In its first two weeks, the 2026 season of Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman managed to hit the far corners of the big, inclusive tent that covers bluegrass music.
Week 1: Dailey & Vincent
The season kicked off on June 16 with multiple award-winning bluegrass and country duo Dailey and Vincent. Along with a band of ace musicians, the twosome brought a high-energy combination of ccountry, gospel and bluegrass to the Ryman stage. The evening marked opening night for the 33rd season of Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman with longtime sponsor Springer Mountain Farms.
Backed by a traditional five-piece bluegrass band along with keyboard and drums, the veteran showmen set a lightning-fast pace with “Steel-Drivin’ Man.” They then segued into a set list of crowd favorites mixed with songs from their new album A Beautiful Life. Number after number, Jamie Dailey’s clear tenor vocals and Darrin Vincent’s rock-solid baritone filled the Ryman from floor to rafters with resonant, pitch-perfect harmonies.
Both Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent had logged several years as professional musicians by the time they formed a bluegrass duo in 2007. Each had spent the better part of a decade as sidemen in other bands—Dailey with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and Vincent with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder.
Since then the band has racked up numerous awards. To date they have taken home 35 awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, most notably sharing Vocal Group of the Year and Entertainer of the Year honors in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Likewise, their backing band members are all veterans of road and stage: Jeff Parker on mandolin, Kentucky Thunder graduates Andy Leftwich on fiddle and Cody Kilby on acoustic guitar, Kyle Ramey on banjo, and Eddie Bell on drums, joining Vincent on upright bass and Dailey on rhythm guitar.
The pace varied throughout the evening, with up-tempo songs like “Moon Shines on the Still,” “Real Good Feel Good Song,” and the classic “Sally Goodin” featuring Leftwich. Sentimental favorites included the duo’s cover of the Statler Brothers’ “More Than A Name on a Wall” and a cappella gospel numbers with Parker and Ramey joining in on vocals.
The duo welcomed several surprise guests. Jaelee Roberts–one of bluegrass’ strongest female vocalists, as a solo artist and as part of all-female supergroup Sister Sadie–sang harmony vocals on “A Beautiful Life,” the title cut of their new album penned by Bill Anderson, Jon Randall and Carrie Underwood. The Opry Square Dancers came onstage and danced a boisterous fiddle tune. And proud grandfather Darrin Vincent introduced the crowd to his family.
The first of two emotional high points came when the duo sang their debut single, 2008’s “By the Mark,” with its simple melody and vivid lyrics. Instrumentation took a back seat to intertwining harmonies, ending with a cappella chorus of breathtaking purity. The audience jumped to its feet before the last note faded.
Later the twosome performed “I Grew Up In Heaven,” penned by Hall of Famer and fellow Opry member Don Schlitz. Schlitz, one of Nashville’s most venerated songwriters, who died earlier this year, had asked numerous times, “When will I get a Dailey and Vincent cut?” Dailey and Vincent became the first artists to record the song. It turned out to be Schlitz’ final cut.
The show ended on a jubilant note—and a high one—with a raucous cover of the Osborne Brothers’ classic “Ruby.” They nailed it. And that’s really all there is to say about that.
Below, clockwise: Dailey & Vincent and their band opened the 2026 Springer Mountain Farms Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman series. Dailey & Vincent perform their first single as a duet, “By the Mark.” Jaelee Roberts joins Dailey & Vincent to perform the title cut off their new album, “A Beautiful Life.” Proud grandfather Darrin Vincent introduces the crowd to his family. Photos by Laci Mack.
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Week 2: Mason Via and The Watkins Family Hour
If the first of six Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman celebrated bluegrass music’s traditional sounds and gospel ties, Week Two was a musical Venn diagram, exploring the overlap where traditional bluegrass, the West Coast bluegrass scene, and folk music overlap.
Bluegrass singer, songwriter and guitarist Mason Via opened the show. The self-described son of a Deadhead hippie mother and a bluegrass songwriter father, Via grew up in Mount Airy, North Carolina. His parents often took him to music festivals, where he developed a love for roots music and for the great outdoors.
Via shared the stage with his wife (and new medical school graduate) Waverly Via on fiddle, Ben Hill on mandolin, Grayson Tuttle on banjo and Aaron Smith on bass.
Via received the first standing ovation of the night with “See It While You Can.” Inspired by Woody Guthrie and Via’s love for the national parks, the song has been chosen by the National Parks Conservation Association to use as part of its celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday celebration. His high-energy set also included his newly released single, a cover of Woody Guthrie’s “Deportee,” recorded with Americana music icon Lucinda Williams, and several radio hits including “Melt in the Sun,” “Fireball,” “There Goes Another One,” and “One Life,” a song penned by his father and cut by the late Ronnie Bowman. The crowd awarded him with a standing ovation.
Sean and Sara Watkins headlined the second half of the evening by bringing their long-running L.A.-based musical variety show, The Watkins Family Hour, to the Ryman stage.
The Watkins siblings have logged a lot of music miles. Growing up as part of California’s bluegrass scene, they first became known to music fans as part of Nickel Creek, along with fellow member Chris Thile, a group they formed while still pre-teens.
They opened their Ryman show with several songs—including a Celtic-flavored song and one called “I Found Me Anyway”—featuring clear sibling harmonies with Sara on fiddle, Sean on acoustic guitar, and Jeff Picker on upright bass.
As Sara explained following the opening numbers, for more than 20 years she and Sean have hosted a monthly musical variety show, The Watkins Family Hour, at Largo, an L.A. nightclub, when they’re home between gigs. The popular show enjoys a wide range of musical guests, from Fiona Apple to Jackson Browne.
“We were invited to host a Watson Family Hour here on the Ryman stage,” explained Sara, before welcoming her first guests, bluegrass and Americana guitarist Jordan Tice and Darol Anger—a founding member of the David Grisman Quintet and a hugely influential fiddler, composer and teacher—on fiddle.
Jordan brought a downhome humor to the show with his first number. “It’s a simple song…it won’t change your life,” he deadpanned. “It’s about not wanting to go into town.” (It was exactly that.)
The group then welcomed Sarah Jarosz, who, along with Sara Watkins and Aoife O’Donovan, make up the GRAMMY-winning trio I’m With Her; and after Sarah, mandolin master Ronnie McCoury, one of bluegrass music’s most decorated instrumentalists and, of course, a member of legendary traditional bluegrass mainstay the Del McCoury Band and its offshoot, The Travelin’ McCourys.
After several numbers from these guests—a Jarosz/Tice co-write on “Who Knows What Tomorrow Brings” and Ronnie leading out on a cover of Ernest Tubb’s “Thanks A Lot”—it was Sara and Darol’s turn to wow the crowd with their rendition of “The Tennessee Waltz.” An intricate instrumental intro, a drone vibrating on a lower tone and a sweet, soaring melody riding above it, eventually yielded to Sara’s breathy vocals in a transcendent moment. The night continued with covers of John Hartford’s “Long Hot Summer Day,” Nanci Griffith’s “I Wish It Would Rain,” and Laurie Lewis’ “I’m Gonna Be the Wind” before Ronnie delighted the crowd with Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” grassed up as only a McCoury can do.
After several more songs, much laughter and applause, the second night of Springer Mountain Farms Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman ended with Mason Via joining the entire group, and the audience, in singing Bob Dylan’s “Man of Peace.” And as the crowd dispersed into the night, the music followed.
Clockwise: Mason and Waverly Via open the second week of 2026 Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman. Darol Anger and Sara Watkins play an intricate instrumental opening on “Tennessee Waltz” during Watkins Family Hour. Ronnie McCoury makes a special appearance. Sarah Jarosz and Jordan Tice sing a song they wrote. Photos by Taylor Mason.
Check back next week for a recap of Week 3 with Sam Bush and Sister Sadie, and Week 4 with Sierra Hull.
The Springer Mountain Farms Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman series continues Tuesday, July 7, with Sierra Hull, July 14 with The Infamous Stringdusters, and July 21 with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the show beginning at 7:30 p.m. Visit ryman.com for tickets and more information on upcoming shows.