Sarah Jarosz ( ; born May 23, 1991) is an American singer-songwriter from

Wimberley, Texas Wimberley is a village in Hays County, Texas, United States. It is still predominantly a ranching area outside of town. The population was 2,839 at the 2020 census. History Wimberley started as a trading post settlement near Cypress Creek in ...

. Her first album, ''Song Up in Her Head'', was released in 2009"A Bluegrass Debutante, A High School Graduate"
''NPR All Songs Considered''. June 14, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2010. and the tune "Mansinneedof" was nominated for a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

in the category of Best Country Instrumental Performance. Her second album, ''Follow Me Down'', released in 2011, received a Song of the Year nomination from the Americana Music Association's 2012 Honors and Awards. Her third album, ''

Build Me Up from Bones ''Build Me Up From Bones'' is the third studio album by American folk and bluegrass singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz, released on September 24, 2013 on Sugar Hill Records. It was recorded and mixed at Minutia Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, by Ga ...

,'' was released on September 24, 2013 through Sugar Hill Records. ''

'' was nominated for Best Folk Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, and its title track was nominated for Best American Roots Song. In 2016 Jarosz released her fourth album, '' Undercurrent''. The album won two Grammy awards (Best Folk Album and Best American Roots Performance for the song "House of Mercy"). On June 5, 2020 she released the album '' World on the Ground'', her first solo album in four years. It was nominated for two Grammy awards (Best American Roots Song and Best Americana Album) with Jarosz winning in the Best Americana Album category.

Early life and education

Jarosz was born in

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

, and raised in

. Her parents were teachers. Her last name is Polish. She began learning the

mandolin A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of ...

at age 10 and later began learning to play the guitar, clawhammer banjo, and octave mandolin. During her senior year of high school, Jarosz signed a recording contract with Sugar Hill Records and released her debut album '' Song Up in Her Head'' in June 2009; it was produced by Jarosz and

Gary Paczosa Gary Paczosa is an audio engineer, producer and A&R rep for Sugar Hill Records. He has been nominated 11 times for the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. He is best known for working with Alison Krauss and Dolly Parton numerou ...

. Guest musicians on the album included Chris Thile,

Darrell Scott James Darrell Scott, known as Darrell Scott (born August 6, 1959), is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. The son of musician Wayne Scott, he moved as a child to East Gary, Indiana (known today as Lake Station, Indiana). ...

, Stuart Duncan, and Jerry Douglas. Jarosz enrolled in the New England Conservatory of Music in 2009, and graduated with honors in 2013 with a degree in Contemporary Improvisation.

Career

In 2010 Jarosz recorded the album ''Follow Me Down'' and again shared production duties with

. The album was recorded in Nashville and features guest musicians

Bela Fleck Bela may refer to: Places Asia *Bela Pratapgarh, a town in Pratapgarh District, Uttar Pradesh, India *Bela, a small village near Bhandara, Maharashtra, India *Bela, another name for the biblical city Zoara * Bela, Dang, in Nepal * Bela, Janakpur, ...

, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan,

Viktor Krauss Viktor Krauss is an American musician who plays acoustic and electric bass. He has released solo albums and has worked as a sideman with many musicians, including his sister, singer and fiddler Alison Krauss. Music career Krauss was born to Fre ...

Dan Tyminski Daniel John Tyminski (born June 20, 1967) is an American bluegrass composer, vocalist, and instrumentalist. He is a member of Alison Krauss's band Union Station, and has released three solo albums, ''Carry Me Across the Mountain'' (2000), on ...

Shawn Colvin Shawn Colvin (born Shawna Lee Colvin, January 10, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. While Colvin has been a solo recording artist for decades, she is best known for her 1998 Grammy Award-winning song " Sunny Came Home". Early ...

, Darrell Scott, and bandmates Alex Hargreaves and Nathaniel Smith. A session with Punch Brothers in New York produced a cover of the

Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass ...

song "The Tourist". An ''American Songwriter'' reviewer wrote that "Jarosz invites us along with her into a growing sonic space of collaboration and artistry at this the second step in what will surely be a long and productive musical journey." In 2011 Jarosz performed at Jerry Douglas' the

Transatlantic Sessions Transatlantic Sessions is the collective title for a series of musical productions by Glasgow-based Pelicula Films Ltd, funded by- and produced for BBC Scotland, BBC Four and RTÉ of Ireland. The productions comprise collaborative live performan ...

in Scotland. She performed

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

's "Ring Them Bells." In 2012, Jarosz appeared on

Kate Rusby Kate Anna Rusby (born 4 December 1973) is an English folk singer-songwriter from Penistone, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. Sometimes called the "Barnsley Nightingale", she has headlined various British folk festivals, and is one of the be ...

's album '' 20'', collaborating with Rusby on the song "Planets". In 2015, Jarosz toured extensively with

Sara Watkins Sara Ullrika Watkins (born June 8, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and fiddler. Watkins debuted in 1989 as the fiddler of Nickel Creek, the progressive bluegrass group she formed with her brother Sean and mandolinist Chris Thile. In addi ...

(a founding member of Nickel Creek) and

Aoife O'Donovan Aoife O'Donovan ( , ; born November 18, 1982) is an American singer and Grammy award-winning songwriter. She is best known as the lead singer for the string band Crooked Still and she also co-founded the Grammy Award-winning female folk trio I'm ...

(of

Crooked Still Crooked Still is an American band consisting of vocalist Aoife O'Donovan, banjo player Gregory Liszt, bassist Corey DiMario, cellist Tristan Clarridge and fiddler Brittany Haas. They are known for their high energy, technical skill, unusual i ...

fame) as well as going on tour with

Garrison Keillor Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (; born August 7, 1942) is an American author, singer, humorist, voice actor, and radio personality. He created the Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) show ''A Prairie Home Companion'' (called ''Garrison Keillor's Radi ...

on ''The America the Beautiful Tour – A Prairie Home Companion''. In 2016, she became a regular performer on the weekly

National Public Radio National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other n ...

series '' Live from Here'', hosted by Chris Thile. Together with Watkins and O'Donovan, Jarosz became a founding member of the progressive-folk trio I'm With Her. They released their debut album, '' See You Around'', in 2018. Her fourth studio album, ''Undercurrent'', was released on June 17, 2016. It won the Grammy for Best Folk Album along with the song "House of Mercy" winning the Grammy for

Best American Roots Performance The Grammy Award for Best American Roots Performance is an award category at the annual Grammy Awards. It was first presented in 2015. The award was first approved by the board of trustees of the Grammy Awards in June 2014. According to NARAS, t ...

at the

2017 Grammy Awards The 59th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 12, 2017. The CBS network broadcast the show live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The ceremony recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, ...

. In 2020, Jarosz returned to her solo career with her fifth studio album, '' World on the Ground''. This was followed 11 months later by the release of her sixth studio album, ''Blue Heron Suite''. The previously-shelved collection was originally written and recorded between 2017 and 2018.

Reception

Jarosz has been called "a songwriter of uncommon wisdom" by the ''

Austin Chronicle ''The Austin Chronicle'' is an alternative weekly newspaper published every Thursday in Austin, Texas, United States. The paper is distributed through free news-stands, often at local eateries or coffee houses frequented by its targeted demogra ...

''. Jarosz has been interviewed by

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

and ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' and described as a contemporary-bluegrass

prodigy Prodigy, Prodigies or The Prodigy may refer to: * Child prodigy, a child who produces meaningful output to the level of an adult expert performer ** Chess prodigy, a child who can beat experienced adult players at chess Arts, entertainment, and ...

. A ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' reviewer wrote that Jarosz is "widely regarded as one of acoustic music's most promising young talents: a singer-songwriter and mandolin and banjo prodigy with the taste and poise to strike that rare balance of commercial and critical success." Her 2013 release, ''

'', was dubbed by Stereo Subversion as an "organic masterwork...a warm, nuanced collection that wraps and enchants the listener", as well as "her boldest work yet" by WNYC Soundcheck. Sarah Jarosz 1 - Ron Baker 2012

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

Music videos

Awards and nominations

Americana Music Honors & Awards The Americana Music Honors & Awards is the marquee event for the Americana Music Association. Beginning in 2002, the Americana Music Association honors distinguished members of the music community. Six member-voted awards and several Lifetime Ac ...

, - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1", 2010 , Sarah Jarosz , Emerging Artist of the Year , , - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1", 2011 , Sarah Jarosz , Instrumentalist of the Year , , - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1", 2012 , "Come Around" , Song of the Year , , - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1", 2014 , ''

'' , Album of the Year , , - , 2018 , I'm With Her , Duo/Group of the Year ,

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

, - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1",

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; Protests ...

, "Mansinneedof" , Best Country Instrumental Performance , , - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2",

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...

, ''

'' , Best Folk Album , , - , "Build Me Up from Bones" ,

Best American Roots Song The Grammy Award for Best American Roots Song is an award category at the annual Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the American Roots Music ...

, , - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2",

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...

, '' Undercurrent'' , Best Folk Album , , - , "House Of Mercy" ,

, , - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2",

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

, "Call My Name" ( I'm With Her) ,

, , - , "Call My Name" ,

, , - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2",

2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...

, '' World on the Ground'' , Best Americana Album , , - , "Hometown" ,

, , - ,

2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeypo ...

, ''Blue Heron Suite'' , Best Folk Album ,

References

External links

Official site
*
NPR: Various audio recordings of performances and interviews
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jarosz, Sarah Living people Singer-songwriters from Texas Bluegrass musicians from Texas American bluegrass mandolinists American child musicians American women country singers American country singer-songwriters American women singer-songwriters American people of Polish descent 1991 births 21st-century American singers Country musicians from Texas Grammy Award winners Musicians from Austin, Texas Sugar Hill Records artists People from Wimberley, Texas 21st-century American women singers I'm with Her (band) members