Old & In The Way formed in 1973, with Jerry Garcia on banjo, David Grisman on mandolin, Vassar Clements on fiddle, Peter Rowan on guitar and vocals, and John Kahn on bass. Today, the album remains one of the most influential bluegrass albums ever. Peter Rowan joins Railroad Earth for a tribute to Old & The In Way at LOCKN’ and we think now is the best time to rediscover this legendary album. Here’s why!

Music is seeing a bluegrass revival

In 1991, when asked about his thoughts about the idea of bluegrass dying, Jerry Garcia responded, “I don’t think it’s going to die as long as there’s people that love it.” Garcia was proved right, and thanks to the likes of Railroad Earth, who have been perfecting their musical abilities for almost two decades. Bluegrass is currently experiencing a revival in a big way. Crowds across the country are discovering how the immortal genre has influenced their favorite artists, such as the Grateful Dead. What better way to join in the celebration than by reliving one of the most monumental bluegrass albums in history?

Once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness history!

Railroad Earth has played an extremely limited amount of shows with Peter Rowan this year and their show at LOCKN’ 2020 could possibly be the last chance to experience this historic event. Make sure you’re there when it all goes down!

One of the best selling bluegrass albums of all time. 45 years later, the music is as good as ever!

Old & In The Way, released in 1975, was once known as the best selling bluegrass album of all-time until it was surpassed by the soundtrack for 2000 film, O Brother Where Art Thou. This makes sense being that it is a great introduction to bluegrass music for Grateful Dead fans and rock fans.

The world may try to bring us down, but live music always saves!

Live music heals the soul! When Railroad Earth and Peter Rowan play this iconic album, the feeling of community rallying around the shared love for the music will no doubt be a paradise in which our problems are left at the door. The only thing that will matter is who you’re with and the music you’re about to be surrounded by.

No better setting to recreate this masterpiece!

There’s just something special about hearing live bluegrass music on a farm. At LOCKN’, stellar production will faithfully recreate the intimate sound of Old & In The Way.

The foundation of the jam scene

The influence that bluegrass had on the music of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead is well-known, but what many people overlook is the influence that the genre continues to wield in the modern jam scene. Going to LOCKN’ and witnessing this connection is the perfect way to build the bridge between both the younger and older generations of music fans and demonstrate how bluegrass is an integral part of the foundation of jam music.

Peter Rowan

Since the original 1973 tenure of Old & In The Way, Rowan has won a Grammy award for his contributions to Bill Monroe tribute compilation album True Life Blues- The Songs of Bill Monroe, as well as multiple other nominations. He has also recorded albums in a wide range of genres, including Hawaiian and Tex-Mex. His song “Panama Red” has become a hit and has been recorded not only by Old & In The Way but the New Riders of the Purple Sage as well. Notable recent live performances include teaming up with Railroad Earth at The Capitol Theatre to perform Old & In The Way in its entirety, and will bring that same performance to LOCKN’ this year!

Re-experience what Jerry Garcia called a “perfect” musical situation

In a March 1991 Interview with Banjo Newsletter discussing Old & in The Way, Jerry Garcia said that the group “reflected [his] taste in music perfectly” and “had a swing, a groove to it that was really nifty.” Garcia also reflected Grisman’s ability to provide a driving rhythm: “when the band was cookin’ it was just- it was relentless.” For newcomers to the album, this “swing” can be heard on songs like “Midnight Moonlight” and “The Hobo Song.”

Everlasting impact

David Grisman, speaking about the tapes from the San Francisco Boarding House said, “Although we didn’t realize what an impact this music would have at the time, we had a lot of fun playing the bluegrass music we loved and these tapes reveal that in a big way.” Without the individual and collective contributions of the members of Old & In The Way, the bluegrass, folk, and jam music scenes would not be where they are today, so it’s only right that we come together and celebrate their greatness.