Mountain Grass Unit

Birmingham, Alabama’s Mountain Grass Unit brings bluegrass into lively conversation with jam-band freedom, pairing close harmonies and nimble acoustic picking with room for a tune to stretch and turn. The quartet—Drury Anderson, Luke Black, Sam Wilson and Josiah Nelson—draws on mandolin, guitar, bass and fiddle to shape a sound rooted in tradition but open to new directions. Their debut studio album, Appalachian Smoke, gathers that spirit across songs including “Earthquake” and “Window for a Friend.” Named the International Bluegrass Music Association’s 2025 Momentum Band of the Year, the group offers a performance where intricate string work and spontaneous-feeling momentum meet.