Benson is a collaborative effort between two leading bluegrass music artists: Wayne and Kristin Scott Benson. With decades of experience in acclaimed bands, both have established themselves as role models in the bluegrass community.
After years of developing separate musical paths, the two finally decided it was time to integrate their identities and create something new together. The duo project called Benson is their first combined effort, despite having been married for over 20 years.
Mandolinist Wayne Benson is a veteran of the seven-time IBMA Vocal Group of the Year, Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out.
Kristin Scott Benson is a five-time IBMA Banjo Player of the Year and recipient of the Steve Martin Award for Excellence in Bluegrass and Banjo. She has been a member of the Grascals since 2008.
Wayne said about what prompted a recording partnership with his wife, Kristin, and the answer is straightforward: “I think we have something to say,” he says. “We share a lot of the same vision musically.”
Benson’s first single was “Conway”. Kristin says about the song: “Wayne wrote ‘Conway’ several years ago, and I remember when he recorded it at home. It has a nice feel, and it’s fun to play.”
In 2026, Benson announced its album titled Double Dose. “Benson has been such a gift to me and Wayne,” shared Kristin Scott Benson. “We never planned to record together this way; we both had our own things going, including solo projects of our own. When we finally did, we realized that what we ended up with together was different than what either of us did separately, and we really liked the result.”
“This started as a Covid-era idea with Mickey Gamble at Mountain Home,” added Wayne. “He suggested we do something together because we never had before. We didn’t know what was going to exactly happen musically, but it has become this really cool thing that I’m proud of. Benson has its own identity, even though we have a variety of singers, and Double Dose is the continuation of what we’re doing.”
Double Dose (Mountain Home Music Company) includes the 2025 summer #1 hit, “Lover of the Road,” which features a compelling lead vocal from Woody Platt. There is the scorching take on the old levee classic, “Bully of the Town,” with Zack Arnold (Rhonda Vincent & the Rage); the melancholic “Things Have Changed” from the pen of late bluegrass and country master songwriter, Harley Allen; a pair of covers from the songbooks of Bonnie Raitt (“Louise”) and Dwight Yoakam (“This Drinkin’ Will Kill Me”); the remorseful “Down That Road,” which gets a masterful reading from Keith Garrett (The Boxcars), and the surprising recreation of NEEDTOBREATHE’s 2009 popular “Lay ‘Em Down” that scored high on the bluegrass gospel charts.
The set is completed with a pair of Wayne Benson-written instrumentals that exhibit a broader stylistic scope than listeners only familiar with the duo’s work in their respective, more traditionally-leaning bands; while a final, more sprightly number, the “Banjo Radio Bounce,” nods to a bluegrass mini-tradition of using “bounce” in the name of mid-tempo, syncopated — and catchy — tunes.
“Albums like this are such a creative opportunity,” said Kristin. “We get to choose songs we love and handpick the vocalists to sing them. We get to call our friends and favorite musicians. We get to record and arrange multiple original instrumentals, more than just one per project! Benson has just been a huge blessing, and we’re thankful for the chance to present this music through a partnership together…that we ironically never saw coming.”
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.