Nashville Best Of 2026 · Best Nashville Band
Old Crow Medicine Show
Fiddles, banjos, harmonicas, and a whole lot of foot-stomping energy. Grand Ole Opry members, two-time Grammy winners, and the band behind “Wagon Wheel,” Old Crow Medicine Show is our pick for the best band in Nashville.
The Verdict
Best Nashville Band: Why Old Crow Earns the Title
Nashville is packed with talented bands, but few capture the city’s musical soul like Old Crow Medicine Show. The string band blends old-time, bluegrass, folk, and Americana into something raw, rowdy, and joyful, reviving sounds from the roots of American music while writing new classics of their own. Their live shows are legendary for their boundless energy.
Their résumé speaks for itself. Old Crow joined the Grand Ole Opry in 2013, won Grammy Awards for Best Folk Album and Best Long Form Music Video, and turned “Wagon Wheel” into one of the most beloved sing-alongs of the century, certified double platinum. More than 25 years in, they’re still pushing forward, with a new album, Union Made, recorded in their East Nashville studio and released in June 2026.
1998
Started Busking on Street Corners
2013
Joined the Grand Ole Opry
2
Grammy Awards
2M+
“Wagon Wheel” Units Sold
Essential Listening
Where to Start
New to Old Crow? Queue these up first.
“Wagon Wheel”
The double-platinum anthem that became a campfire, college-bar, and honky-tonk standard. Ketch Secor built it from an unfinished Bob Dylan sketch, and millions have sung along ever since.
Remedy (2014)
The Grammy-winning Best Folk Album showcases everything that makes the band special: sharp songwriting, blazing picking, and a deep respect for roots traditions.
Union Made (2026)
Their newest album, recorded in their East Nashville studio, reflects on the people, places, and stories shaping America. Its lead single features Molly Tuttle, Luke Combs, and bluegrass legend Del McCoury.
The Story
From Street Corners to the Opry
Old Crow Medicine Show got its start in 1998, busking on street corners from upstate New York through Canada. The band eventually landed in Boone, North Carolina, where they were playing in front of a pharmacy when folk legend Doc Watson heard them and invited them to play his MerleFest festival. That break helped launch everything that followed.
The band soon made Nashville home, and over the next quarter-century they toured with heroes like Willie Nelson and John Prine, won two Grammys, and were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on September 17, 2013. Co-founder and frontman Ketch Secor, the band’s only original member, has become a Nashville fixture, even hosting the long-running Nashville PBS series Tennessee Crossroads.
“We’ve always wanted our folk music to be the soundtrack to real living.”
Ketch Secor, Frontman
Where to See Them
Catch Old Crow Live
Old Crow tours nationally, but nothing beats seeing them in their hometown. Keep an eye on their calendar for Nashville dates.
The Grand Ole Opry
As Opry members, Old Crow regularly takes the stage at country music’s most famous show. Check the Opry lineup to see when they’re scheduled.
The Ryman Auditorium
Old Crow has rung in the New Year at the Mother Church of Country Music, our Best Live Music Venue, and their Ryman shows are always a Nashville highlight. Check the Ryman calendar for upcoming dates.
Listen Anywhere
Stream their catalog on your favorite platform, and follow the band for new music and tour announcements between hometown shows.
Stomp Your Feet with Old Crow
Check the tour calendar, grab tickets to a Nashville show, and see why this band is a Music City treasure.
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