Druhá Tráva is a Czech bluegrass band originally formed in Czechoslovakia in 1991 by Robert Křesťan and Luboš Malina. As of 2021, they have released thirteen studio albums, four live albums, two compilations, as well as a number of side projects. They have been described as evolving from underground musicians who subverted Communism to international artists who "upend convention". History Robert Křesťan and bluegrass inspiration The Czech bluegrass genre developed in the mid-1960s, influenced by American bluegrass music. A regional tour by Pete Seeger in 1964 was a particular inspiration to Czech musicians. The Communist regime was hostile to such music, and Czech musicians with Western folk and rock influences helped advocate for the country's eventual independence. Singer-songwriter and mandolinist Robert Křesťan had been a fan of American roots music since the late 1960s, listening to records that had been smuggled into the country. Křesťan was particularly fond of bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe. Křesťan went to great pains to find records and learned how to play the music on homemade instruments. He joined the band Poutníci in 1979. Formation of Druhá Tráva and early albums: 1991–95 Křesťan and another member of Poutníci, banjo player Luboš Malina, formed Druhá Tráva in 1991. The band's original lineup also included dobro player and guitarist Luboš Novotný, bassist Jiří Meisner, and guitarist Pavel Malina. The group's configuration has changed considerably over its history, though Křesťan, Malina, and Novotný have been in the band consistently since 1991. They released their debut album, Robert Křesťan & Druhá Tráva, in 1991, and followed up a year later with Revival, sung entirely in English. Starodávný svět came out in 1994 and for their fourth album, the band invited singer Pavlína Jíšová to join in the recording. Lineup changes, new recordings, and breakup: 1997–2001 In 1997, guitarist Pavel Malina left Druhá Tráva and was replaced by Martin Ledvina. The group subsequently released three studio albums in one year: Pohlednice, New Freedom Bell (a collaboration with American bluegrass musician Peter Rowan), and Czechmate. A year later, in 2000, they toured the United States. During this period, the ensemble experienced a frequent turnover of drummers, which included Štěpán Smetáček and Miloš Dvořáček. Bass player Jiří Meisner departed and was replaced by Juraj Griglák, and the group released their first compilation record, a double album titled Best & Last, in 2001. The same year, Druhá Tráva announced that they were breaking up.