The Punch Brothers

Punch Brothers, formed by mandolinist Chris Thile in 2006, is known for pushing the boundaries of acoustic music. In addition to Thile, the band currently comprises guitarist Chris Eldridge, bassist Paul Kowert, banjoist Noam Pikelny, and violinist Brittany Haas. Punch Brothers has garnered critical acclaim, including a Grammy for Best Folk Album for All Ashore (2018). The Washington Post applauded them for taking “bluegrass to its next evolutionary stage, drawing equal inspiration from the brain and the heart.”

Over the past two decades, Punch Brothers has become a pioneer in modern string music, with albums like Antifogmatic (2010), Who’s Feeling Young Now (2012), and The Phosphorescent Blues (2015) showcasing the group’s genre-defying sound. Rolling Stone praised their work as “wild virtuosity used for more than just virtuosity,” cementing their reputation as trailblazers in contemporary acoustic music. The band’s most recent album, Hell on Church Street (2021), is a reimagining of, and homage to, the late bluegrass great Tony Rice’s landmark solo album Church Street Blues.