Sarah Jarosz selects
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
“O Brother, Where Art Thou? was a pivotal movie for so many in the folk/bluegrass music world. It was a resurgence of sorts for that type of acoustic music to come into the focus of the public eye again. For me, personally, it happened to be released almost a few days shy of when I received my first mandolin for Christmas. As a little nine-year old, the combination of my newfound obsession with bluegrass and folk music combined with its sudden resonance within popular culture made it seem even cooler to be getting into that music. I remember learning “Keep on the Sunny Side” (which The Whites sing in the film) with my mom and singing it in the Friday night bluegrass jam we attended every week. The soundtrack combined with the musical performances scattered throughout the film are from some of the best in the business—Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss, John Hartford, just to name a few. It’s a true joy to behold.”—Sarah Jarosz
Singer/songwriter/instrumentalist Sarah Jarosz won two Grammy Awards in 2017: Best Folk Album and Best American Roots Performance. She tours extensively with her band, I’m With Her (with Sara Watkins and Aoife O’Donovan).
ABOUT THE FILM
As a bumbling trio of Depression-era con men (George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson) who escape from a Mississippi chain gang search for a mysterious treasure, they meet up with a host of musical characters in a weird and warm story that blends The Odyssey with the American South.
