East Nash Grass Became a Band One Monday at a Time

Before East Nash Grass had a settled lineup, there was a weekly bluegrass night at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge. Players came and went, leadership changed hands, and the recurring gig gradually became a band.

That Monday slot in Madison gave working musicians something a one-off show could not: another chance to play together the following week. The group’s own account credits a seven-year residency and hundreds of sets with developing its ensemble sound.

By 2024, East Nash Grass had won the International Bluegrass Music Association’s New Artist of the Year award. The award was a new milestone for musicians whose shared groundwork was already extensive. Dee’s place in that history is measured in repetition: the ordinary weekly appointment that let an exceptional group take shape.

Explore the Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge venue guide.

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