The Bluegrass Album, Vol. 2 (1982)

The Bluegrass Album, Vol. 2 (Rounder Records, 1982) is the second release from the Bluegrass Album Band—an all-star lineup featuring Tony Rice (guitar/vocals), J.D. Crowe (banjo/vocals), Doyle Lawson (mandolin/vocals), Bobby Hicks (fiddle), and Todd Phillips (bass). Recorded in October 1981 and produced by Rice, the album delivers razor-tight picking and rich, classic harmonies that helped define the modern “gold standard” for straight-ahead bluegrass.

Packed with timeless songs from the Flatt & Scruggs and Monroe tradition, highlights include “Your Love Is Like a Flower,” “Sitting Alone in the Moonlight,” “Ocean of Diamonds,” and “Don’t This Road Look Rough and Rocky”—all performed with the kind of effortless drive that makes this record feel both reverent and alive.