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Bluegrass music

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Musical genres, styles,
eras and events

   Bluegrass
   Stylistic origins: Country music, Scots-Irish Folk , English Folk
   Appalachian folk music, Blues, Jazz
   Cultural origins: Mid to late 1940s US
   Typical instruments: Fiddle, banjo, acoustic guitar, mandolin, dobro,
   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
   Subgenres
   Progressive bluegrass - Traditional bluegrass
   Fusion genres
   Jam band
   Regional scenes
   Czech Republic
   Other topics
   Musicians - Hall of Honour

   Bluegrass music is considered a form of American roots music with its
   own roots in English, Irish and Scottish traditional music. The name of
   the genre is derived from the Blue Grass Boys, the name of Bill
   Monroe's band. Inspired by immigrants from the British Isles
   (particularly the Scots-Irish immigrants of Appalachia), as well as the
   music of rural African-Americans, jazz, and blues. Like jazz, bluegrass
   is played with each melody instrument switching off, playing improvised
   solos in turn 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 carried the lead throughout while the others provide
   accompaniment.

Characteristics

Instrumentation

   Bluegrass artists use a variety of stringed instruments to create a
   unique sound.
   Enlarge
   Bluegrass artists use a variety of stringed instruments to create a
   unique sound.

   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 abandonded by those groups (in
   favour 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 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, the distinguishing characteristics of
   bluegrass include vocal harmonies featuring two, three, or four parts,
   often featuring a dissonant or modal sound in the highest voice (see
   modal frame); an emphasis on traditional songs, often with sentimental
   or religious themes. 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.

History

Creation

   Bluegrass as a style developed during the mid 1940s. Because of war
   rationing, recording was limited during this time, and the best we can
   say is that bluegrass was not played before World War II, and it was
   being played after. 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 a 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 a 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, the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, Jim and Jesse, the Osborne
   Brothers, Mac Martin and the Dixie Travellers, and Jimmy Martin.

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, 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, and Del McCoury and
   the Dixie Pals. 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 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 rennaissance of more
   traditional songs, played in the newer style.

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, 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 are the Earl Brothers, who write
   innovative music that remains evocative of bluegrass and old-time
   tradition, and Colorado's Open Road, a traditional-sounding band with
   original material.

Subgenres

   In addition to what might be considered "mainstream" bluegrass, which
   has gradually changed over the last 60 years, two major subgenres have
   existed almost since the music's beginning.

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. 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.

Progressive bluegrass

   The other 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.

Social and musical impact

Bluegrass in movies

     * Cold Mountain (film)
     * 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 Unlimited
     * Bluegrass Now
     * Bluegrass Works , a bluegrass webzine
     * [Banjo Newsletter]
     * [Bluegrass Europe]
     * International Bluegrass
     * Moonshiner (Japanese)
     * Women in Bluegrass Newsletter (has suspended publication)
     * Bluegrass Music Profiles

Museums

     * International Bluegrass Music Museum Owensboro, Kentucky
     * Bill Monroe Museum Rosine, Kentucky
     * Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Country Star Museum Bean
       Blossom, Indiana
     * Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Centre
       Clintwood, Virginia

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluegrass_music"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
