Bluegrass music has its roots in the founding of the United States in the 1600s when the English and Scots-Irish settled in the Appalachian Mountains. Slaves from Africa brought with them the banjo whose shape has never changed.

True bluegrass music is a combination of hillbilly, country, gospel and blues with a jazz flavor. Vocal renditions relate the highs and lows of life especially the hard times associated with coal miners. Main instruments are guitar, banjo, and mandolin. As the melody lead trades off among instruments a fever pitch breakdown happens as the beat and the strumming compete.Additional information can be found at http://seattlest.com/2011/07/21/cant_miss_it_thursday_152.php.

The name bluegrass has been credited to the Bill Monroe known as the father of bluegrass, who happened to be from the bluegrass state of Kentucky and named his group Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys.

Among the many musicians who owe started out playing bluegrass music are banjo player Jerry Garcia of Grateful Dead fame. After he got his start in bluegrass, Ricky Skaggs crossed over to country music only to return to his true roots in the 1980s with his Kentucky Thunder group. The first bluegrass festival of a one week duration was held in Fincastle, Virginia in 1965.