The Mountain Grass Unit in Columbus

The Mountain Grass Unit is a Birmingham, Alabama bluegrass quartet—Drury Anderson on mandolin, Josiah Nelson on fiddle, Luke Black on guitar and banjo, and Sam Wilson on bass—whose members first connected as kids taking lessons together before formally joining forces in 2022. The band has had a rapid rise, selling out more than 30 shows in 2025 and winning the International Bluegrass Music Association's Momentum Award for Band of the Year that same year, a distinction recognizing rising talent in the genre. Their sound pushes traditional bluegrass toward newgrass and jam-band territory, drawing fans from bluegrass traditionalists to younger roots-music listeners. Their debut studio album, Appalachian Smoke, is set for release on August 28, 2026 via Dualtone Records, produced by six-time Grammy winner Vance Powell, known for his work with Jack White and Chris Stapleton. The Columbus show on August 19, 2026 lands just before that album's release, giving Ohio audiences an early look at a band the IBMA has already flagged as one of the genre's most promising young acts.