Steve Martin and Alison Brown have unveiled their highly anticipated debut collaborative album, Safe, Sensible and Sane. Out now via Brown’s Compass Records, the release features an array of guest artists, including Jackson Browne, Vince Gill, the Indigo Girls, Tim O’Brien, Jason Mraz, and more.

Following Martin and Brown’s previous collaborations, including “Foggy Morning Breaking” and “Bluegrass Radio”, Safe, Sensible and Sane is a thrilling continuation of the duo’s musical evolution. The album was tracked live at Compass Sound Studio, a historic space at Compass Records’ Nashville headquarters, co-owned by Brown and her husband Garry West.

Throughout the album, a mix of veteran virtuosity and rising talent shines through, with contributions from bluegrass legends like Sam Bush and Stuart Duncan, and exciting younger musicians such as Molly Tuttle and Sierra Hull. The album includes several high-profile collaborations, like “New Cluck Old Hen”, a reimagined, century-old Appalachian tune featuring the all-female bluegrass group Della Mae, the bossa nova-tinged “Michael” featuring Aoife O’Donovan and Sarah Jarosz, and “Girl, Have Money When You’re Old”, a harmonically rich track showcasing the vocal interplay of the Indigo Girls.

Another standout track, “5 Days Out, 2 Days Back”, features Tim O’Brien, who joined Martin, Brown, and their band to perform the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this summer. The track was nominated for multiple International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards.

Alison Brown & Steve Martin With Tim O’Brien – “5 Days Out, 2 Days Back”

“Dear Time”, meanwhile, features Jeff Hanna of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and folk legend Jackson Browne, who joined Martin and Brown to film the music video at the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles, where both Steve and Jackson launched their careers in the 1960s, and where Brown later got her start as a rising teen bluegrasser.

Alison Brown & Steve Martin With Jackson Browne – “Dear Time”

As the duo’s first full collaborative effort, Safe, Sensible and Sane is a declaration of the banjo’s place in contemporary music, both as a vehicle for storytelling and as a bridge between generations of musicians. The album also underscores the enduring influence both Martin and Brown have had on the bluegrass world. Beyond his own musical career, Martin founded the Steve Martin Banjo Prize, which has awarded over $500,000 in funds to talented banjo players, while Brown co-founded Compass Records, a label that has become a beacon for bluegrass and roots musicians.

Listen to Safe, Sensible and Sane below, on your preferred streaming platform, or order the album on physical formats with various bundles here.

Alison Brown & Steve Martin – Safe, Sensible and Sane

Safe, Sensible and Sane Tracklist:

  1. Friend of Mine
  2. 5 Days Out (feat. Tim O’Brien)
  3. New Cluck Old Hen (feat. Della Mae)
  4. Michael (feat. Aoife O’Donovan with Sarah Jarosz)
  5. Evening Star (feat. McGoldrick/McCusker/Doyle)
  6. Statement of Your Affairs (feat. Jason Mraz)
  7. Dear Time (Prelude)
  8. Dear Time (feat. Jackson Browne with Jeff Hanna)
  9. Girl, Have Money When You’re Old (feat. Indigo Girls)
  10. Bluegrass Radio
  11. Wall Guitar (Since You Said Goodbye) (feat. Vince Gill)
  12. Let’s Get Out of Here