from Russia to Music City
A native of Obninsk, Russia, classically and jazz-trained musician, Alexander "Sasha" Ostrovsky is certainly no stranger to entertaining crowds of thousands and is one of the most in-demand session musicians in Nashville.
Playing slide instruments such as dobro, steel guitar and lap steel since the age of thirteen and gathering critical success with his band Bering Strait, Sasha and the band earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Instrumental Performance in 2003. With the added exposure of having an award-winning documentary film made about them titled, "The Ballad Of Bering Strait" and being the first non-classical artist from Russia to ever get nominated for a Grammy, established the band as an "overnight sensation" in their homeland and earned them much respect and credibility in America.
Bering Strait released 2 critically acclaimed albums on Universal South Records and toured the United States for a number of years sharing the bill with artists such as Trisha Yearwood and Wynonna among others. Their headline shows included collaborations with different orchestras, showcasing Sasha performing Bach and Tchaikovsky on dobro with the symphony- that was definitely a breakthrough for this typical bluegrass instrument.
Relocating to Nashville with the band, Sasha he has been involved in a number of side projects, working with multiple artists in the studio and on the road. After Bering Strait disbanded in 2006 this became Sasha's main focus as well as composing instrumental music and songs in multiple genres.
Sasha has shared the stage and studio with Keith Urban, Pat Green, Sugarland, James Otto, Lady Antebellum and more as well as performed on TV programs such as Today, Good Morning America, Ellen, the ACM and CMA Awards, and late night shows with Jay Leno, David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and more.
Currently Sasha is touring the world with country star Darius Rucker. When home in Nashville, he can be found in various studios doing session work.