From her tenure playing with The Claire Lynch Band, Eddie Adcock, Josh Graves, Jim Hurst, Kenny Baker and Jesse McReynolds to her seven International Bluegrass Music Association Bass Player of the Year awards, Missy Raines has proven herself without doubt as an iconic bluegrass instrumentalist. But with her newest release “Royal Traveller,” Raines stepped into the spotlight as a songwriter for the first time. The album digs deep into Raines' family life and upbringing in West Virginia. Featuring previous and current members of her live band as well as cameos from other bluegrass greats including Stuart Duncan and Tim O'Brien, the album is a gorgeous look into the perspective, history and musical influences of one of Nashville’s most beloved musicians. In 1998, Raines became the first woman to win IBMA's Bass Player of the Year award and went on to win the title repeatedly for the next several years. “Royal Traveller” highlights this particular piece of Raines' history with the stand out track “Swept Away,” featuring the five first women to win IBMA instrumentalist awards: Raines, Alison Brown, Sierra Hull, Becky Buller and Molly Tuttle. “Swept Away” was named IBMA’s 2018 Recorded Event of the Year.
