Some times, the best things in life result from unintended consequences. Consider the bluegrass/folk super-duo, mandolinist Jimmy Gaudreau and guitarist/lead vocalist Moondi Klein.

When the two friends entered the studio last year to record "2:10 Train" (Rebel Records), they thought of the album as a one-off project to help support a tour of England. Since then, the album has taken on a life of its own, garnering rave reviews and leading to a national tour. On Wednesday, Gaudreau and Klein will perform at the N.C. Museum of Art, opening for country diva Emmylou Harris.

"[Klein's] wife, who's involved with a national gifted children's organization, got invited to do a speaking engagement at the University of Warwick in England last year," says Gaudreau. "In order to subsidize that trip, we went into a friend's studio and knocked out some duo stuff. The purpose of the CD was to be representative of what we would do on stage in England."

When they returned home, Gaudreau sent a copy of the CD to Rebel Records, a label that leans heavily toward traditional bluegrass. Although the music is far from the traditional sound of Bill Monroe or the Stanley Brothers, Rebel jumped at the chance to add the CD to its catalog.

Released in March, the album has sold well and Gaudreau and Klein's brief pairing has evolved into an enduring collaboration.

Following the path blazed by such pioneering duets as the Monroe Brothers, the Blue Sky Boys, and the Louvin Brothers, Gaudreau and Klein keep it simple: A mandolin, a guitar and two voices blended in stunning high harmonies.

The musicians have known each other since the early 1990s, when they began playing together at parties in the Washington, D.C., area. Gaudreau was well-known in bluegrass circles, having performed with such legendary bands as the Country Gentlemen and the Tony Rice Unit. Klein was singing part time with the local Rock Creek band.

"I heard a demo tape of Rock Creek, and noticed this guy singing," Gaudreau recalls. "I thought, 'Whoa! What a voice!' Months later I was at a pickin' party, and Moondi showed up. That night, we put a few tunes together and liked the way it sounded. We didn't have any aspirations for putting a band together, but thought we might if the opportunity ever presented itself."

Soon, Klein was invited to join the Seldom Scene as lead singer, while Gaudreau continued to play mandolin with Tony Rice. In '93, Gaudreau joined Klein and his fellow Scene members Mike Auldridge (Dobro) and T. Michael Coleman (bass) to form the progressive quartet, Chesapeake. After Chesapeake disbanded in '99, Gaudreau and Klein performed together at an occasional gig until the new album gave their act new life.

Gaudreau, who also performs as a member of Robin and Linda Williams' Fine Band, is thrilled to be working alongside his friend, whom he regards as one America's great vocalists.

"Sitting next to him on stage is a thrill for me because he's so versatile and has such great vocal dynamics and control," Gaudreau says. "When he hits something that's acrobatic and pulls it off, he would make George Jones applaud. The attraction for me is that he makes it easy."

Their stage show follows the lead of "2:10 Train." They reprise some Chesapeake favorites such as folk classic "Black Jack Davey," Harley Allen's "High Sierra" and the title track, along with new material suited to Klein's atmospheric tenor. They showcase their instrumental skills with the old-time medley "Arkansas Traveler/Soldier's Joy," and Jim and Jesse's bluegrass classic, "Dixie Hoedown."

"Instrumentally, we go back-and-forth as collaboration," Gaudreau says. "The vocal stuff, I leave totally to him. By and large, he is the lead singer, and he's very particular about the material he finds. If he's comfortable with it, I know it's something good and something he's going to excel at. I haven't found anything that I've rejected, because his choices are always so good."

Gaudreau says he and Klein enjoy their time on stage, and, with another CD on the horizon, they hope to keep the spotlight glowing as long as their fans approve.

"Moondi and I vowed to be loose," he says. "We're up there to have fun and to entertain the audience. We do it kind of Doc Watson style, with a couple of stools, and we sit back and enjoy it.

"We're looking forward to the whole tour, to the opportunity to get out and play our stuff in front of an audience again."