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Bluegrass Road Trips

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000

So you’ve spent a lot of weekends in watching old bluegrass movies on your www.directstartv.com channels and you’re ready to get out and about and explore the grass lovin’ parts of the country? If you’re up for a bluegrass roadtrip take a chance on a few of the following regions:
Virginia: Rural Virginia, particularly the western part of the state, is known for its dedication to bluegrass. You may find some really great instrument stores as well as some old-timers – stop in at any local apple shop for an earful.
Kentucky: The birthplace of bluegrass, Kentucky may as well be the national state of bluegrass. People here live and breathe it and whether you want a T-shirt, a private lesson or to meet one of the greats, this is the place to be.
Tennessee: Just outside of Nashville TN gets a little less country and a little less bluegrass. If you venture towards the mountains (particularly over towards Kentucky) you’ll start picking up numerous bluegrass stations on your radio dialit’s a haven for that kind of music as well as music-lovers of all kinds!

What Has The Banjo Done For Bluegrass?

admin — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The banjo occupies a place historically in African music.The banjo made its way into more traditional music when the slaves and sharecroppers melded. It has since become a very popular instrument used in country, folk and bluegrass music.The banjo is absolutely a mainstay in American folk songs as well. Ask anyone and they will tell you when they think of the banjo, bluegrass music immediately comes to mind. There are many premier banjo pickers who are skilled at playing this eclectic instrument such as: Bela Fleck, Earl Scruggs and Uncle Dave Macon, just to name a few. The banjo has added a whimsical and a unique touch to bluegrass music today. Banjoes commonly have five strings. The top string is the shortest and is typically used as a drone. There are also four stringed banjoes and they are used more percussively than the five string. Bluegrass music has its roots in Celtic folk music and the versatile banjo lends a refreshing flair to this style of music. Bluegrass music has an exuberant melody and the cheerful sound of the banjo is a perfect accompaniment. Bluegrass is making a big comeback today and the banjo certainly adds to its wide appeal!

What The Electric Guitar Has Done For Bluegrass

admin — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Bluegrass goes through a renovation every twenty years or so, as the musical style is revamped with the changing of the guard. The first generation of bluegrass music began in the 1940s but when the electric guitar hit the scene, bluegrass, like every other musical genre, changed forever.

Bluegrass has its roots in folk music from the United Kingdom. Bill Monroe, who came as close to inventing the genre as anyone can claim, (the name is derived from his band “the Blue Grass Boys”) says bluegrass is “Scottish bagpipes and ole-time fiddlin’.” With the inclusion and subsequent mainstreaming of the electric guitar, it wasn’t long before bluegrass began including the new instrument.

This has made bluegrass much more familiar and friendly to people who might not have taken to listen to “old-timey” music. Electric guitars are what every kid knows equals music. Suddenly bluegrass is not stuff grandpa listens to, its music that a kid can make with his violin-playing sister and drum-playing neighbor. Bluegrass can now be expanded on by a new generation of musicians who aren’t nervous of the sound anymore.

What has the electric guitar done to bluegrass? It has launched it into a whole new universe of followers, contributors, and lovers.

How Does 21st Century Bluegrass Compare To 20th Century Bluegrass?

admin — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Bluegrass is not known as style of music that is progressive or forward thinking by many people. Even Bluegrass fans tend to feel this way sometimes. It has made some advances in since the last century though by incorporating more modern instrumentation and chord progressions into the classic bluegrass sound. There bands all over America that are helping push bluegrass to the brink with their creative takes on this classic music genre that was born in America.

Many bands are starting to include drum sets into their sound. This was previously a “no no” in the Bluegrass scene.The whole story can be found at http://sposdtabe.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/bluegrass-jam-at-the-red-eye-cafe-port-salerno-fl/ Many Bluegrass will incorporate a back beat and their crowds demand more and more to hear dance music. There are a huge amount of bands playing bluegrass with drummers all over the jam band scene especially. It helps the music translate better at shows with bigger crowds.

Another change in Bluegrass is that people are starting to use more interesting instrumentation and chord progressions. The best example of this is Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. This band has a tinge of bluegrass in them in that there leader is a banjo player. They also have an electric bass, a woodwind player and guy playing an electric drum set that he made himself that he can set up to do whatever he wants. They are the best example of where Bluegrass can go if it is in the right hands.

What Is The History Of Bluegrass Music?

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

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.