THE MASTER STORYTELLER MAKES HIS WAY TO THE MAHAIWE STAGE ON NOVEMBER 15
B y A n a s t a s i a S t a n m e y e r // P h o t o s B y A s h l i L i n k o u s
Dan Tyminski earlier this year at the Paramount Bristol in Tennessee.
Dan Tyminski: A Bluegrass Icon for the Modern Age
THE MASTER STORYTELLER MAKES HIS WAY TO THE MAHAIWE STAGE ON NOVEMBER 15
For those of us looking for more bluegrass and roots music in the region beyond the FreshGrass Festival at MASS MoCA from September 19 to 21, we’ re in for a real treat in South County. The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington has presented some impressive bluegrass artists, such as Old Crow Medicine Show, Del McCoury, Béla Fleck, and others. On November 15, Vermont native Dan Tyminski will perform at the Mahaiwe for the first time. His voice famously accompanies George Clooney’ s performance of the Stanley Brothers’ classic song,“ I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow,” in the film, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, and his vocal collaboration with Swedish DJ Avicii on the song“ Hey Brother” has been streamed more than a billion times. Tyminski’ s diverse solo projects and years of work with Alison Krauss & Union Station have yielded him 14 Grammy ® Awards for solo and collaborative projects.
Tyminski’ s live shows with his band have become bluegrass fan favorites. During a recent interview, he discussed his musical journey that spans over five decades, touching upon his songwriting process, the challenges of managing a band, and the evolution of his live performances. Tyminski is also passionate about playing golf and his recent return to competitive foosball, with a goal of winning an amateur title at the World Foosball Championships in New Orleans at the end of August.( By the time you read this this article, we will know whether he succeeded.)
I’ ve read that while growing up in Rutland, Vermont, your parents introduced you to the local music scene there in the country bars and at square dances. One hundred percent. My parents were not musicians or players themselves per se, but they were big music fans. Anytime there was live music— whether it was a square dance, a country bar, a bluegrass festival, a fiddle contest, anything
28 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE Holiday August Fall 2025 2025 2023