Accomplished Banjoist Alison Brown Set to Play Franklin Theatre

Since our last conversation in February 2025, it feels like acclaimed banjoist Alison Brown hasn’t slowed down.

She recently experienced the release of her record "Safe, Sensible and Sane," the twangy collaborative record released with comedian and actor Steve Martin, 81. She also has her new women-led SiriusXM radio show and collaborated with Dolly Parton right before her passing. It’s safe to say Brown has had an eventful past few months. 

Williamson Scene sat down to catch up with the banjoist ahead of her Franklin Theatre show on Saturday, Oct.17, and she gave us the lowdown on some of the exciting things she’s had in the works.

“I think because I came up playing this music, the architects of bluegrass music were often men,” she told Williamson Scene. “We know that behind them, there were women who just never got the chance to get off the front porch and be on the national stage. We just never got to hear them." 

Brown’s a torchbearer in the world of Bluegrass, a historically male-dominated music genre. She was raised listening to steadfast faces of bluegrass like Flatt and Scruggs, The Osborne Brothers and The Stanley Brothers, but Brown felt that at the time, women just weren’t as commonly celebrated.  

"When I came up playing bluegrass music in the ‘70s, there just really weren’t any other women doing it. People always told me, ‘You sure do pick good for a girl.’ I heard that so many times. I feel really passionate about supporting women and empowering women because I feel like there’s strength in numbers.” 

In her efforts to uplift women in bluegrass and just have fun with it, she launched a new radio show on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction called “Pick Like a Girl,” where she shines a light on women bluegrass pickers who absolutely shred. 

“I remember when there weren’t even enough women in bluegrass to have done something like this,” Brown told Williamson Scene. “Even though women don’t represent 50% of the bluegrass pie yet, there are enough women in bluegrass making really important musical statements that I can program a weekly, hour-long show, just featuring women. It’s been amazing to create a platform to shine a light on so much of the great music that women are making in bluegrass.” 

Pick Like a Girl premieres weekly on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction on Tuesdays at 11 a.m., featuring acclaimed female artists like Sierra Hull, Molly Tuttle and Della Mae. She has also featured more modern country-leaning artists, like the vintage, warbled vocals of Willow Avalon, who Brown recently recorded a grassy version of Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vein.” 

In collaboration with artists like jamgrass megastar Billy Strings and elder marijuana-smoking musician Willie Nelson, Brown’s Stanley Brothers’ tribute record is set to release Nov. 6, just a day before her Franklin Theatre show and two days before the Stanley Brothers are to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. 

The lead single of the record, “Bound to Ride,” released Sept. 9 of this year. The track features the late Dolly Parton and the First Lady of Bluegrass, a group created by of Alison Brown, Becky Buller, Sierra Hull. Those women were the first to win the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Instrumentalist of the Year award in their respective instrument’s category. 

“Bound to Ride” coincidentally was released only a short while after Parton’s passing, which made celebrating the track an incredibly special time for Brown and the other First Ladies of Bluegrass. 

“She put so much of herself into the track, so it’s been really bittersweet,” Brown said. “We were just getting ready to release it, and then she passed away. It surprised us, but every time I’ve listened to the track since then, it just makes me appreciate just what a special person she was.”

She told the Williamson Scene that even though most of the band members live in Nashville, it’s a rare occasion that we get to play a hometown show.

Brown and her band (Jody Nardone – piano, John Ragusa – flute, Garry West – bass and Bryan Brock – drums) will be taking over the Franklin Theater on Saturday night Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. with an evening of music that includes Brown’s original compositions as well as her re-imaginings of popular songs and tunes that she hopes will unlock the intrinsic magic of the banjo for the audiences.

“We're looking forward to seeing some old friends and introducing some new folks to the intrinsic magic of the five-string banjo,” said Brown. 

Brown also gave Williamson Scene a small teaser, suggesting some surprise guest appearances without revealing who could show up.

“If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise…” said Brown.

Lauren Blake contributed to this report.