The 10 Best Alison Krauss Songs of All-Time
On July 23, 1971, Alison Krauss was born in Decatur, Illinois. but was mostly raised in Champaign. After a stint at a fiddling competition, her mother enrolled her at a state fair and the progressive road leading Krauss to a successful career as a country music recording artist had officially begun. By 1986, Krauss completed her first studio recording and released “Different Strokes” as an independent label. This would soon lead her to record and release her debut album, “Too Late to Cry,” at just sixteen years old with the Round Records label, as well as the band known as Union Station as her backup.
Union Station
Krauss signed an agreement with Round Records to release solo albums credited to her name and then group albums as part of the band, Union Station. After her solo debut album release, as a member of Union Station, the album “Two Highways” is released in 1989. Krauss and Union Station are best known among the fans for catering to the music genres of bluegrass, country, and pop. Throughout the years, the discography of Alison Krauss as a soloist has seen her record and release five studio albums, a live album, and five compilation albums. As part of Union Station, there are six studio albums and two collaborative albums. In total, Krauss has thirty-six singles to her credit.
10. Rich Woman (with Robert Plant)
“Rich Woman,” which is one of many duets Alison Krauss performed with Robert Plant, earned a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 2008. This song is actually one of a few that won at least one Grammy during its 51st annual awards program. Even the album, “Raising Sand,” won Album of the Year and Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album.
9. Looking in the Eyes of Love (as Union Station)
The 40th annual Grammy Awards, which was held in 1998, recognizes Union Station’s “Looking in the Eyes of Love” as the declared winner of the Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. It comes from the album “So Long So Wrong,” which was released in 1997. The album overall achieved Gold Certification by the Recording Industry Association of America.
8. High Lonesome Sound (with Vince Gill)
This performance between Alison Krauss and Vince Gill earns a Grammy Award in 1997 for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. The song peaked at number twelve on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart but performed even better among Canadians as it topped the Canada Country Tracks. While there is more than one version of this song on Gill’s 1996 album (High Lonesome Sound,) it is the bluegrass orchestration provided by Krauss’ Union Station that earned Gill the Grammy Award.
7. Baby, Now That I’ve Found You
The Grammy Awards recognizes in 1996 (Baby, Now That I’ve Found You) as the official winner of its Best Female Country Vocal Performance award. Originally performed by The Foundations in 1967, Alison Krauss and Union Station perform their version. While it achieved mediocre chart success as it only peaked as high as forty-ninth on US Billboard Hot Country Songs, it’s not the first time the fans would ultimately serve as the last voice to determine what makes a song a hit and what doesn’t.
6. Living Prayer
Alison Krauss’ contribution towards the Christian music genre sees “Living Prayer,” which won Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year in 1998 with the Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. This comes from the Christian Album (Three Wooden Crosses), which was released in 1997.
5. The Lucky One
(The Lucky One) is the first single from Alison Krauss’ album, (New Favorite.) It charted on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs as high as forty-sixth in 2003, despite the fact this song already won two Grammy Awards in 1995. The first was for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and the second was for Best Country Song.
4. Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On) (with Robert Plant)
During the 2008 Country Music Association awards, Krauss wins Musical Event of the Year with Robert Plant for their performance of this hit single. It also won a 2008 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. This sog is among many duets she and Robert Plant perform together, namely on the 2007 album (Raising Sand.) On the US Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay chart, it charted as high as second and is among many of the hits on that album that made its contribution to having it become certified Platinum with the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), Music Canada (MC), and the RIAA.
3. Somewhere In the Vicinity of My Heart (with Shenandoah)
Alison Krauss performs with Shenandoah to release the award-winning single (Somewhere In the Vicinity of My Heart.) With the Country Music Association, it won an award in 1995 as Vocal Event of the Year. It also won a Grammy Award in 1996 for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. On the music charts, it placed seventh with the US Billboard Hot Country Songs and the Canada Country Tracks chart.
2. When You Say Nothing At All (with Union Station)
According to the Country Music Association Awards in 1995, (When You Say Nothing At All) was good enough to win Single of the Year. It’s the most successful cover song on the album (Keith Whitley: A Tribute Album,) which was released in 1994. On the US Billboard Hot Country Music chart, the song peaked at number three. With the Canada Country Tracks chart, at number seven.
1. Whiskey Lullaby (with Brad Paisley)
Since its March 2004 release, (Whiskey Lullaby) earned Alison Krauss and Brad Paisley a multitude of nominations in the music industry, including a few wins. With the 2004 Academy of Country Music Awards, it won Vocal Event of the Year and Video of the Year. Also with the Country Music Association Awards in 2004, Krauss and Paisley win Music Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year. Also with CMA, this song wins Song of the Year in 2005, but this time Krauss is performing it with Bill Anderson and Joe Randall. Whiskey Lullaby charted at number three on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs and at number forty-one on the US Billboard Hot 100. It has also sold enough copies to become Double Platinum with the RIAA.
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