'Bluegrass music' is a form of
American roots music which has its own roots in
Irish,
Scottish and
English traditional music. Bluegrass was inspired by the music of
immigrants from the
British Isles (particularly the
Scots-Irish immigrants of
Appalachia), as well as that of rural
African-Americans,
jazz, and
blues. In bluegrass, as in jazz, each instrument takes a turn playing the melody and improvising around it, while the others revert to backing; this is in contrast to
old-time music, in which all instruments play the melody together or one instrument carries the lead throughout while the others provide
accompaniment. Bluegrass is distinctively acoustic, rarely using electric instruments. In popular culture bluegrass has an image as a form of folk music. However, it was mostly developed by professional musicians.
Characteristics
Instrumentation
Unlike mainstream
country music, bluegrass relies mostly on acoustic stringed instruments. The
fiddle,
banjo,
acoustic guitar,
mandolin, and
upright bass are sometimes joined by the
resonator guitar (popularly known by the
Dobro brand name). This instrumentation originated in rural black dance bands and was being abandoned by those groups (in favor of blues and jazz ensembles) when picked up by white musicians (van der Merwe 1989, p.62). Instrumental solos are improvised, and can frequently be technically demanding.
Debate rages among bluegrass musicians, fans, and scholars over what instrumentation constitutes a bluegrass band. Since the term bluegrass came from
Bill Monroe's band, The Blue Grass Boys, many consider the instruments used in his band the traditional bluegrass instruments. These were the mandolin (played by Monroe), the fiddle, guitar, banjo and upright bass. At times the musicians may perform gospel songs, singing four-part harmony and including no or sparse instrumentation (often with banjo players switching to lead guitar). Bluegrass bands have included instruments as diverse as the resonator guitar (Dobro),
accordion,
harmonica,
Jew's harp,
piano,
drums,
electric guitar, and electric versions of all other common bluegrass instruments, though these are considered to be more progressive and are a departure from the traditional bluegrass style.
Vocals
Besides instrumentation, a distinguishing characteristic of bluegrass is vocal harmony featuring two, three, or four parts, often featuring a
dissonant or
modal sound in the highest voice (see
modal frame). This vocal style has been characterized as the "high lonesome sound." The "High Lonesome" sound can be credited to
Shape-Note music where a high-pitched harmony, that can generally be characterized as having a nasal timbre, is sung over the main melody. There is also an emphasis on traditional songs, often with sentimental or religious themes.
History
Creation
Bluegrass as a style developed during the mid 1940s. Because of war rationing, recording was limited during this time, and the best that can be said is that bluegrass was played some time after
World War II, but no earlier. As with any musical genre, no one person can claim to have "invented" it. Rather, bluegrass is an amalgam of
old-time music,
blues,
ragtime and
jazz. Nevertheless, bluegrass's beginnings can be traced to one band. Today
Bill Monroe is referred to as the "founding father" of bluegrass music; the bluegrass style was named for his band, the
Blue Grass Boys, formed in 1939. The 1945 addition of
banjo player
Earl Scruggs, who played with a three-finger roll originally developed by Snuffy Jenkins but now almost universally known as "Scruggs style", is pointed to as the key moment in the development of this genre. Monroe's 1945-48 band, which featured
banjo player
Earl Scruggs, singer/guitarist
Lester Flatt, fiddler Chubby Wise and bassist Howard Watts, aka "Cedric Rainwater," created the definitive sound and instrumental configuration that remains a model to this day.
By some arguments, as long as the
Blue Grass Boys were the only band playing this music, it was just their unique style; it could not be considered a musical genre until other bands began performing the same style. In 1947
the Stanley Brothers recorded the traditional song "
Molly and Tenbrooks" in the Blue Grass Boys' style, and this could also be pointed to as the beginning of bluegrass as a genre.
It is important to note that bluegrass is not and never was
folk music under a strict definition; however, the topical and narrative themes of many bluegrass songs are highly reminiscent of "folk music". In fact many songs that are widely considered to be bluegrass are older works legitimately classified as folk or old-time performed in a bluegrass style. From its earliest days to today, bluegrass has been recorded and performed by professional musicians. Although amateur bluegrass musicians and trends such as "parking lot picking" are too important to be ignored, it is professional musicians who have set the direction of the genre. While bluegrass is not folk music in the strictest sense, the interplay between bluegrass music and other folk forms has been studied. Folklorist Dr. Neil Rosenberg, for example, shows that most devoted bluegrass fans and musicians are familiar with traditional folk songs and old-time music and that these songs are often played at shows and festivals.
First generation
First generation bluegrass musicians dominated the genre from its beginnings in the mid-1940s through the mid-1960s. This group generally consists of those who were playing during the "Golden Age" in the 1950s, including
Bill Monroe and his
Blue Grass Boys, the
Stanley Brothers,
Lester Flatt &
Earl Scruggs with the
Foggy Mountain Boys,
Reno and Smiley,
Lonesome Pine Fiddlers,
Jim & Jesse,
Jimmy Martin and the
Osborne Brothers,
Mac Wiseman,
Mac Martin and the Dixie Travelers,
Carl Story and his Rambling Mountaineers,
Buzz Busby, The
Lilly Brothers,
Jim Eanes and
Earl Taylor.
Second generation
Bluegrass's second generation came to prominence in the mid- to late-1960s, although many of the second generation musicians were playing (often at young ages) in first generation bands prior to this. Among the most prominent second generation musicians are
The Dillards,
J. D. Crowe,
Doyle Lawson,
Sam Bush,
John Hartford,
Norman Blake,
Frank Wakefield,
Harley "Red" Allen,
Bill Keith,
Del McCoury and
Tony Rice. With the second generation came a growth in
progressive bluegrass, as exemplified by second generation bands such as the
The Country Gentlemen,
New Grass Revival,
Seldom Scene, The
Kentucky Colonels. In that vein, first-generation bluegrass fiddler
Vassar Clements, mandolin virtuoso
David Grisman,
Grateful Dead frontman
Jerry Garcia (on banjo) and
Peter Rowan as lead vocalist collaborated on the album ''
Old and in the Way''; the Garcia connection helped to expose progressive and traditional bluegrass to a
rock music audience.
Third generation
The third generation in bluegrass reached primacy in the mid-1980s. Third generation bluegrass saw a number of notable changes from the music played in previous years. In several regards, this generation saw a redefinition of "mainstream bluegrass." Increased availability of high-quality sound equipment led to each band member being miked independently, and a "wall of sound" style developed (exemplified by
IIIrd Tyme Out and
Lonesome River Band). Following the example set by Tony Rice, lead guitar playing became more common (and more elaborate). An electric bass became a generally, but not universally, accepted alternative to the traditional acoustic bass, though electrification of other instruments continued to meet resistance outside progressive circles. Nontraditional chord progressions also became more widely accepted. On the other hand, this generation saw a renaissance of more traditional songs, played in the newer style. The
Johnson Mountain Boys were one of the decade's most popular touring groups, and played strictly
traditional bluegrass.
Fourth generation
It could be argued that a fourth generation of bluegrass musicians is beginning to appear, marked by a high level of technical skill. Although it is too soon to see definite trends, one of the most notable fourth generation musician to emerge so far is probably
Chris Thile, who has recorded five solo albums since he was 13.
Recent developments
Since the late 1990s, several mainstream
country musicians have recorded bluegrass albums.
Ricky Skaggs, who began as a bluegrass musician and crossed over to mainstream country in the 1980s, returned to bluegrass in 1996, and since then has recorded several bluegrass albums and tours with his bluegrass band
Kentucky Thunder. Around the same time, country music superstars
Dolly Parton and
Patty Loveless have both released several bluegrass albums. Along with the Coen Brothers' movie, ''
O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' and the subsequent "Down From the Mountain" music tour, this has brought bluegrass music to a much wider audience. Meanwhile, bands such as the
Yonder Mountain String Band in the United States, and
Druhá Tráva in the Czech Republic have attracted large audiences while pushing at the edges of
progressive bluegrass.
Though she is often considered a crossover or mainstream country artist, no discussion of recent developments in bluegrass music would be complete without mention of
Alison Krauss. A vocalist/fiddler whose first album was released when she was just 16, Krauss and her band, Union Station, were major contributors to the soundtrack of ''O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' As a solo artist, collaborator, producer and with Union Station, Krauss has won, as of 2006, 20 Grammy Awards, the most of any female artist in history. She is now tied for 7th place on the all-time winners list.
Other notable recent bluegrass bands
Cherryholmes, a family act that combines exquisite instrumental and singing talents with a style that remains reminiscent of traditional bluegrass
The Grascals, a bluegrass band that has recently formed is beginning to gain wide recognition, and
Mountain Heart which was formed as a traditional bluegrass band by former members of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver and Alison Krauss and Union Station, but has become one of the more progressive and innovative groups of the time.
Subgenres
In addition to what might be considered "mainstream" bluegrass, which has gradually changed over the last 60 years, three major subgenres have existed almost since the music's beginning.
Traditional bluegrass
:''Main article:
Traditional bluegrass.''
Traditional bluegrass, as the name implies, emphasizes the traditional elements. Traditional bluegrass musicians are likely to play folk songs, songs with simple traditional chord progressions, and use only acoustic instruments. They generally follow the pattern set by
Bill Monroe and the
Bluegrass Boys in the late 1940's. In the early years, traditional bluegrass sometimes included instruments no longer accepted in mainstream bluegrass, such as washboards, mouth harps, and
harmonicas. Traditional bands may use bluegrass instruments in slightly different ways (claw-hammer style of banjo playing, or multiple guitars or fiddles within a band). In this sub-genre, the guitar rarely takes the lead (the notable exception being
gospel songs), remaining a rhythm instrument. Melodies and lyrics tend to be simple, and a I-IV-V chord pattern is very common.
Nationally popular traditional bluegrass bands include
Ricky Skaggs and
Kentucky Thunder,
Dan Paisley and
the Southern Grass,
Ralph Stanley and the
Clinch Mountain Boys,
James King Band and arguably,
Larry Sparks and the
Lonesome Ramblers and The
Del McCoury Band.
Progressive bluegrass
:''Main article:
Progressive bluegrass.''
Another major subgenre is
progressive bluegrass, roughly synonymous with "newgrass" (the latter term is attributed to
New Grass Revival member Ebo Walker). Progressive bluegrass came to widespread attention in the late 1960s and 1970s, as some groups began using electric instruments and importing songs from other genres (particularly rock & roll). However, progressive bluegrass can be traced back to one of the earliest bluegrass bands. A brief listen to the banjo and bass duets
Earl Scruggs played even in the earliest days of the
Foggy Mountain Boys give a hint of wild chord progressions to come. The four key distinguishing elements (not always all present) of progressive bluegrass are instrumentation (frequently including electric instruments, drums, piano, and more), songs imported (or styles imitated) from other genres, chord progressions, and lengthy "
jam band"-style improvisation.
String Cheese Incident is a good example of a band that occasionally coordinates a bluegrass tune mixed with a jam band feeling (especially original tunes like "Dudley's Kitchen"). A twist on this genre is the combining of elements that preceded bluegrass, such as old-time string band music, with bluegrass music. Imagine that, for instance, you add a
clawhammer banjo (an archaic style that preceded the bluegrass banjo style of Earl Scruggs) to bluegrass arrangements as played by
Mark Johnson ("Clawgrass" music) and
Dick Kimmel.
Bluegrass Gospel
Although nearly all bluegrass artists regularly incorporate gospel music into their repertoire, "
Bluegrass Gospel" has emerged as a third subgenre. Distinctive elements of this style of bluegrass music include lyrics focused on
Christian faith and theology, soulful three or four part
harmony singing, and occasionally subdued
instrumentals.
A cappella choruses are popular with
bluegrass gospel artists, though the harmony structure differs somewhat from standard "barber-shop" or choir singing. Although some "mainstream" bluegrass artists such as
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and
Third Tyme Out have produced extraordinary bluegrass gospel music, others, such as
Mount Zion and
The Churchmen have chosen to focus on it exclusively.
Social and musical impact
Bluegrass in movies
★ ''
Cold Mountain''
★ ''
O Brother, Where Art Thou?''
★ ''
★ ''
That High Lonesome Sound''
★ ''High Lonesome: the Story of Bluegrass Music'' (documentary)
★ ''The Ralph Stanley Story'' (documentary)
★ ''Bill Monroe: the Father of Bluegrass'' (documentary)
★ ''
Deliverance''
★ ''
Harlan County, USA''
★ ''
Bonnie and Clyde''
★ ''
Bluegrass Journey'' (documentary)
★ ''
Publications
★
Bluegrass Festival Guide [1]
★
Bluegrass Unlimited [2]
★
Flatpicking Guitar Magazine [3]
★
Bluegrass Now [4]
★ Bluegrass Works
[5], a bluegrass webzine
★
Banjo Newsletter [6]
★
Bluegrass Europe [7]
★
Moonshiner (Japanese)
[8]
★
Women in Bluegrass Newsletter (has suspended publication)
[9]
★
Bluegrass Music Profiles [10]
★
British Bluegrass News [11]
Opera and theater
★ The Original Bluegrass Opera of Detroit
[12]
Museums
★
International Bluegrass Music Museum [13] Owensboro, Kentucky
★
Bill Monroe Museum [14] Rosine, Kentucky
★
Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Country Star Museum [15] Bean Blossom, Indiana
★
Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Center [16] Clintwood, Virginia
★
The Crooked Road - Virginia's Music Heritage Trail [17]
★
The Bluegrass Bus Museum [18] Nashville, Tennessee
References
★ Kingsbury, Paul (2004). ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music: The Ultimate Guide to the Music''. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-517608-1.
★ Rosenberg, Neil (1985). ''Bluegrass: A History''. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0-252-00265-2.
★ van der Merwe, Peter (1989). ''Origins of the Popular Style: The Antecedents of Twentieth-Century Popular Music''. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-316121-4.
External links
★
International Bluegrass Music Association
★
Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America
★
bgrass-L: the bluegrass listserv
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