The soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou? wasn’t just a collection of songs accompanying a movie; it was a cultural phenomenon that resonated deeply at the dawn of the 21st century. Released in 2000, it catapulted bluegrass musicians into the limelight and ignited a mainstream passion for old-time music, encompassing everything from folk and gospel to children’s tunes, prison work songs, blues, and genres that defied easy categorization. Two decades after its unexpected triumph, and as a concluding piece to our Artist of the Month series celebrating O Brother, we delve into conversations with several musicians who experienced firsthand the transformative effect of the film and its subsequent live tours on their careers and the broader music landscape.
Sierra Hull, a mandolin virtuoso, vividly recalls the cultural landscape before O Brother: “Growing up in a small town, Walmart was the barometer of mainstream culture. Flipping through the poster section, it was all pop stars – Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys. In my childhood dreams, Alison Krauss was on that same level of stardom. So, when O Brother arrived and amplified the recognition for icons like Alison, Dan Tyminski, and Ralph Stanley, it was a significant moment.”
Hull’s personal connection deepened when Cold Mountain, another soundtrack featuring Alison Krauss, emerged in 2003. “By the time Cold Mountain touring began, I was part of it. Alison, who was central to both soundtracks, invited my brother and me along. At twelve years old, it was my first real tour experience, playing iconic venues like Red Rocks and the Beacon Theater. Standing backstage, night after night, listening to Alison sing to massive crowds created some of my most cherished musical memories.”
She fondly remembers the audience’s fervent reaction to Ralph Stanley. “People went wild for Ralph Stanley every night. He had this incredibly sparkly suit jacket he wore for every performance. Sometimes, during his band’s instrumental breaks, he’d take off that jacket and toss it to me at the side of the stage. I even got to wear that dazzling jacket during the finale when everyone came back on stage. It’s an unparalleled musical experience.”
Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek highlights how O Brother intersected with their burgeoning career. “Nickel Creek had just released our debut album on Sugar Hill, produced by Alison Krauss, about a year and a half before O Brother exploded. Alison’s pivotal role in the soundtrack indirectly brought us into the orbit. I remember seeing a major New York Times article that included us in the burgeoning scene. We were part of the conversation, even without direct involvement in the soundtrack. We were simply in the right place at the right time as the bluegrass scene experienced this incredible surge in popularity. It gave our career an immense boost. We had some momentum already, but the soundtrack was like a powerful tailwind.”
Watkins praises T Bone Burnett’s curatorial genius as the soundtrack’s producer. “T Bone Burnett possesses this incredible talent for assembling the perfect musicians for each song. He brought together phenomenal artists in a way that showcased the depth of musicianship within our community and instilled a sense of collective pride. Seeing our musical heroes celebrated on such a grand scale was incredibly rewarding. Ralph Stanley’s vocal on ‘Oh Death’ sparked a newfound respect in me. It actually led me to discover shape-note singing. Someone pointed out that his delivery echoed the style of old shape-note singing communities and preachers. It was unlike anything I’d ever heard. And to this day, whenever I see Dan Tyminski, I make sure to stay until he performs ‘Man of Constant Sorrow.’ It’s a must-see.”
Dave Wilson of Chatham County Line recounts his initial encounter with O Brother in a movie theater. “I went with our former bass player to see O Brother. We snuck in a bottle of whiskey, sat in the back row, and just laughed and drank. My immediate thought was, ‘Bluegrass has truly arrived!’ We were already playing gigs locally, but it wasn’t yet our full-time commitment. The timing was perfect. The soundtrack’s release was like a massive global advertisement for the music we were playing. We definitely noticed a shift. Suddenly, more unfamiliar faces were showing up at our gigs, genuinely enthusiastic about the music. One recurring request, though, was for ‘Man of Constant Sorrow.’ People would yell it out enough that I wondered if they’d only heard the soundtrack or just seen the movie. We never played it though – we didn’t know how! Maybe playing it would have quieted them down!”
Wilson admires the musical arrangements on the soundtrack. “The arrangements are seriously impressive. And it avoids being cheesy or overly traditional. The brilliance was in choosing the right artists. It could have gone wrong. Imagine if they’d picked someone like Toby Keith! The blues track by Chris Thomas King, his rendition of Skip James’ ‘Hard Time Killing Floor,’ creates such a powerful moment. Later, when the Down from the Mountain concert film played at our local classic movie theater, we were blown away. That film, in many ways, had an even greater impact on the folk music scene than the movie itself.”
Sam Amidon reflects on the folk music community’s response. “People in the folk world can be fiercely protective of the music, which is understandable. But my instinct is to share music I’m passionate about. Knowing the vast musical territory O Brother explored, it was exciting to think about how many people would suddenly discover these field recordings and incredible musicians. I was grateful because, until then, mainstream media portrayals of traditional music were often reductive, cliché, or simplistic. Nothing had presented this music on such a scale before. Before O Brother, mentioning the banjo often evoked Deliverance. That was the common cultural reference point.”
Amidon emphasizes the soundtrack’s respectful and nuanced approach. “O Brother achieving this without misrepresenting the music was a miracle. It showcased diverse facets of American music – beyond just the industry labels of blues and bluegrass. ‘Folk music’ is such a broad term, often misunderstood beyond those categories. O Brother illuminated all these different areas – singing games, banjo tunes, and so much more. It’s surprisingly inclusive, casting a wide net. While we can now analyze the soundtrack through a more critical lens regarding the ‘Americana’ genre, it’s important to remember that upon its release, it was significantly more nuanced and expansive than anything that had come before.”
Woody Platt of Steep Canyon Rangers connects the soundtrack’s anniversary to his band’s origins. “The twentieth anniversary of O Brother closely aligns with our band’s formation. We started in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, as college seniors, right when the movie premiered. Growing up in North Carolina, we were all exposed to bluegrass and old-time music. But none of us in the band truly immersed ourselves in it until college. We were relatively new to the genre when the movie came out. We may not have fully grasped the immediate impact of the movie and tour on bluegrass and old-time music, but we could sense an increased buzz when we played bars in Chapel Hill. We had no prior experience to compare it to. It was simply our reality, and we embraced it.”
Platt expresses his personal appreciation for the soundtrack and film. “I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, but I was a bigger fan of the album. Hearing Ralph Stanley’s voice in a film, or Dan Tyminski’s, and seeing artists I admired on screen was remarkable. In retrospect, the timing was perfect for our band to launch. We were having so much fun, discovering so much joy in the music. What was once a niche genre suddenly had national appeal. There’s no doubt in my mind that the movie significantly boosted awareness of this music. It’s fascinating because it wasn’t heavily marketed in a conventional way. It just happened organically. People simply became captivated by this music.”
Molly Tuttle, a prominent figure in contemporary bluegrass, recalls her childhood introduction to O Brother. “The movie came out when I was seven. I remember my dad showing it to me in elementary school. I loved it, and the music resonated deeply because I already had a love for bluegrass and old-time music. Seeing it in a movie was a novel and exciting experience. My dad, who teaches bluegrass, saw a surge in new students after the movie’s release.”
Tuttle underscores the soundtrack’s lasting influence. “It’s had a profound and lasting impact on bluegrass music’s popularity. Being so young, I didn’t initially know many of the musicians on the soundtrack by name. It introduced me to artists who later became my musical heroes. The Down from the Mountain documentary further familiarized me with figures like Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss. Many of those artists, such as Gillian Welch and John Hartford, became major influences, and O Brother was my gateway to their music. I’ve performed ‘I’ll Fly Away’ and ‘Angel Band’ numerous times, and I even had the incredible opportunity to perform ‘Man of Constant Sorrow’ with Dan Tyminski at the IBMA awards one year.”
Dom Flemons, a celebrated banjoist and scholar of American roots music, recounts seeing Ralph Stanley live during the O Brother tour. “I actually saw Ralph Stanley on the O Brother tour in Flagstaff, Arizona, in 2000. It was at this random high school. I saw a poster for it on a telephone pole while I was in college there. I had already started playing banjo, guitar, and harmonica. The venue was packed, and his performance was incredible. Watching him perform ‘Oh Death,’ he pulled out a piece of paper, put on his glasses, joked about his age, and then sang it from that paper, completely blowing everyone away.”
Flemons emphasizes the soundtrack’s historical significance. “O Brother was truly remarkable, a milestone album for multiple generations. With many older musicians who preserved those traditional styles passing away, the soundtrack became a perfect vehicle for introducing younger audiences to the music of the 1920s and 30s. It reminded people of the incredible old recordings available. That’s where it led me – to discover the RCA Victor and Columbia recordings, and that was it for me.”
He analyzes the soundtrack’s masterful structure. “It’s a perfectly constructed record, opening with the prisoners’ chain gang song, moving to the uplifting ‘Big Rock Candy Mountain,’ then ‘You Are My Sunshine’ with Norman Blake, and Chris Thomas King’s powerful ‘Hard Time Killing Floor,’ which was itself a revival of Skip James. While Ghost World and ‘Devil Got My Woman’ are also significant, I believe O Brother really ignited broader interest. People started incorporating those songs back into their sets at shows and festivals, and it seemed like a lot more people recognized them. Often, they would perform them in a style reminiscent of the O Brother recordings. These are observations I made before becoming a professional musician, and it was amazing to witness.”
The O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, and the o brother where art thou song selections within it, did more than just sell millions of copies and win awards. It became a cultural touchstone, reigniting interest in American roots music and inspiring a new generation of musicians and listeners to explore the rich heritage of bluegrass, old-time, and gospel music. Its impact continues to resonate today, a testament to the timeless power of these songs and the vision that brought them to a global audience.
