Alison signed her first record deal at age 14 and released her first album at age 16. ∙ She began playing classical violin at age five, but she switched to bluegrass upon attending her first fiddle contest seven years later. ∙ She cites Shawn Colvin, Sandy Denny, and Eva Cassidy among her vocal influences. ∙ In 2000, her backing vocals for Kenny Rogers’ “Buy Me a Rose” yielded Krauss her only No. 1 Billboard Hot Country Singles hit. ∙ Krauss contributed an a cappella version of the spiritual “Down to the River to Pray” to the Coen brothers’ film O Brother, Where Art Thou? ∙ Her 2007 collaboration with Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant, Raising Sand, earned five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. ∙ She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music. ∙ She received the National Medal of Arts in 2019. ∙ Krauss has won 27 Grammy Awards, more than any other woman in history, and is only four short of tying the all-time record.