Della Mae

Woman sitting on a black bench, laughing, with a chalkboard behind her, wearing a colorful jacket over an orange dress and beige socks.

Celia

A woman with short blonde hair wearing large reflective sunglasses, an orange satin jacket, black pants, and patterned sneakers, sitting on a black bench against a blue textured wall, holding a large mirror ball.

Kimber

A woman with wavy brown hair sitting on a black leather couch holding a large disco ball in her left hand, dressed in a gray blazer, red top, and patterned pants, against a dark textured background.
A woman with short brown hair sits on a black leather couch, wearing a floral blouse, dark jacket, and jeans, with a reflective disco ball between her legs and a blue textured wall background.

Avril

Vickie

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We Believe In . . .

We write about women, advocate for women, believe women, and mentor women. And we are women!

Women

We are 50% queer, and 100% supportive. We believe that representation, queer voices, and allyship are important in music. We’re not necessarily typical of traditional music, and we love representing our identities and values in new spaces.

LGBTQIA+ Visibility & Allyship

Check out Headlight, Boston Town, The Way It Was Before, Change, and Waiting for You. Music can be a catalyst for change, and we’re proud to be part of that movement.

Songs That Matter

Are we bluegrass? YES. Folk? YES. Americana? YES. Rock 'n' Roll? Sure! We are songwriters and experienced, talented musicians who come from a variety of musical backgrounds that all seep into the music we make.

Blurred Lines - in Music!

A woman in denim jumpsuit sitting on the floor with her legs crossed and arms extended. She has long hair, freckles, and is smiling with her tongue slightly out. She has a tattoo on her left forearm and is surrounded by others in denim and casual clothing.

Celia

Woodsmith

Celia hails from Norwich, VT, and now lives in Kittery, ME. She’s a prolific songwriter, who loves her chickens and biking. Celia has crossed whole countries on bike!

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Kimber

Ludiker

Kimber is a 5th-generation fiddler and Grand National Champion. She grew up in Spokane, WA, and lives in the Washington, DC area. She loves making pottery and women’s sports.

Woman stnads with her arms outstretched, wearing a jean jacket with fringe, smiling cheerfully.

Avril

Smith

Avril is from Tarrytown, NY, and lives in the DC area. Aside from being an incredible guitarist, Avril has spent her career ensuring people have access to fair wages, healthcare, and collective bargaining as a labor union organizer.

A woman with long dark hair, smiling and looking to the side, in a black and white photo.

Vickie

Vaughn

Vicky is from Symsonia, KY, and lives in Nashville. She was named the IBMA Bass Player of the Year in 2023, 2024, and 2025 and was only the second woman in history to win! Vicky’s solo album is out Nov. 2025.

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The Dellas: Vickie Vaughn, Celia Woodsmith, Kimber Ludiker, and Avril Smith

Della Mae

Each generation, bluegrass experiences a band or an artist that redefines and recenters the genre itself. Della Mae is one of those bands. 

Over the course of the past decade and a half, Della Mae has proven to the roots music world, once and for all, that a band of all women is not, nor has ever been, a mere novelty.

As a GRAMMY-nominated group, Della Mae proudly uses its platform to feature and uplift women instrumentalists, songwriters, and singers, bringing together diverse musical and personal backgrounds to create a truly singular voice.

It’s About Time: Redefining Bluegrass

Building on the longstanding tradition of all-women string bands, Della Mae was founded in New England in 2010 by Grand National Champion Fiddler Kimber Ludiker.

By 2011, Della Mae released its first full-length, crowdfunded album, I Built This Heart. Under Rounder Records, their 2013 album This World Oft Can Be earned Della Mae their first Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album. That same year, the International Bluegrass Music Association named the band Emerging Artist of the Year.

Della Mae has been joined on stage by a myriad of incomparable women over its long life. We know there will be many, many more bands, singers, songwriters, and pickers just like Della Mae in the future. That, undoubtedly, will be the group’s greatest pride and success.

The Way It Was Before: Our History

Ride Away: Taking Americana Far

Della Mae has performed in more than 30 countries, mostly through an initiative with the U.S. State Department. Wherever they perform, from rural American bluegrass festivals to urban schools in Kazakhstan, the band brings their mission and message with them, advocating for gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights and visibility, workers’ rights, solidarity, and community.

Wild One: The Legend Continues

There has never been a band like Della Mae in roots music before. You know when you see them perform. When a lyric hits different and makes you misty-eyed. When their energy combines with immense joy, bringing a first-song dancer to the floor. Audiences around the world experience that same unique feeling.

Now, approaching two decades since their start, Della Mae’s lineup is undeniably its strongest yet. See Della Mae on tour to watch these legends unfold in real time and experience how their individual talents combine to form a unified sound.