Bluegrass duo Darin & Brooke Aldridge have earned their first Billboard chart No. 1 with their new album Talk of the Town (released via Billy Blue Records), which debuted at the pinnacle of Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums chart for the week dated May 4.
The duo has previously notched five top 10 albums on Bluegrass Albums, including 2015’s Snapshots (which reached No. 8), 2017’s Faster and Farther (No. 7), 2019’s Inner Journey (No. 2), 2021’s This Life We’re Livin’ (No. 3) and 2023’s Hometown Holiday, which peaked at No. 4.
“What exciting news to wake up to today, knowing that Darin and Brooke fans and friends have been so eager and enthusiastic as they waited for our tenth studio album,” the duo shared on Instagram, telling their fans, “YOU are the reason we do what we love, and today’s good news makes us all the more certain that we’re doing exactly what we were born to do. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!”
Among the songs on the dozen-track album is their version of The Desert Rose Band’s “Price I Pay” (featuring John Jorgenson, known for his work with Desert Rose Band, Earl Scruggs, Bonnie Raitt and more), written by Chris Hillman and Bill Wildes.
Brooke is a four-time International Bluegrass Music Award (IBMA) female vocalist of the year winner, while Darin is a former IBMA mentor of the year winner. Last year, the IBMA nominated their song “Jordan,” featuring Ricky Skaggs, Mo Pitney and Mark Fain, in the gospel recording of the year category, while the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards nominated the song in its bluegrass/country/roots recorded song of the year category.
