Category: Bluegrass Music

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Bluegrass Music

More on the IBMA World of Bluegrass (and a short note on Tex)

The list of performers for the IBMA World of Bluegrass fan fair this year has been set, and all of the performances will be streamed online. You can go to www.ibma.org for the list.

According to what IBMA Executive Director Paul Schiminger states, many of these performances have already been filmed. So, one will be watching a “live” performance that is not actually live. I can understand some of the reasoning for this, specifically that no one can trust the streaming online, with possible freeze-ups and blackouts. Well, that is what you can expect when a lot of people will be watching it online for free.

Free? Well, according to the press release, all of the viewing of performances are free IF you have a Swapcard. Trying to find out what Swapcard truly does is like doing a scavenger hunt. Swapcard is some business headquartered in France that allows a person to attend scheduled conferences and events through its app. Some things are free, like networking with other Swapcard members, but there is a $7.00 surcharge for attending other online events. That’s about all that I found out on the surface. To find out more, you have to JOIN Swapcard and get the app. Gee, that sort of sounds like Nancy Pelosi telling us Congress needed to pass the Obamacare bill before we could see what was exactly in the bill.

Fact of Life #1: NOTHING IS FREE. I do not care what Bernie Sanders tells you! Whenever you are told that something is free, you will pay for it eventually, whether it be through money and taxes, or with some of your precious time, or your legacy after you have passed on, or your sanity. I am truly suspicious of any organization telling you that something is free but only if you have a certain app on your phone/computer. That app will make you pay, either with money or by slamming you with pop-up ads that can never go away unless you pay to have those removed (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, the list goes on). If anyone out there can give me a simple and complete explanation of Swapcard, I would welcome it!

So, in short, you will be paying for pre-recorded performances that are probably not much different than those that the artists put on their YouTube or Facebook channels. I understand that the IBMA (as well as a few other music business associations) want to stay in touch and relevant with its membership. However, everyone is in the same boat with the Coronavirus pandemic. Artists have found ways to perform online with a tip-jar situation. Why is the IBMA making it so confusing to attend a virtual performance (I ranted about attending the IBMA business conference in a previous blog)? On the surface, it just makes me want to participate even less than before (which was a big NO).

On a final non-related note, I just learned that Alan “Tex” Booker, a long-time resident of my city of Hamtrmack, passed away recently. If there ever was a definition for “character,” one only had to look at Tex. He would be seen wandering the streets of town with his cowboy hat and T-shirt marked SECURITY during celebrations such as the Hamtramck Festival (which would be on Labor Day weekend, but of course was cancelled) and Paczaki Day. Every store owner knew him. He was a pain in the butt many times, but his heart was there. He will surely be missed by those who love Hamtramck. Rest in Peace, Tex.

Chew on it and comment.

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Bluegrass Music

The Earls of Leicester IS a Tribute Band

A few years ago, when I was still part of Leadership Bluegrass, I was involved in an online discussion with other members about bluegrass bands performing original versus cover material. The discussion led to the band the Earls of Leicester. I stated that I would compare what they are doing to what tribute bands like Beatlemania are doing. I then received lots of backlash for my statement, after which I asked what the Earls are doing in relationship to Flatt & Scruggs compared to what Beatlemania (or any other Beatles tribute band) is doing with the Beatles’ music and image.

I never got a definitive answer, only that it is a different situation. I stood by my statement, and still do. I left Leadership Bluegrass shortly thereafter for other reasons. However, this is just one of many ideas that leaders in the bluegrass industry tend to keep a closed mind to. What’s wrong with the Earls being labeled a tribute band?

Dobroist Jerry Douglas purposely formed the Earls as a tribute to the 1950s-era lineup of Flatt & Scruggs. The members of the Earls also serve in other bands doing original material. The Earls dress the part, play only those songs that F&S did during that time, and even take on the vocal inflections of the original singers. The Earls won the IBMA Entertainer of the Year Award at least once, and for good reason – they are extremely entertaining! However, to put them in the same category as, say, the Del McCoury Band, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, or Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder is apples and oranges. These other bands are performing mostly original material with a traditional sound. It would be wrong to think of the Earls as moving bluegrass into new territory.

The original
The tribute

There is nothing wrong with tribute bands. Besides the Beatles and Elvis, there are hundreds of other tribute bands imitating (aurally and visually) such artists as the Rolling Stones, the Smiths, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead, Frank Sinatra and many others. These tribute bands give the audience a different kind of escape. They help some people remember what it was like with a past musical experience, or show off to others what they may have missed the first time it came around. They are living versions of old photographs or concert films. They are imitators, many excellent at what they do, but are not originals. For the most part, they accept that.

The problem is when I see professionals in the bluegrass music industry, those who should realize the importance of their positions as they relate to bluegrass music fans, that do not look at if from this perspective. The Earls won a Grammy a few years back. Why? A recording of a dozen or so songs originally done by F&S re-done nuance for nuance like the original should not be considered pushing the genre forward. Yes, the Bluegrass category for the Grammys is not that big of a deal in the overall music industry, and those that voted most likely didn’t recognize the other nominees. But part of that is the fault of the promoting from within the bluegrass industry.

I hope that promoters of bluegrass will start looking at originality as a major factor in giving attention to bluegrass talent. It is the one way that others will see how much we want bluegrass to be a viable and competitive format going forward.

Chew on it and comment.

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Bluegrass Music

Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine Changes Hands

Earlier this month, it was announced that the Bluegrass Hall of Fame would be taking over publishing duties of Bluegrass Unlimited starting with the November 2020 issue. Ever since the passing of long-time publisher of Pete Kuykendall back in 2017, his wife Kitsy has held the reins and is eager to see this transfer come to fruition. This looks to be a good fit, as the HOF has the resources to provide historical input as well as knowledge of the audience that would read the magazine.

I know for a fact that running a business like a magazine is treacherous. I have written for a number of magazines over the years, and many of them no longer exist. Knowing the readership is probably the most important factor for keeping a magazine alive. I was a regular contributor to a magazine called Bluegrass Now years ago. It was probably the closest competition to BU. It was bi-monthly, but had a much more glossy appearance to it than BU. Unfortunately, the print costs forced BN to go online only in 2008, which led to the publication’s complete demise a short time later.

BU has a unique position in the magazine world. Its subject coverage (bluegrass music) is a niche/boutique audience. It can’t compete with other music magazines like Rolling Stone, but it doesn’t need to. It is a specialized reference for bluegrass music to other parties. It puts out special issues each year dedicated to musical instrument manufacturers, a festival guide, and an artist talent directory. Each regular issue has about five articles on either performers or venues/events, a Q&A section assisting reader inquiries, and a short “in the news” section. They also occasionally publish a “letters to the editor” section when space allows. There are a lot of advertisements, especially from festivals. Of course, with those events being cancelled during the Coronavirus, page count with BU has been down most of this year. In short, it is a comfortable read for the audience it is intended to meet.

My only real complaint about BU is the coverage of artists over the years. It seems that when you get the latest copy, the cover story is about a performer that they just did a story on within the past two years. The editorial end always feels like it is in its own comfort zone and doesn’t want to step out of it unless it is absolutely necessary. As BU is the primary resource on bluegrass music to the masses, it has so much opportunity to knock down walls and introduce its audience to new and innovative bluegrass talent. Putting a new voice in bluegrass on the cover would show that the editors and publisher have their ear to the ground and want to not only see the format continue, but also to grow even more.

At this point, it looks as though BU is being put into good hands. I hope that the new editorial staff considers the potential power that they have with the magazine and becomes more innovative than ever before. With the decline in paper publications due to access online, it will be an even greater challenge. Let’s hope they are up to the task.

Chew on it and comment.

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Bluegrass Music

The IBMA Virtual Conference – Really? Really???

Even though I am no longer a member of the International Bluegrass Music Association, I still get regular emails from it regarding monthly activities and, of course, an invite to register for the annual World of Bluegrass conference. This year, due to the Coronavirus, the conference is being held virtually.

Now the IBMA knows that it could never get away with charging the usual $300 or so that it would cost for a normal in-person conference. The cost this year is $99 for members and $149 for non-members for the Business Conference portion (which is the only portion that I ever attended anyway). But what do you really get for that cost?

Well, you will get to “virtually” attend a number of seminars dealing with the business end of bluegrass music. Great, but with everyone lately doing the work-from-home option and connecting to meetings through Zoom or some other online conference application, the World Wide Web can only handle so much. The chances of crashes are extremely high. Additionally, the opportunities to ask questions and get an answer back is highly unlikely.

One of the regular activities at WOB every year is the Gig Fair, which artists do a speed-dating style of interaction with booking agents and event organizers to secure gigs for the upcoming year. I am wondering how well this will go by trying to do it over the internet instead of speaking with people face-to-face and physically handing out press kits.

However, the one concept that I have the most problems with is the Virtual Exhibit Hall. During a normal conference at WOB, dozens of musical instrument manufacturers, festival organizers, record companies and artists set up display tables in a hall and allow attendees to try out new products and talk with the band members. It is a VERY physical experience! Many attendees love to try out a new guitar or banjo, shake hands with a bluegrass performer, and grab up a bunch of free swag. With the virtual aspect, that has all disappeared. Now everything will be only available to see on the computer screen. But … the IBMA still plans to charge exhibitors $300 to $400 to appear at the Vitrual Exhibit Hall.

Seriously? Something that can be done on the manufacturer’s website, such as product questions, price guides and feedback, the IBMA is going to charge a few hundred bucks for them to do at its virtual conference? I am sure that there will be a few that will succumb to this “virtual” pick-pocketing, but I am sure that there will be many others that will opt out just for the reason that it seems ridiculous.

I am sure that there will be enough people to register for the virtual business conference for the IBMA to not lose a lot of money, perhaps even make a few bucks from it. However, for whom is this all benefitting? The WOB always served as a great networking opportunity as well as a chance for fans to get up close to their favorite bluegrass artists. The virtual idea seems only like an opportunity for someone to take someone else for granted.

The IBMA is losing touch with its original objectives and philosophies more as each year passes. The Coronavirus has screwed up everyone’s normal schedule and lifestyle. We all need to adapt. The IBMA should also remember that the bluegrass artists, event organizers, and managers went broke this summer due to cancelled shows. It should have swallowed its pride and postponed the conference for this year, or perhaps moved it up to the late Winter/early Spring of 2021 when the world may have a better handle on the virus. Instead, it continues to think only of itself and its progressive ideas. While I miss many people that I have networked with in my previous trips to the WOB conferences, I seriously feel that I am not losing anything by not attending them any more.

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Bluegrass Music

Nuns Performing Bluegrass and Diversity

Scanning through other WordPress blogs, I came across this and it melted my heart:

They are the Sister Servants of the Eternal Word. Their convent is the Casa Maria Retreat House in Birmingham, Alabama. They have a number of prayer and inspirational videos on their website (https://sisterservants.org/), but this one takes the cake as far as inspirational AND toe-tapping.

It makes me think about bluegrass music and its religious connections. While so much of bluegrass Gospel music comes from the Baptist and Methodist themes, a song like “I’ll Fly Away” seems to have no religious border, especially with the Judeo-Christian sects. I have heard this song and “Down to the River to Pray” (both are heard on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack) in a Roman Catholic church that I have attended. I have also heard other songs with Southern Gospel leanings during Catholic mass. Of course, a song like “Amazing Grace” cuts across all barriers and is performed regularly even in secular settings, along with Hank Williams’ classic “I Saw the Light.”

It got me to thinking. The International Bluegrass Music Association has been going crazy with implementing diversity into its fold. They are trying to attract more minorities, including women, African-Americans, and the LGBTQ-whatever else to listen to and perform bluegrass music. This sucking up to the liberal fold is one of the reasons that I left the IBMA – worrying more about who they don’t have listening to the music instead of supporting those that do listen. So, how would they react to a group of Roman Catholic nuns performing bluegrass music? Would that be “diverse” enough for them, or would it be something that they could not handle? In my honest opinion, they would probably ignore it or even purposely brush it off due to the Catholic Church’s views on certain topics.

The IBMA has changed dramatically in the past five years. The people in charge seem to be more concerned with being part of a political move toward the left rather than promoting and preserving the original ideals of the music. Bluegrass music was always firmly rooted in Christian values, and those have gone by the wayside in order to appease the vocal leftists. Bill Monroe is probably turning over in his grave.

As for me, I do hope that the Sister Servants do consider putting out such a bluegrass album in the future.

Chew on it and comment.

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Bluegrass Music

A Brief Look at Bluegrass Fake Books

Today, internet connection is as common in life as the toilet. You can get any information that you seek (whether it is reliable or not) with a few keystrokes and the power of Google. However, a bit more than a decade ago, people still relied on old-fashioned books. Yes, there are still old fogies like me that like to read from the paper pages instead of the computer screen.

Beginner bluegrass musicians appreciate any help that they can get to comfortably jam with others at a festival or other get-together. That means if he/she doesn’t have a mentor readily available to explain chord changes, one had to secure a fake book. If you don’t know what a fake book is, well, it is a book that contains a large number of songs, usually appearing in musical notation as well as lyrics and chord changes. There are still a lot of these out there and available in print. I still have my copy called, appropriately, Bluegrass Fakebook by Bert Casey (available from www.cvls.com), which is one of the most popular. It shows its age, with pages falling out and the cover worn to almost nothing. While I consider myself to have a good ear and able to predict chord changes confidently, I still love having the book around for reference to lyrics and those songs that I am not too familiar with.

These days, you can find the words, chord charts, musical notation, and even lists of artists that recorded the songs with a quick search online. If you have a printer, you can create your own fake book. I’ve seen some people store all of the songs on iPads and take the device to the jam sessions. Hey, whatever works!

While I recommend everyone having some form of fake book, especially beginners, the problem that I always had with the ones published were the choice of songs contained within. While about half of the songs are pretty standard, the other half in the books seem to be personal choices of the author(s). This can vary from modern bluegrass songs, country songs that sound familiar, or even pop and rock songs that someone thought would make a great bluegrass song (and after one performance, they don’t!). One also has to be observant of the key that the music notation and tablature is presented. I have found a number of instances where a popular bluegrass song that was recorded by Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, or any other well-known artist in a common key of G, A, Bb or C, is presented in the book in the key of Eb or F. Why?

The best way to learn dozens of bluegrass songs is playing along with them. Whether you are working with a recording or sitting in on a jam, your ear will give you the best instruction. Getting familiar with common chord progressions and knowing where to put a capo in the case of a key change are essential to working well in a jam or even performing in a band on a regular basis. While you may start working on original material with a band, bluegrass music is one of those genres that knowing and jamming on old standards is a part of normal life. Whether you buy one or create your own, have a fake book in your arsenal and give it a regular workout. While I am one that promotes original music, there’s nothing wrong with sitting down and jamming on “Wabash Cannonball” or “High On a Mountain” with some fellow musicians when the chance arises.

Chew on it and comment.

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bluegrass bass Bluegrass Music

My Charlie Daniels Memory /Bluegrass Bass Part 4.1

Last week, the music world lost a legend when Charlie Daniels passed away from complication of a stroke on July 6. There have been hundreds of blogs and tributes on Charlie, so I hope that you don’t mind if I throw in my thoughts and history.

I can still remember hearing “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” on just about EVERY radio station in Detroit! Country stations, rock stations, and Top-40 stations were all playing it. You could not help but love the song. It was a great storyline, the fiddle playing was plain crazy, and that gravelish voice was one that cut through skin. Charlie was the true connection between country and rock music, more than Hank Jr or Skynyrd. You knew that there was a good time when a Charlie Daniels show was scheduled. I went to one and was drained afterwards. I still remember the baseball caps and T-shirts that were in every truck stop during the 70s: “I party with the Daniels – Jack and Charlie!”

My sort-of connection with Charlie came in the mid 90s. I was sending out some demos of my band at the time to various record companies. Back in the day, you sent out a query letter, included a return postcard that they could reply with a yes or no on your stamp, and if they said yes, you sent off a cassette. I sent off probably a hundred or so, and one of the few that wrote back with interest was Blue Hat Records, Charlie Daniels’ private label. They were interested in hearing us, so I sent off a tape. A few weeks went by, and I got back a letter saying that they were not interested, signed by Charlie. I wish that I could find that letter, I know that I kept it.

Charlie was a true gentleman, and he will be missed. His first love was bluegrass music (his first band as a kid), but his long-time love was the USA. I hope that he knows that there are still people out there playing the fiddle breaks from “Devil.” He will never be forgotten.

I was looking over my bluegrass bass blogs a few days ago, and I forgot to mention what can be used for an amplifier until you secure a proper one.

Since most of us listen to music through our iPhones or computer, we have most likely relegated the old home stereo system to storage in the basement or garage (if it wasn’t thrown out in the garbage). If you still have it, then put it to use again! Check the back of the receiver/amplifier to see if there is an input marked AUX, TAPE IN, or PHONO. If so, you can plug your guitar cord into one of these inputs by using an adapter that converts a 1/4-inch plug to an RCA phono plug. You can probably get one of these from an audio store, I’m sure you can order one off of the internet (I do miss the old Radio Shack stores). Check which channel you plug into, Left or Right, and that should coincide with that channel’s speaker output.

NOTE: Turn the volume all of the way down before plugging in or turning the stereo on. The speakers for home stereos are not designed for musical instruments, and you could blow the speaker. Also, you will notice that the overall volume is quite low unless you are using a PHONO input that has a built-in preamp. You may also need to cut back on the bass tone control so as not to distort the speaker. You can also use the headphone jack to listen without disturbing others.

This setup should suffice for a while until you secure a decent portable amp. BTW, if you have the proper cords and adapters, you may be able to run the bass through one channel and plug your iPod/iPhone or even a CD player through the other channel and play along with songs.

Chew on it and comment.

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Bluegrass Music

New Grass Revival and The Johnson Mountain Boys

So the 2020 International Bluegrass Music Association’s 31st Annual Awards nominees have been announced. I won’t go into them big here; you can take a look at them at https://bluegrasstoday.com/2020-ibma-award-nominees-announced/ . However, one thing that I do want to address is the Hall of Fame inductees, specifically two of the three that truly deserve more recognition than they have gotten from the bluegrass community.

First is New Grass Revival. Sam Bush started this band back in the early 1970s, and while there have been a number of great musicians that have served time in the group, its most famous lineup is of mandolinist Bush, bassist John Cowan, banjoist Bela Fleck, and guitarist Pat Flynn. During their tenure in the band, these guys made listeners from all different genres come to love bluegrass! They were amazing soloists, Cowan and Bush sang like their lives depended on it, and they could kick anyone’s ass when it came to live performances! Their audiences ranged from old traditionalists to mohawked punk rockers. Leon Russell took them on tour with him in 1980. Each album they put out reflected their approach with one foot in old school, the other foot aimed at the moon! What other band could cover Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t That Peculiar” and Bill Monroe’s “Wicked Path of Sin” and make it all sound like their own as well as showing respect to each original artist? They gave the progressive “newgrass” format a whole lotta class!

Unfortunately, they decided to call it quits in 1989, right when they finally achieved some chart success with “Callin’ Baton Rouge.” Garth Brooks respected them so much that he asked the band to regroup for his 1993 recording of the song.

Their 1986 self-titled album is still in heavy rotation on my CD player and is definitely one of my Top 20 of all time favorites. Their original albums are hard to come by, even in used bins. There are a few different “Best Of” compilations floating around, so be sure to grab one if you don’t have anything by NGR.

Second is the Johnson Mountain Boys. What NGR was to progressive bluegrass in the 1980s, the Johnson Mountain Boys was to neo-traditional bluegrass. While other bands were dressing casual in blue jeans on stage, the Boys dressed as if they stepped out of a time machine from the 1940s. They approached each of their songs, whether it was an original or a cover, with the same attitude that Bill Monroe or Flatt & Scruggs would use. Formed in the mid-1970s by guitarist/vocalist Dudley Connell, other notable members included Eddie Stubbs on fiddle, Tom Adams on banjo, David McLaughlin on mandolin and Marshall Wilborn on bass. Like NGR, they had their big break about the time they decided to break up when their live album At the Old Schoolhouse was nominated for a Grammy in 1988. Fortunately, they re-formed a little while later and recorded another Grammy-nominated album Blue Diamond in 1993 before calling it quits for a second time.

After the 1996 final breakup, members secured various music jobs. Connell works with the Seldom Scene as well as worked for Folkway Records. Eddie Stubbs still handles the weekday evening hours DJ-ing on WSM in Nashville. The band was signed to Rounder Records, a label that respects all of its artists, so fortunately music of the Boys’ back catalog is still available. Anyone wanting to know how to effectively cover a bluegrass standard and not make it sound amateurish should listen to an album from the Johnson Mountain Boys.

Chew on it and comment. Have a good 4th of July!

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Bluegrass Fiddle Bluegrass Music

My Favorite Beginner Fiddle Books

When I started writing for Fiddler back in 2012, after two or three articles, I figured that I better actually learn a bit about the fiddle so that I knew what questions to ask and not be confused when an artist or luthier mentioned some strange term. I played guitar, bass, and mandolin at the time, dabbled a wee bit on dobro, and looked at a banjo that I owned more than touched it.

I purchased a student model with soft case off of eBay for about $42.00, and from the stories that I later heard, I lucked out. The 4/4 model was no Strad, but the nut was properly cut, the bridge was satisfactory (I purchased a better one about a year later), and it was definitely playable. While it was able enough to kick out a jig or reel, I sure the heck was not! I picked up some books and videos, then tried my best to hack through a few old-time tunes. I was able to play about a dozen songs without too much squawks, but due to matters beyond my control, I let the fiddle practice slip away a little while after my bridge replacement.

Fast forward to about a year ago. I haven’t been living in my own house due to caregiving my elderly mother. Little by little, I found that I had time on my hands, though not enough to drive back to my house to make use. So among the items I brought over to mom’s place was the fiddle and books. I also started following some YouTube videos for instruction, and found one gent who calls himself Fiddlehed (www.fiddlehed.com) that was quite entertaining with his instruction. One suggestion he made a few months ago stuck with me – pick up your fiddle every day, even if it is just for a minute or two to drag the bow across an open string. That regimen stuck with me, as before I would play for an hour or so once a week. Now, I found myself doing 20 minutes or so every day, and it is part of my daily schedule just as morning exercise or evening dinner is. Plus, it has made me love playing the fiddle!

I pulled out the old lesson books and started from scratch. Lots of rust in many spots, but a few bright spots as well. I want to talk about the four instruction books that I have used for my lessons, which I recommend (in no particular order). I got them years ago when they came with play-along CDs. I believe all are still available, but you have to download the audio tracks from the websites on three of them.

My First Fiddle Picking Songs by Steve Kaufman and Conny Ottway (www.melbay.com) – Very easy to follow. It does not take too long until you start diving into easy songs. The accompanying CD has all of the songs played at a slow speed. Unfortunately, while there are short instructions on the musical notes and where they appear on the fingerboard and music staff, once the songs start appearing, you have to know where to finger as well as the notes on the staff. Also, there is no guitar chord markings on the songs for someone to follow along.

The American Fiddle Method Volumes 1 and 2 by Brian Wicklund (www.melbay.com) – This is probably my favorite of the lot! Wicklund has a good sense of humor, supplementing the lessons with cartoon drawings and witty thoughts. Like the other basic books, it covers the parts of the fiddle and how to position the hands. His instruction mirrors Mark O’Connor’s teaching philosophy, where you jump right into a popular fiddle tune that makes people dance (“Boil ‘em Cabbage Down”). With each new song comes a new technique, and all of the songs are fun (you can conjure up only minimal smiles for perfecting “Twinkle, Twinkle” taught through the Suzuki method). He also covers slides, drones and double stops, which is what makes this style of fiddling unique. Volume 2 continues with even more old-time and bluegrass fiddle tunes for intermediate players. There are also videos available for both books.

Fiddle Primer for Beginners by Jim Tolles (www.cvls.com) – This one is probably the most basic of the books listed. A lot more coverage of the rudiments on bowing and hand positions. It also moves slower, so if you are complete beginner that has no musical experience whatsoever, this may prove to be a good starter. There is also a companion video, and a very similar book (about 90% in content) entitled Violin Primer for Beginners by Tolles as well.

Bluegrass Jamming on Fiddle by Wayne Erbsen (www.nativeground.com) – This is a lot less of a beginner instructional book and more of a fiddle tune compendium and a simple way to play them (it even states in the introduction that this book is for those who have their feet wet, or at least “moist”) . Erbsen is laid back in his presentation, and gives some great information on bluegrass history. The music staff and tablature are a bit confusing compared to other books, so it takes some time to figure out. However, the songs are more bluegrass jam-centric than the other books, and he includes chord charts for the popular fiddle tunes. Erbsen is old school, so he still includes a CD with the book. He does have a beginner book called Old-Time Fiddle for the Complete Ignoramus.

The first three books listed have a lot of the same songs (“Soldier’s Joy,” “Old Joe Clark,” “Cripple Creek”), but it is interesting to see the variants of them. As I have all three books, I like to pull ideas from each one (i.e., whichever looks easiest) and work out my own version. What all of them do have in common is that they shy away from teaching via the Suzuki method, which may be fine for a three-year old but is monotonous to an older student.

I have enjoyed getting back to the fiddle, and still keep in touch with a few former co-workers that were also beginner fiddlers. In many ways, I could kick myself for thinking that the violin was a sissy instrument back in grade school, taking up saxophone instead and failing miserably. Perhaps by the time I was a teen, along with playing in high school orchestra, I would have been skilled at “Jerusalem Ridge” and found a great bluegrass band to work with.

Here’s “Forked Deer,” performed by Brian Wicklund. The music staff and notations appear in The American Fiddler Method Volume 2.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

Where is the Next Bluegrass Generation?

This weekend I attended a meeting for the Southeast Michigan Bluegrass Music Association (http://www.smbluegrass.org/). While discussing elections of new board members, we talked about the age relevance of the membership. Of those attending, I was one of the youngest at the meeting, and I’m 55 years old!

Why aren’t younger music fans attracted to bluegrass? There are a lot of negative factors, I suppose. It is not like there are not enough young bluegrass players making names for themselves. Molly Tuttle, Billy Strings and Sierra Hull are three of many that come to mind. However, it also matters how the older crowd reacts to them as well as how they are promoted within the community. The three above can easily perform any bluegrass standard asked of them, but they also look outside of the box, performing more progressive forms of bluegrass, which traditionalists tend to shun. A tree that is not allowed to grow will eventually die.

I have mentioned the Junior Appalachian Musician program (www.jamkids.org) in an earlier blog, and I must say, this program has its ear to the ground! Right now, JAM has satellite programs throughout the Tennessee/Virginia/South Carolina/North Carolina area. However, programs like this need to be in other areas of the country where bluegrass is popular (Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, Northeast, California). Young students would truly appreciate people who take the time to teach them music as well as encourage them to learn about their culture.

It could be that bluegrass still has that stigma of being “old folks music.” The stigma is heightened usually by these older people turning a cold shoulder to the younger crowd. I used to see it a lot when I attended a monthly jam session in Flint, Michigan years ago. I haven’t been there in years, and hopefully the attitude has changed. But in all honesty, I don’t see much of that “transfer of knowledge” from older generations to the next. I am always reminded of that scene from Fahrenheit 451 in which an older man on his deathbed is reciting the book that he memorized to a child so that the child can continue the book’s importance.

How many older bluegrass musicians are actually sitting down with a youngster to show him/her the beauty of the bluegrass sound on a guitar, banjo, or mandolin? Does apathy live in the senior, the youngster, or both? One can learn to play an instrument from hundreds of videos, either purchased or on YouTube. There are thousands of teachers at music stores. Of course, that costs money, and are you getting a bluegrass guitar teacher or one that teaches rock, jazz, blues, classical and other genres? Whatever happened to the joy of seeing a student successfully learn and play an old folk or bluegrass song and that serving as payment received?

With the Coronavirus pandemic still hanging above our heads, festivals that include workshops are pretty much cancelled for the summer and into the fall. Social distancing is another thorn in the side as far as teaching music. We cannot let these evils kill any enthusiasm that may come from an interested youngster with bluegrass music. We need to do what we can to encourage the younger generation that appreciates bluegrass music. It could be free basic lessons, free performances, showing them a bluegrass documentary and helping with references, setting up jam sessions just for kids, but mainly, showing how great the music really is.

It is rare that these youngsters will actively search out bluegrass mentors. They have that comfort zone of sitting in a basement and playing video games when not in school. We as the mentors have to be the active ones! Make yourself available, look for ways to get their attention (flyers posted at music stores or strip mall bulletin boards), reward those kids that DO show an interest and improve on themselves. These kids will decide the future of bluegrass music.

With that said, I want you to see this video of my friend Brittany Haas, along with Lauren Rioux, showcasing a young fiddler named Claire.

Chew on it and comment.

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