It would wrong to assume that this collection covers the entire bluegrass galaxy - no Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Stanley Brothers, Country Gentlemen, etc. - but the sweep of "Hand Picked" is breathtaking, and will certainly lead the interested listener to explore beyond the tracks included here. Within the context of "Hand Picked," one can witness the evolution of artists such as Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, David Grisman, Tony Trischka and Bela Fleck, and learn how the music evolved regionally through acts like Don Stover, Del McCoury and Joe Val. Women in bluegrass are prominently represented by the likes of Alison Krauss, Claire Lynch, Hazel Dickens, and Laurie Lewis.