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
-
Vinyl Care - Top Picks
A selection of accesories to keep your turntable equipment & vinyl records in the best shape
-
HumminGuru: Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner
Advanced ultrasonic technology with customizable cleaning cycles and a large tank capacity to thoroughly remove dust, dirt, and contaminants
-
Cartridges - Top Picks
A selection of turnatble cartridges that provide great performance and sound quality
-
Pro-Ject Phono Box DC Pre-Amp
Compact, high-performance phono preamplifier for both MM and MC cartridges, delivering a clean, detailed signal with minimal noise.
-
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge
Features an elliptical stylus that accurately tracks the grooves of vinyl records, delivering a rich, detailed sound with an output voltage of 5.5 mV
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Landlady Make Up / Lost Time (Light Blue)
Jealous Butcher Records
June 6, 2025 -
Neptunian Maximalism Le Sacre Du Soleil Invaincu
I, Voidhanger Records
June 6, 2025 -
VANDOLIERS LIFE BEHIND BARS
Break Maiden Records
June 27, 2025 -
Jackson & the Janks Write It Down
Jalopy Records
June 27, 2025 -
Various Artists Chet Baker Re:imagined [2xLP]
Blue Note
May 16, 2025 -
Sally Anne Morgan Second Circle The Horizon
Thrill Jockey Records
June 20, 2025 -
The Dirty Nil The Lash
Dine Alone Music Inc
July 25, 2025 -
Jamie Shew Spicy, Classy, and a Little Sassy
Outside In Music
May 23, 2025 -
Kat Hasty Time of Your Life
Jackie Java
May 16, 2025 -
Shimizu & Mieko Dhangsha & Gagarin Wonky Sessions Vol 1
Street Furniture Records
May 9, 2025 -
Sean Nicholas Savage The Knowing
Born Losers Records
June 27, 2025 -
Joe Armon-Jones All The Quiet (Part Ii) [2xLP]
Aquarii
June 13, 2025 -
The Hives The Hives Forever Forever The Hives
Play It Again Sam
August 29, 2025 -
The Cure MIxes Of A Lost World (Biovinyl; Half-Speed) [2xLP]
Capitol
June 13, 2025