This track is from the album Wonderland and is available for purchase on CD Baby here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/downhillbluegrassband2

Beneath the Clay

Homecoming Glasses

Little Bird

The Factory

Lay Down Beside Me

Maxida Märak, a member of the Swedish indigenous Sami people, collaborates with Downhill Bluegrass Band in a musical project blending bluegrass with traditional Sami folk music. Maxida alternates modern singing with the traditional Sami yoik.

”Mountain Songs & other stories” breaks new ground, exploring the similarities between the Sami culture’s musical expression and the American traditional folk music from around the Appalachian Mountains. The mountain has a central role in both contexts, and the mining industry affects the lives of both people and nature on both sides of the Atlantic.


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East of the Mountains

Our government is selling Swedish soil to foreign hazardous companies in search of private wealth, expropriating land from people who have worked it for generations. But all we are left with are the toxic residues.

Maxida Märak, a member of the Swedish indigenous Sami people, collaborates with Downhill Bluegrass Band in a musical project blending bluegrass with traditional Sami folk music. Maxida alternates modern singing with the traditional Sami yoik.

”Mountain Songs & other stories” breaks new ground, exploring the similarities between the Sami culture’s musical expression and the American traditional folk music from around the Appalachian Mountains. The mountain has a central role in both contexts, and the mining industry affects the lives of both people and nature on both sides of the Atlantic.

This track is from the album Mountain Songs and Other Stories and is available for purchase on CD Baby here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/maxidamarakdownhillblueg2

How Can You Sell What's Mine

In the Sámi tradition a personal yoik is the finest gift. This is my daughter’s yoik.
Maxida Märak, a member of the Swedish indigenous Sami people, collaborates with Downhill Bluegrass Band in a musical project blending bluegrass with traditional Sami folk music. Maxida alternates modern singing with the traditional Sami yoik.

”Mountain Songs & other stories” breaks new ground, exploring the similarities between the Sami culture’s musical expression and the American traditional folk music from around the Appalachian Mountains. The mountain has a central role in both contexts, and the mining industry affects the lives of both people and nature on both sides of the Atlantic.

This track is from the album Mountain Songs and Other Stories and is available for purchase on CD Baby here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/maxidamarakdownhillblueg2

Nikesunnas Joik

In Gállok we have seen greed taking over sense in men. Will it ever end?
Maxida Märak, a member of the Swedish indigenous Sami people, collaborates with Downhill Bluegrass Band in a musical project blending bluegrass with traditional Sami folk music. Maxida alternates modern singing with the traditional Sami yoik.

”Mountain Songs & other stories” breaks new ground, exploring the similarities between the Sami culture’s musical expression and the American traditional folk music from around the Appalachian Mountains. The mountain has a central role in both contexts, and the mining industry affects the lives of both people and nature on both sides of the Atlantic..



k is from the album Mountain Songs and Other Stories and is available for purchase on CD Baby here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/maxidamarakdownhillblueg2

Next Step

Swedish Hip Hop meets Bluegrass

Maxida vs. Downhill

Mitt Största Fan

This track is from the album A Grasshopper's Lament and is available for purchase on CD Baby here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/downhillbluegrassband

Talking to a Barman

Up and Down These Roads

In DBB’s music you can hear the geographical and cultural similarities between Appalachia, USA, the home of bluegrass, and its mining districts, and the mining and heavy industries of Bergslagen, Sweden, where the band originates (Avesta/Torsåker). Bluegrass is predominantly working class music which has reflected poor conditions in the countryside and mining villages. The music invokes the hard work in the mines and fields, the wide open spaces, the simple life, jealousy, prison guards and the battle between God and the Devil. Downhill’s music reflects many of these themes. Music and lyrics express life in the here and now but with an awareness of tradition.

On invitation, they performed more than once at the IBMA Awards in Nashville on account of their excellent playing skills and unique sound, as well as their songwriting abilities. As well as America, they have played festivals in most European countries. Most of the repertoire they perform is their own, and some of these songs have been recorded by both American and European artists

Downhill Bluegrass Band was formed by Jonas and Kenneth Kjellgren with the intentions to play traditionally rooted bluegrass with a contemporary flair. Sharing the same musical ideas and sources for inspiration they started to play together in 1998. Since then they have released five cd:s, the last one “Wonderland” with only original material written by Jonas Kjellgren and Mikael Grund.

The band members today are: Jonas Kjellgren on mandolin and vocals, Kenneth Kjellgren on banjo, Mikael Grund on guitar and vocals, Kajsa Kjellgren Westin on bass and vocals, Nicke Widen on dobro and Erik Gunnars Risberg on fiddle

Former line ups have held Jan Ekman on dobro, Hans Wahlstedt on guitar and vocals, Christoffer Olsson, now in G2 on guitar and vocals, Jimmy Sunnebrandt who also worked with James King Band, now back in G2 Band on bass and vocals, Ryan Drickey on fiddle in Finders and Youngberg, Ivor Ottley fiddle, amongst others. Through the years Jonas Kjellgren and Kenneth Kjellgren have remained the corner stones of the band.

Downhill is also one of the organizers and host band of Torsåkers Bluegrass Festival, one of Sweden’s largest bluegrass festivals.



Downhill Bluegrass Band

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