At just three years old, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, who grew up in Charlottesville, set her sights on becoming a fiddler. Not only did she achieve her goal, but she’s garnered some of the industry’s top awards. In 2021 and 2022, the dedicated musician was awarded Fiddle Player of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association. Then, in 2024, she won a Grammy for her work with Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway on the bluegrass album “City of Gold.”
Though she now lives in Nashville, Keith-Hynes began busking on the Downtown Mall at the age of 12 after her parents encouraged her to perform. “The first few times, I was very nervous and embarrassed, but once I did it and got the feedback, it was confidence-building,” she said. “I learned a lot about performance and playing for people, and the culture of busking.” She also fondly recalls playing at Fridays after Five and at jam sessions at both Miller’s and The Shebeen.
Keith-Hynes’ journey initially began with classical training on the violin, but her passion for fiddling became apparent, and she transitioned with an eye on Celtic fiddling. “I started out wanting to be a Celtic fiddler -- my whole dad’s side is from Ireland and immigrated during WWII,” she said. “We visited Ireland often, and there’s a great Irish music scene in Charlottesville, DC, and Baltimore.”
However, as a teenager, Keith-Hynes adjusted her focus to play the style of music that she does today, inspired by the bluegrass that she heard at fiddle camps she attended when she was 16 years old. “That’s the first time I heard bluegrass and was taken by it and taken by the bluesy element and the improvisation -- the vibe of it was how I wanted to express myself even more than Irish music.”
By the time Keith-Hynes was ready to move on to college, she knew that her goal was to make fiddling her career. She applied, and was accepted, to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she went on to study bluegrass and immerse herself in Boston’s vibrant bluegrass scene. After graduation, she and four other musicians formed Mile Twelve, a modern string band that toured for seven years throughout the United States, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
It was in 2021 that Molly Tuttle reached out to Keith-Hynes to join the band that she was putting together, which would ultimately become Golden Highway. Not long after the band was formed, Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway began touring, performing on shows like Jimmy Kimmel and at large festivals. “I’d never played for crowds like that -- standing room only crowds and younger people who are so energetic,” she said.
Before she joined Golden Highway, Keith-Hynes also began a new project -- working on vocals. “During the pandemic was when I started singing; I’d never had time to do it before,” she said. “I took Zoom vocal lessons, and started trying to sing.” Ultimately, her hard work paid off, and her solo album was released in the summer of 2024 and was nominated for a Grammy as well.
Keith-Hynes is continuing to perform with Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway through June 2025, but after that, she’ll be touring under her own name with a five-piece bluegrass band she’s put together. In addition, she is honing her songwriting skills as she works toward another solo album. And while she’s been busy building her career, she has also focused on her personal life, tying the knot in October of 2024 on the Grand Ole Opry stage with another accomplished and award-winning fiddler, Jason Carter.
With so many projects, Keith-Hynes is always on the move, and says that she finds all of it fulfilling. “Just getting to make a living doing something I love is rewarding,” she said. “I put in a lot more hours than a normal job -- sometimes it feels like I’m working constantly, seven days a week, with very long hours. But when I get up on stage and there’s a ton of people out there and they’re up and giving me back energy -- I love getting to share that moment with people.”
For those who have a similar passion, Keith-Hynes’ advice is to persevere and remain optimistic. “I think you have to do anything you possibly can to make it happen, take any opportunity and just not get discouraged,” she said. “You have to love the whole process and not get caught up in results -- enjoy what happens in the moment. If you’re not enjoying the ride and what you’re doing, it’s not going to be a very rewarding line of work. Enjoy the whole thing and lean into your community, making sure to make positive connections within your community.”