Missy Raines is a trailblazer in bluegrass. She is the most awarded bass player in the history of the International Bluegrass Music Association. On her new release HIGHLANDER, Raines gives a tip of the hat to the region of West Virginia where she grew up and developed her deep passion for bluegrass music. Working again with producer Alison Brown, she and her touring band Allegheny are joined by a thoughtfully curated list of guests including Kathy Mattea, Laurie Lewis, Dudley Connell, Michael Cleveland and Danny Paisley to create an album that at once honors Raines’ deep bluegrass roots even as she cultivates them.
 
Stand out tracks include “Who Needs a Mine,” a Raines original that reflects on the impact of the opioid crisis in West Virginia featuring fellow West Virginian Kathy Mattea, “I Would Be a Blackbird” featuring fellow female bluegrass pioneer Laurie Lewis and the album’s first single “These Ole Blues” with bluegrass icon Danny Paisley sharing vocal duties with Raines.

“Raines continues to reach far beyond the confines of bluegrass with her inventiveness…Her roots remain distinctively bluegrass, while her originals and arrangements reflect her eclectic taste.” —Strings Magazine
 
“Raines is not only a superb bassist but also an excellent singer, with a matter-of-fact, low-key delivery, that’s sometimes hushed, sometimes seductive, sometimes channeling a simmering unease.” —New York Music Daily