MattC Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Hello folks, The other day I found an old Bluegrass compilation album in a junk shop, and I'm pretty hooked, so, in complete ignorance about it, I wondered if any of you lot are into it and could give me some pointers for bands/artists to look out for. The stuff on this album is what I guess is fairly old stuff, a couple of the names on here are; Wade Mainer, Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, the rest I can't read as the paper in the album is pretty beat up. Always been a bit of a folk fan, but mainly irish or english/scots/welsh, so this is sort of new on me, but this is some addictive toe tapping stuff. There's so much about US culture that I wish I knew more about Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phantom ordie Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I was raised on Bluegrass being from North Carolina. My Aunt and Uncle sang with a Bluegrass band. The names you mention are old bluegrass favorites. Bill Monroe is sort of a King of Bluegrass. There are some good modern bluegrass groups but I am old school and like the old groups best. You can't beat Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs and Bill Monroe. The old music is more "raw" than the modern type. Here you can go back into the hills and mountain areas and hear pure bluegrass. It is addictive , I've seen some really sophisticated people latch onto the old mountain music. Its best played without electrics and a banjo,mandolin,fiddle and upright base are standard.Enjoy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hal Marshman Sr Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Add an accoustic guitar and a dobro guitar to the above. I was always fond of Wilmy LEE and Stoney Cooper. They included quite a few Gospel songs in their repertoire. Ricky Skaggs is a modern bluegrass performer who does a great job. I'm also fond of Mac Wiseman. We must never forget the original Carter Family. In some cases you might see/hear someone playing spoons or blowing into an earthen jug. All great stuff, and pure Americana. It might be mentioned that Bluegrass at its roots was based on Irish and Scottish music. I believe the type of dancing that can be performed to Bluegrass called clogging, also has its foundation in the folk dancing from Scotland and Ireland. (Watch someone clogging, then check out an Irish step dancer) Hal Sr Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oldHooker Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 (edited) Good ole' Bluegrass! I like the old school music better myself... legends like Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, The Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs, the Country Gentlemen, The Dillards (the Darling family on Andy Griffith), and others. Here's some of my favorites... "The Legend of the Rebel Soldier" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvcLpB3v9Z4 "Rank Strangers" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_vtOd_d40o "There is a Time" RIP Mitch Jayne "Kentucky" "Atlanta is Burning" Edited April 2, 2011 by oldHooker Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyraider Maniac Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Being raised not far from Earl Scruggs home place, I'm rather fond of it myself. Number one bluegrass album of all time, in my humble opinion, would be the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Will the Circle Be Unbroken. All the greats are on that album: Mother Maybelle Carter, Earl Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, Doc Watson, Vassar Clements to name a few - its been a one of a kind album as far as records are concerned- cause not only do you have the music, but you have tracks of all those bluegrass greats talking (which is just as fun as the music in my opinion, cause it gives you glimpses of their character and humor). Now, another good cd is the David Grisman rounder compact disc (seriously, that's the title). Excellent album :wacko: David is one heck of a mandolin player. Anything Sam Bush is pretty good too - another Mandolin Artist who is rather creative on the strings. Tony Rice and Peter Rowan are excellent also. Norman Blake is by far my favorite guitarist - excellent finger picking. Anything he does is great, I particularly like the two albums that he and Tony rice did together. The Seldom Scene is a great band! Johnson Mountain Boys and the Kentucky Colonels are both excellent bands from back in the day - with the Kentucky Colonels being particularly entertaining. The Bluegrass Album Band is another excellent choice - their album "sweet sunny south" has been a long time favorite. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skyraider Maniac Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Good ole' Bluegrass! I like the old school music better myself... legends like Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, The Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs, the Country Gentlemen, The Dillards (the Darling family on Andy Griffith), and others.Here's some of my favorites... "The Legend of the Rebel Soldier" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvcLpB3v9Z4 Oh gosh, I love the Dillards! I tear up when I hear legend of the Rebel Soldier - darn good song! :wacko: Norman Blake's Greycoat Soldiers is pretty good too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Just saw an awesome band last night - Po' Girl. Canadians playing a really eclectic mix of bluegrass with a splash of Cajun added in. Great stuff.... John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aaronw Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Kind of an odd one, but Steve Martin (the comedian / actor) is actually quite a talented banjo player who has played with Earl Skruggs and others. Anyway he did a straight (non-comedy) bluegrass album last year, The Crow - New songs for the 5 string banjo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
josh1813 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Always glad to hear of someone else coming over to the blue side. I've always thought it was odd how most people will say at first how much they hate bluegrass, but usually half way through the first song you'll notice their toe tapping to the beat....it's a very addictive style of music. Liked it so much I even tried my hand at the banjo, but haven't quite developed the coordination for it yet. As far as my fav's you can't go wrong with Earl Scruggs...Foggy Mountain Breakdown and Reuben can always pick me up faster than a cup of coffee any day of the week. I really liked Steve Martin's, The Crow. Sam Bush is another fav of mine, I honestly have no idea how he can pick a Mandolin so blazing fast...he's possibly a cyborg. Of course Bill Monroe is where Flatt and Scruggs got there start, so he's got to be a fav. (Oddly enough one of Flatt and Scruggs first commercial gigs came on radio station WCYB which is now a local TV station about an hour from my house). And a couple others that I'm really fond of that haven't been mentioned is The Steep Canyon Rangers out of Asheville NC, and The Earl Brothers. I've seen both of these bands in person and met most of them face to face. The Rangers have some of the best harmonies in the business, and The Earl Brothers have the old, old time sound. Have fun and enjoy, Josh Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Old Blind Dog Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Doc Watson has been one of my musical heros for many years. Stanley Brothers, Ricky Scaggs, The Seldom Seen, Flatt and Scruggs are all great, too! cheers Old Blind Dog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andre Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Yup, love it. From the oldtimers already mentioned up to bands like The Meat Purveyors, Split Lip Rayfield, Jim & Jenny & the Pinetops, the Hackensaw Boys (just saw them last week)... Cheers, Andre Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattC Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 Excellent, I shall have a look into all that, at some point I intend to have a holiday in the US, but away from all the usual tourist trappings, I've had enough of what we get peddled over here as being what the US is all about, I want to see for myself. I play a bit of blues when I can, but I'm not very good, but its a nice feeling to just play (harmonica mostly), would love to learn Banjo, but there are next to no tutors near me, I could try to teach myself I suppose! Kind of an odd one, but Steve Martin (the comedian / actor) is actually quite a talented banjo player I just watched a video of Billy Connolly (scottish comedian chappy) playing Cripple Creek, which was amazing; Just can't keep still with this stuff, but also getting into some of the more soul-like stuff, I guess there's a big melting pot of blues, folk and gospel down south, and I'd love to sit in it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SOGman Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 You should check out Allison Krause. She has several albums out and they even perform her concerts on PBS from time to time. Very good IMHO. Norm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Hello folks,The other day I found an old Bluegrass compilation album in a junk shop, and I'm pretty hooked, so, in complete ignorance about it, I wondered if any of you lot are into it and could give me some pointers for bands/artists to look out for. The stuff on this album is what I guess is fairly old stuff, a couple of the names on here are; Wade Mainer, Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, the rest I can't read as the paper in the album is pretty beat up. Always been a bit of a folk fan, but mainly irish or english/scots/welsh, so this is sort of new on me, but this is some addictive toe tapping stuff. There's so much about US culture that I wish I knew more about Indeed, Bluegrass music is *true* American roots music, but if you listen carefully you'll hear a lot of Scots Irish influence. I have a neighbor who is good friends with Ralph Stanley, and Ralph has actually showed up at a party at his house to stand in with his local-yokel bluegrass band (Newgrass Express). It don't get no bettern' that! :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattC Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 but if you listen carefully you'll hear a lot of Scots Irish influence The more I listen, the more I hear, some more familiar tunes to my ear turn up as echoes in bluegrass, I like it a lot. I had a live irish folk band at my wedding, which was absolutely brilliant. My side of the family got a little "traditional irish wedding" which raised some eyebrows with the in-laws, but really, what do people expect when their daughter marries an irish/gypsy mongrel? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zerosystem Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 for the younger crowd that might listen to some other types of music there's a group called 'gangstagrass' that does a fusion of bluegrass type soundtrack with rap type lyrics... i'm by no means a rap fan, but found the sound interesting. those familiar with the tv series 'justified' its the band that does the them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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