bluegrass

 

any species of the large and widely distributed genus Poa, chiefly range and pasture grasses of economic importance in temperate and cool regions. In general, bluegrasses are perennial with fine-leaved foliage that is bluish green in some species. One of the best known and most important is the sod-forming Kentucky bluegrass, or June grass (P. pratensis), believed to have been introduced from the Old World and now widely naturalized in the United States; Kentucky is known as the Bluegrass State because this species is so prevalent there. Others are rough bluegrass (P. trivialis), used for shady lawns; Sandberg bluegrass (P. secunda), the most common native species; and big bluegrass (P. ampla), an important range grass. Bluegrass is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Liliopsida, order Cyperales, family Gramineae.

Bluegrass
Stylistic origins:	Country music, Scots-Irish Folk , Appalachian folk music, Blues, Jazz
Cultural origins:	Mid to late 1940s US
Typical instruments:	Fiddle, banjo, acoustic guitar, mandolin, resonator guitar, and upright bass
Mainstream popularity:	originally Southeast United States, but now pockets of popularity throughout U.S., and in locales as diverse as the Czech Republic and Japan, along with strong support in the northern European countries.
Subgenres
Progressive bluegrass - Traditional bluegrass
Fusion genres
Jam band
Regional scenes
Czech Republic
Other topics
Musicians - Hall of Honor

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 Appalachian), 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 electrical instruments.

Characteristics

Instrumentation

Unlike mainstream country music, bluegrass relies mostly on acoustic stringed instruments. The fiddle, five string banjo, acoustic guitar, mandolin, and upright bass are often 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, washboard, 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 that 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 considered the key moment in the development of this genre. Monroe's 1945 to 1948 band, which featured Scruggs, singer-guitarist Lester Flatt, fiddler Chubby Wise and bassist Howard Watts, also known as "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 style until other bands began performing in similar fashion. 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 style.

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 style. While bluegrass is not folk music in that strict sense, the interplay between bluegrass music and 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

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 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, Alison Krauss is a prominent contemporary bluegrass star. A vocalist-fiddler whose first album was released when she was just 16 years old, Krauss and her band, Union Station, were major contributors to the soundtrack of O Brother, Where Art Thou? As a solo artist, collaborator, and producer, Krauss has won (with Union Station), as of 2006, 20 Grammy Awards, the most of any female artist in history. She is now tied for seventh on the all-time winners list.

Other notable recent bluegrass bands Cherryholmes, The Grascals, and Mountain Heart. It is also need to be noted that the Grascals and Cherryholmes play more traditional bluegrass than progressive bluegrass, the term has been coined that these bands are neo-traditional bluegrass.

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?
• King of Bluegrass: The Life and Times of Jimmy Martin
• 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.
• Where to find Bluegrass jam sessions.
• Bluegrass Country, all-bluegrass music Internet radio.
• Bluegrass Radio, all-bluegrass music Internet radio.

Bluegrass music
Typical instruments	acoustic guitar · banjo · resonator guitar · fiddle · mandolin · upright bass
Stylistic origins	blues · country music · folk music
Sub- and fusion genres	traditional bluegrass · progressive bluegrass · bluegrass gospel · jam band
Notable festivals	High Sierra Music Festival · Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Festival · Telluride Bluegrass Festival
Other	International Bluegrass Music Museum
Category · Portal · Project

American roots music
African American music • Appalachian/old-time • Blues (Ragtime) • Cajun music • Country (Honky tonk and Bluegrass) • Folk music revival (1950s/'60s) • Jazz (Dixieland) • Native American • Spirituals and Gospel • Swamp pop • Tejano • Zydeco

Country music • Country genres
Bakersfield sound • Bluegrass • Close harmony • Country blues • Honky tonk • Lubbock sound • Nashville sound • New Traditionalists • Outlaw country • Australian country music • Alternative country • Country pop • Country rock • Psychobilly • Rockabilly • Country-rap

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