Kristen Grainger & True North

KRISTEN GRAINGER & TRUE NORTH is a bluegrass-leaning Americana powerhouse of terrific songwriting, lush vocals and crazy-good instrumentalists. 

Fronted by singer-songwriter Kristen Grainger, the band is comprised of multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Dan Wetzel and Pacific Northwest bluegrass superstars Martin Stevens (mandolin, octave mandolin, fiddle, vocals) and Josh Adkins (upright bass, vocals), both formerly of the Bluegrass Regulators.

Kristen is making a name for herself as a crafter of great songs, taking first place in the 2020 USA Songwriting Competition (folk), and landing a 2022 songwriter showcase at SXSW. She was named, along with Brandi Carlile and Dolly Parton, one of the “Women Who Wrote Our 2020 Soundtrack” by The Bluegrass Situation.

Kristen has collected accolades and awards at Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Wildflower Arts & Music Festival, Merlefest, Kerrville and, together with Dan Wetzel, at Wintergrass . She also won Common Ground‘s 2022 Acoustic Roots Songwriting Contest, and 2019 Roots Northwest songwriting competition.

 On stage, the band deftly delivers the stories, mind-blowing harmonies and mad instrumentals audiences love. As Folk World (UK) put it, “What comes over loud and clear is that one is in the presence of some seriously talented musicians.”