Sarah Jarosz

Sarah Jarosz

Sarah Jarosz is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Austin, Texas, whose work spans folk, bluegrass, alternative country and americana, with related country influences. Born in 1991, she begins to emerge in the early 2000s as a young musician to watch.

Early development and musicianship

Jarosz plays mandolin, guitar and banjo. She performs with a secure, fluid instrumental style and also places strong emphasis on singing, with a voice described in the available material as smooth, agile and powerful. She starts on mandolin, later writes songs on guitar, and adds banjo to her repertoire.

She has schoolteacher parents who provide support and freedom as she develops as an artist. The material also places her within a Texas hill-country setting, including Wimberley.

Recordings and awards

Her first album, Song Up in Her Head, appears in 2009. A track from that record, “Mansinneedof”, receives a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Country Instrumental Performance category. Her second album, Follow Me Down, follows in 2011. Her third album, Build Me Up from Bones, is released through Sugar Hill Records.

She also receives a number of awards for her work as a young artist, and is noted for her collaborations and performances with bluegrass figures such as David Grisman and Ralph Stanley.

Collaborations and associated acts

Jarosz is associated with the trio I’m With Her, and with Ari and Mia. Her career connects strongly with bluegrass and acoustic performance traditions, while her own music sits between contemporary country, americana and folk-based songwriting.