Virtually no other album anywhere in history is known to its audience by its label number. Not Kind of Blue, nor Pet Sounds, Glenn Gould’s Goldberg Variations, none. Except this one. Rounder 44. Probably the most seminal bluegrass album of all time. Notice we didn’t say modern bluegrass, though it originally came out in 1975. That’s because, unlike, say, Aereo Plain by John Hartford (who contributed notes to the original package, reproduced here), The New South didn’t reinvent bluegrass. It perfected it. Bandleader and banjoist supreme J.D. Crowe got his start as a teenager in Jimmy Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys, before returning to Kentucky and forming The Kentucky Mountain Boys. That band morphed over the years to become The New South, boasting probably the most formidable line-up any American band of any genre has enjoyed. Bassist Bob Sloane (of The Kentucky Colonels) was the first to join, followed by one legend after another: fiddle and mandolin player Ricky Skaggs, dobroist Jerry Douglas, and guitarist/vocalist Tony Rice. Together, they were pure magic: technically brilliant but soulful, inventive but disciplined, each a virtuoso but still part of the unit. And, oh, those harmonies! The New South is the cornerstone of any bluegrass collection. Of course, a group this talented wasn’t destined to last long. Within a year, each member went their own way, pioneering progressive bluegrass with each successive project. But the one album they recorded together, Rounder 44, is THE ONE. Our Real Gone reissue of The New South features two sets of added liner notes, one by guitarist Skip Heller and one by mandolinist Jarrod Walker, along with the bonus tracks “Why Don’t You Tell Me So” and “Cryin’ Holy” with Emmylou Harris. We’re pressing 1000 copies of this classic in root beer vinyl…don’t you dare miss it!
Release date:
June 6, 2025
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Technics SL-1500C Turntable
Features a direct-drive motor, a high-precision tonearm, and a premium MM cartridge, delivering exceptional sound quality
-
Vinyl Care - Top Picks
A selection of accesories to keep your turntable equipment & vinyl records in the best shape
-
Nagaoka MP-110H Cartridge
Features a high-quality elliptical stylus that provides excellent tracking and minimizes distortion, delivering a detailed sound reproduction with an output voltage of 5.0 mV
-
Denon DP-400
Featuring a high-precision, belt-driven mechanism and an adjustable tonearm that ensures optimal tracking and minimal resonance
-
Ortofon 2M Blue Premounted
Mounted on the SH-4 Black Headshell, this setup delivers exceptional clarity, dynamic range, and accurate sound reproduction.
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Sir Richard Bishop Hillbilly Ragas
Drag City
September 26, 2025 -
Panic Shack Panic Shack (Red)
Brace Yourself
August 1, 2025 -
Oasis (What's The Story) MORNING GLORY? (30Th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) [3xLP]
Big Brother Recordings Limited
October 3, 2025 -
Phil Collins No Jacket Required [4xLP]
Rhino Records
September 12, 2025 -
Molly Tuttle So Long Little Miss Sunshine
Nonesuch
August 15, 2025 -
Sarah McLachlan Better Broken
Concord Records
September 19, 2025 -
Madi Diaz Fatal Optimist
Anti
October 10, 2025 -
Grizzly Bear Yellow House (Cream White) [2xLP]
Warp Records
October 17, 2025 -
Supertramp CRisis? What Crisis? (Half-Speed)
A&M
August 29, 2025 -
Hand Habits Blue Reminder
Fat Possum
August 22, 2025 -
Jane Remover Revengeseekerz [2xLP]
Deadair
August 15, 2025 -
Between The Buried And Me The Blue Nowhere [4xLP]
Inside Out Music
September 12, 2025 -
Deep Purple Made in Japan [10xLP]
Rhino/Warner Records
August 15, 2025 -
Sabaton Legends
Better Noise Music
October 17, 2025