of work) and other fans who are looking for some of her harder-to-find soundtrack performances or guests spots with other artists, including John Waite and Brad Paisley.

Not all the duets on A Hundred Miles or More are vocal. Fiddler Stuart Duncan joins Alison for some twin fiddling on the album's sole bluegrass cut. Sawin' On The Strings.