Every once in a while a band comes along that reshapes a genre and gives it a new face. Della Mae is one of those bands.

Founded in Boston in 2010, Della Mae has spent the past fifteen years proving that an all female bluegrass band is not a gimmick and never was. They have played a pioneering role in the explosive rise of female instrumentalists and women led bands, with an influence that now stretches far beyond North America. Their impact only grows stronger through their willingness to speak out on political and social injustices in their home country.

Over the years, Della Mae has been a breeding ground for extraordinary talent. Long time Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival visitors may remember the ecstatic heights reached when band and audience met here before. Fifteen years in,, the group boasts its strongest line up yet. Founding members Kimber Ludiker on fiddle and Celia Woodsmith on vocals and guitar are joined by guitarist Avril Smith and singer and two time IBMA Bass Player of the Year Vickie Vaughn. Combined with the release of their stunning new album Magic Accident in early 2026, their return to Rotterdam feels not just inevitable, but essential.