Critic’s Choice

Though it’s been nearly two years since Alison Krauss released a record of her own — 1999’s widely acclaimed Forget About It — the prodigal bluegrass vocalist has never veered far from the country-music spotlight. Most recently, Krauss was among the brightest lights on the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou?, soaring brilliantly through old-timey harmonies with Gillian Welsh and Emmylou Harris. O Brother‘s success — the recording has become one of the most successful country-music soundtracks of all time — helped introduce Krauss to a wider audience who had missed her prior work, a body that includes eight albums (the first of which was recorded when she was fourteen), 1995’s double-platinum-selling collection, Now That I’ve Found You, and a handful of Grammy awards. Krauss performs with Union Station on Sunday, June 24, as the final act in the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. It’s a fine way to conclude one of the country’s premier events dedicated to preserving bluegrass tradition — and ensuring it has a future.