The Brothers Young, teen grassers out of Roanoke, Virginia, have released their new bluegrass Christmas album, and it holds treasures you will want to add to your playlist.
Ayden (banjo, vocals, production) and Blane (mandolin, vocals, humor, and ‘Michael Jordan-esq’ leaps into the crowd) are joined by Steve Farmer (bass) and Stefan Kraft (guitar) on their second full album. Good friend Charlie Milliron, sits in on the dobro, and church friend David Thacker adds some first-rate fiddle.
The twelve songs on this project range from tender and holy (What Child Is This and Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem) to sassy (Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer, Run Rudolph Run ) to driving bluegrass, (Breakin’ Up Christmas, Christmas Time’s A Comin‘) which are great picking by anyone’s standards. Breakin’ Up Christmas is an instrumental that was made popular by old-time fiddle player Tommy Jarrell, who played around Mt Airy, NC.
Hard to believe, given their ages, but The Brothers Young have given nearly 1,000 performances and are well known up and down the Crooked Road, especially at The Old Fiddler’s Convention in Galax, where the boys continue to impress. This past summer, Blane won the youth mandolin division, and Ayden placed second in the adult division. Back in 2021, the boys won best band in the youth division at Galax.
Blane, who had the unenviable task of singing harmony while going through puberty, does a phenomenal job singing Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. This is his coming-of-age album. Instrumentally, he can pick with anyone and hold his own.
Or as Blane put it…
“The true enjoyment came when recording Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer, by showcasing my comedic talents in a song.”
Ayden is a true Renaissance man. Aside from being an outstanding traditional banjo player and jazz pianist, he taught himself how to record, mix, edit, and master recordings. And Ayden carries the additional weight of being the band leader and visionary. Anyone who has ever tried to record and mix knows that this young man is a quick learner.
He humbly recognized the achievement.
“Working on two albums in one year has helped make me a better producer.”
And Ayden, who knew you spoke Hawaiian, shared a boisterous Mele Kalikimaka.
Because Christmas albums only tend to get a month of seasonal play each year, you will want to see the Brothers Young live. The brothers have a busy 2026 festival schedule, which is happy news for us! They are one of the most entertaining bluegrass bands out there. Crowds love them not only for their musicianship but also for their humility, humor, and brotherly banter.
You can check out all the Christmas bluegrass we have covered at Bluegrass Today by following this link.
