Jaelee Roberts: The Next Generation of Bluegrass

Rising star Jaelee Roberts honors tradition while carving out her own, unique musical path.

Bluegrass musician Jaelee Roberts from her official music video "Think Again." Sandlin Gaither/Jaelee Roberts Music

At just 22 years old, Nashville bluegrass musician Jaelee Roberts has come full circle with her career. In September 2023, she made her solo Grand Ole Opry debut, a dream she had been chasing since she was a little girl dancing at festivals her musician-father was playing for. Though she can already check off this bucket-list item, like any other serious artist, she knows her work will never be done.

Ms. Roberts blends smooth, contemporary bluegrass sounds with traditional roots music she was raised on. Through this striking combination, she seamlessly marries past to present and creates a soulful musical experience as deep and wide-ranging as the Tennessee mountains near her Music City home.

The Beginnings

Ms. Roberts comes from a musical family, so it was only a matter of time before she picked up an instrument and learned her first songs. It happened pretty quickly too. By the time she was 4 years old she was already competing in the bluegrass genre’s longstanding tradition of fiddling competitions. She branched out from there and learned how to play guitar. When she was still just a teen, she was already singing and playing in full bands.