Category: Bluegrass Music

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Bluegrass Guitar Bluegrass Music

Josh Williams: Bluegrass Instrumental Genius

More cleaning around my soon-to-be sold house, I came across a great DVD. Guitarmageddon: Josh Williams, Andy Falco and Chris Eldridge Live at the Station Inn. This was recorded around 2007, was put out by Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, and the three of them look young and energetic. If you get a chance to watch or purchase this DVD, or come across clips on YouTube, be sure to watch it!

This got me to thinking about Josh Williams again and what an amazing bluegrass musician he truly is. If you ever get to see the 1994 documentary Gather at the River: A Bluegrass Celebration, which covers the 1993 IBMA World of Bluegrass convention, you will see the first incarnation of Pete Wernick’s Young Bluegrass All-Stars. This band included very young versions of Williams (on banjo), Chris Thile (mandolin), Cody Kilby (guitar) and Michael Cleveland (fiddle), all of whom went on to bigger fame in the bluegrass community. Williams would later join Special Consensus on mandolin, then spend a good deal of time playing guitar with Rhonda Vincent and The Rage. He would also win the IBMA Guitar Player of the Year award three times!

He would leave The Rage due to some addiction troubles, but would form a solo band, as well as sit in with a number of bluegrass and country artists. Around 2008, I got a call from Jim Lauderdale asking if I would pick up Williams from the Detroit Metro Airport and drive him to a gig in Grand Rapids, about three hours away. I agreed, but then we hit one of the worst snowstorms in west Michigan, so the three hours turned to about six hours. Moreover, Williams was in a depressed mood due to the untimely death of mandolinist Butch Baldassari earlier that day. But we kept in touch for a while (I would always refer to him as “Colonel,” due to his home state of Kentucky), but slowly lost contact.

Williams would eventually kick the addiction habit and get back to performing with Rhonda Vincent for a few more years, as well as tour on a Tony Rice package. A few years back, he decided to leave touring completely, citing spending more time with his family. His output since then has been very sparse, but fortunately, he has not been forgotten by those that have worked with him in the past and are still active.

I bring Williams up now for a few good reasons. Currently, we have some great young guitarists in the bluegrass fold, most notably Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle. I am taking nothing away from these two – I find them both as incredibly talented players. However, there were some amazing bluegrass flatpickers in the previous generation of bluegrass that has slowly been forgotten. As for the Guitarmageddon video, Eldridge gained cred performing with The Punch Brothers, and Falco has been a highlight of the band The Infamous Stringdusters. Williams should not be forgotten at all. His body of work with Special C, Rhonda Vincent, and solo projects prove that he is a fantastic instrumentalist to be highly recognized on his own.

I have found a few videos of him on YouTube recently, showing up for a jam at the Acoustic Shoppe with members of The Chapmans, and performing on some tribute projects. I hope to get in touch with him soon, but I hope more that he can get back on stage a lot in the near future to showcase what a talent he really is.

Chew on it and comment.

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Bluegrass Music Music Instruction

Bluegrass School Instruction?

I came across another article this past week regarding teaching music to children. This one is from a blog that is posted on the Alfred Music website (https://www.alfred.com/blog/tips-starting-elementary-guitar-program/). Alfred Music is similar to Hal Leonard and Mel Bay, in that they produce hundreds of books and videos on musical instrument instruction. However, its focus is much more toward educational programs, covering a wider variety of instruments (strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, etc.), and setting up actual teacher/student paths.

The blog brings up some interesting thoughts for teaching guitar-centric curriculum to younger students. Some say that it is hard for a young person to learn guitar. The author states that he has had continual success with young students. My thought is that getting them to be interested in the instrument at a young age is the best bet for continued interest, not just as a hobby but perhaps as a possible profession. The struggle is getting young students to be disciplined in practice and progressing. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, distractions are aplenty, mostly coming from social media and video games. Playing video games is easy, but the teacher (or parent) needs to instill the idea that there is no long-term satisfaction with winning a video game, yet progressing on a musical instrument has tons of rewards.

The Alfred blog looks at setting up an actual guitar instruction classroom. It mentions the initial (and follow-up) cost of having everyone in class secure a guitar. It is very unlikely that in a class of about 25 elementary students, every one of them will afford a decent acoustic guitar, and it is even more unlikely that someone like Billy Strings will donate guitars to a school (https://bluegrasstoday.com/billy-strings-donates-guitars-to-all-the-students-at-his-former-school/). Thinking way back to my elementary school days, the music program consisted of everyone in 4th grade being taught basic instrumental music theory by purchasing a cheap recorder/flutophone (which one or two students’ parents even passed on), learning the basics, then moving on to some regular instrument such as trumpet, snare drum, violin, etc. While I wanted to pursue drums at the time, my parents only gave me one choice – play the old saxophone that my brother ditched, or nothing at all. After two years, I lost interest in it completely. I took an interest in guitar (particularly, bass guitar) at 15, played in my cousin’s oldies band, and went from there, much to my parents’ dismay.

The blog suggests that to cover some costs, the teacher/students/parents could resort to fundraising. Now this blog was written in 2018, pre-pandemic, and these days, people a lot more conscious of where their money goes. If anything, considering setting up such a project will require a lot a research. First, seeing if it is feasible – if enough kids would be interested in such a program in one classroom. Personally, I think that it would be unlikely, but perhaps an after-school project for an entire school would work.

Interest may also be gathered by presenting a music performance at the school by a local or touring bluegrass band. A lot of bluegrass bands have an educational program. The best initial place to find out this information is when Bluegrass Unlimited magazine publishes its Annual Talent Directory (https://bluegrassunlimited.com/article/2022-talent-directory/). Bands will note in their listing if they provide educational programs. While most kids will probably be fidgety during performance, there will most likely be a few that will take interest in learning an instrument. Maybe a few will not be interested in guitar but another instrument like bass, banjo, mandolin, or fiddle.

There are a few other suggestions within the Alfred blog to look over that I will not cover here. I recommend reading the article. If serious about starting a music program within a school, you may consider securing the instructional books that Alfred offers entitled Sound Innovations for Elementary Class Guitar (https://www.alfred.com/sound-innovations-elementary-class-guitar-overview/). I am certain that a quality basic program in elementary school can lead to a bluegrass-oriented program in middle or high school. If I could turn back my personal hands of time and stuck with using my high-school teaching degree, I would have been motivated to set up some form of bluegrass/folk music club at the school at which I was working. As one can see form my past blogs, I am very interested in getting young people to be interested in performing acoustic music, particularly bluegrass music.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music Live Music

Where Have All of the Bluegrass Fans Gone?

Last evening, I went to the Kentuckians of Michigan Lodge in Romulus, Michigan to see Fast Track, a bluegrass band consisting of players formerly of the Bluegrass Cardinals, Continental Divide, and the Rarely Herd to name a few. The lodge and association are known in the local bluegrass community for hosting many touring bluegrass acts as well as some local country artists.

Now bluegrass shows are not that common in the Detroit area, and with summer coming to a close, area festivals are not readily available. Add to that many festivals have permanently closed up. So when a bluegrass show is available, one would think that there would be a decent crowd.

Unfortunately, the audience number was sparse. Maybe 50 people, including a few lodge staff members. Now there a few factors that affected the low attendance. The show was booked only a few weeks ago, as Fast Track was actually heading to Ontario for a festival during the weekend and probably wanted to squeeze in a Friday night show where they could. Also, the K of M does not heavily promote the shows that they present, usually just posting the announcement on its website and Facebook page.

However, good bluegrass fans keep their eyes open and their ears to the ground. I don’t have a Facebook page, but I still check the internet at least once per week for shows in my area. While I haven’t been to The Ark in Ann Arbor since before the pandemic, I still check out the website to see what is coming up.

And that leads to another problem – the pandemic. That was over two years of panic among the masses, the closing of venues, banning socializing, and loss of personal communication. With that, people stopped going to see bands, especially at smaller venues, and bands stopped touring, either limiting performances to internet streaming or even disbanding due to no income. When the COVID bans were lifted, people had found other entertainment, basically continuing to stay at home.

Oh, there were live shows to go see. However, it strikes me that people will not go to a small bluegrass (or most any other music format) show for $15.00, yet will pay hundreds/thousands of dollars to go see Taylor Swift at a nosebleed seat and be surrounded by thousands of sweaty, heavy-breathing individuals holding up their iPhones to film this moment. Now, I will be the first to say that I am glad that someone like Billy Strings can fill a large venue and give a fantastic live performance. He is a phenomenal guitarist, and humbly pays tribute to his bluegrass roots during his shows. But how many of these “bluegrass” fans will then go to a local venue in the next few weeks to go see a touring bluegrass band like Fast Track? Probably close to zero.

The post-pandemic apathy of music fans has driven another nail into the live-music coffin. Instead of people going out to spend a few bucks to see what is happening on the music scene, the thought is to save up a few week’s wages to go see that one special act that everyone is talking about. Back when I was in punk and alt-rock bands in the 80s, we used to go to plenty of shows to see what bands were out there, thinking that we may be witnessing the next-big-thing in one of these dives. Today, we wait for the media to tell us what is good and what we should spend out money on. This concept has always been around, but it has exploded over the past few years.

Other than Billy, Rhonda Vincent, and a very few other bluegrass acts, most bluegrass performers have other jobs, and only tour during most weekends. I am sure all of them would love to be making a living playing the music that they love, but it is near impossible, and a lot of it has to do with the music-loving(?) public. The same liberal people that claim there should be a more fair distribution of wealth will make sure that Taylor Swift is a multi-millionaire while so many talented musicians still have to paint houses, dig ditches, and bartend.

Bluegrass fans take note: While I am glad that you helped someone like Billy Strings achieve big success, you should also take the time to search out smaller bluegrass shows, especially ones that are not at festivals, in your area and attend those as well. And you Billy Strings fans that think you know bluegrass music, then how about going out and seeing other bands, especially the more traditional ones. Billy would be the first to tell you that.

Chew on it and comment.

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Bluegrass Music Music Instruction

Keeping Young Bluegrass Musicians Motivated

Last week, this article popped up on the Google search page: https://www.guitarworld.com/features/how-to-keep-your-kids-interested-in-playing-guitar . As expected with Google and its spying, I get a lot of articles related to music, and most of them I tend to ignore. However, this article piqued my curiosity, and after reading it, saw that it had some good information.

While the article leans toward young electric guitar players and keeping them interested in continuing to play, the information presented can be used to motivate young musicians of any instrument, including bluegrass instruments. Young people get interested in the fun of playing guitar, mandolin, or fiddle, especially when they see other young bluegrass musicians on stage getting a lot of attention. However, convincing them that regimented practice is what makes success, and informing them that flashy playing doesn’t just come in a few minutes, can be difficult. Moreover, there are a lot of other distractions, including video games and social media. The article makes some great suggestions, so let’s go over them an cover how this can work with bluegrass youngsters.

Take them to a gig – Especially during the summer, bluegrass festivals abound. While most seem to be in the mid-east and south of the US, there are many spread out in the northeast, mid-west, and western parts of the country. Add to that folk and old-time fiddle festivals that also showcase instrumental talent. One can stay for just an afternoon or evening, or camp out for the extended weekend. These events give the chance for the youngster to see a number of bands/artists, and bluegrass festivals have that treasure of the band members talking and shaking hands directly with their fans. What could a young musician value more than talking with someone playing the instrument that he/she is starting on? Moreover, many of these festivals have instrument workshops for amateurs to learn a few tricks from the professionals. Do some internet searching for music festivals in your state.

Buy a new piece of gear – What bluegrass musician doesn’t have a capo? Or get the kid a new, better strap. Pay attention to how he/she is playing. Perhaps instead of guitar, let them try a mandolin, or bass. Check with perhaps getting some sort of “jam” recording or video so that he/she has a virtual band to practice with.

Keep the instrument accessible – Instead of putting it in the case after practice, have it on a stand so that it can be easily seen and picked up to practice with at odd times.

Online lessons – In-person lessons always seem to work the best, but they are not always convenient. YouTube, of course, has tons of free lessons, but there are also web sites like ArtistsWorks that have big-time bluegrass guitarists, fiddlers, banjo players, and mandolinists offering in-depth lessons for a subscription. Again, pay attention to what the student needs, then ask around.

Learn with them – An excellent parent/child bonding is to both be learning the instrument at the same time. You can actually learn from each other.

Introduce them to other musicians – As stated earlier, band members at bluegrass festivals totally appreciate their fans, and will spend hours after a performance talking to people, signing CDs, and taking photos. So many of these artist will be flattered to know that a youngster is learning the same instrument, and will usually sit for a few minutes to show a technique or give the kid a guitar pick as a souvenir. Bluegrass musicians are so easily approachable. One of the fun things about staying at festivals overnight are the jam sessions happening as someone’s trailer. It is not uncommon for a person that you just saw on stage earlier come walking up to join in. Also, pay attention to bluegrass bands that have younger players. Cherryholmes was a great family band years back, but today one can see The Petersens, Williamson Branch, and the Cotton Pickin Kids show up at festivals.

Set some fun challenges – Find some songs that might be just a wee bit more difficult than what is currently being worked on, then present them in a short while. Perhaps implement some different types of music into the bluegrass fold. Billy Strings does this a lot, yet still keeps it near the bluegrass idea.

Find the right amount of encouragement – Follow all of these previous concepts, but don’t suffocate the kid, nor push them into hating music. Remember that all kids are different, even within one family, and it is possible that while one child may be a banjo prodigy, the next sibling could not care less about music and wants to play baseball instead. Ask other parents of musically inclined children what has worked for them, and try those ideas out. Just keep tabs on what works, and always be positive with the student’s progress.

Hopefully some of these thoughts will help parents with bluegrass students keep them motivated and produce the next Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, or Sierra Hull.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

SEMBMA Scholarships: Part 2

Back in April, I talked about the youth scholarships that the Southeast Michigan Bluegrass Music Association (SEMBMA) was offering to young students who were interested in studying acoustic music, and how little response the Association had received from kids (https://luegra.design.blog/2023/04/29/youth-scholarships-available-from-sembma/). Well, SEMBMA’s annual picnic and Hall of Honor inductions was earlier this afternoon, and I was able to meet up with head of the Scholarship Committee to discuss the progress.

Prior to this weekend, we were sponsoring only one youth, Dante, on banjo lessons. Our scholarship assistance is helping to pay for lessons from banjo extra ordinaire Kristin Scott Benson, and he has performed on stage with a number of national bluegrass acts, including Appalachian Roadshow and The Kody Norris Show. Money well spent.

Well, the Scholarship Committee has recently received four more applications that we will be considering for sponsorship! One of the applicants is the young girl that I saw perform at last year’s Michigan Old-Time Fiddle Contest in New Boston (https://luegra.design.blog/2022/10/02/the-2022-michigan-old-time-fiddle-contest/). Her name is Belinda, and she is from the Grand Rapids area. It took some time to hunt her down, and her father finally got back to me a few days ago. I was extremely pleased that the family followed up on the suggestion of applying, and from looking at her background, she seem to be highly influenced by old-time music, naming Rhiannon Giddens as one of her influences.

We also received applications from another fiddle player, as well as two youngsters interested in pursuing banjo studies. One of these aspiring banjo players did show up to this afternoon’s picnic and participated in the jam session. While reading the application of the other young banjo player, she listed her three influences as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and the 2nd South Carolina String Band. Wow! There is a name that I haven’t heard in a long while. The 2nd SC String Band goes back to my Civil War reenacting days. They used to perform at a number of national battle reenactments such as Gettysburg and Antietam (maybe someday I will talk more about those days and what I was doing musically then). I am impressed that this young lady not only knew about this band and the type of music that they perform, but claimed it to be an influence.

I am certain that the committee will approve some sort of assistance to all of the new applicants, as they all seem to be determined to learn more about bluegrass, old-time, and other roots-oriented music. It also motivated me to quit slacking off and pick up my guitar again. I do hope that all of them continue to educate themselves on this beautiful genre of music.

I leave you with a classic video from years ago when the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys appeared on The David Letterman Show some years back.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

A “Bluegrass For Dummies” Book?

Continuing to clean my house, I found a book that I bought years ago, Banjo For Dummies by Bill Evans. I tried learning banjo probably 15 years ago, but never fully got the hang of it. I can play one or two tunes slowly, but I’m no Earl Scruggs!

It led me to thinking – Why isn’t there any “Bluegrass Music For Dummies” book? Now to be fair, Evans did put out a follow-up book called Bluegrass Banjo for Dummies. Moreover, there have been books entitled Fiddle For Dummies, Mandolin For Dummies, and Guitar Basics For Dummies. This doesn’t even include any similar books from the Idiot’s Guide or Everything Book series. But why not one dedicated to the music format itself?

What motivated me to think about this is that I also found a book in my collection called The Blues For Dummies. A quick Google search shows that there is also Rock For Dummies, Classical Music For Dummies, and Jazz For Dummies. But no Dummies book for bluegrass (or country music, for that matter).

I have a few of these Dummies books, some of which I would not recommend. The World War II for Dummies by Keith Dickson from 2001 implies that it was the United States’ fault that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. But the musical instrument-related books of the series tend to be quite useful. The music history and theory books are also worthwhile for anyone who is a “dummy” and wants to learn more.

Of course, a few co-workers of mine would say that there is no need for such a book, as only dummies would listen to bluegrass music anyway! However, the bluegrass format seems to roller-coaster in popularity every few years. Films like Bonnie and Clyde in the 1960s, Deliverance in the 70s, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? around 2000 helped push interest, and guitarist Billy Strings has made a lot of young music lovers take notice of bluegrass over the past few years.

I had talked about the need for an updated book on the history of bluegrass music in a previous blog (https://luegra.design.blog/2020/09/18/we-need-a-new-or-updated-bluegrass-history-book/ ), Unfortunately, searching both the Dummies and Idiot’s Guide websites have no way to contact the publishers for submitting an idea. It is something that I may pursue in the near future, since I do see a market for such a book. There is a lot of important history with the progression of popular music that relates to bluegrass music, and a Dummies book may help interested parties to “get” what we bluegrass fans already know.

For a laugh, I leave you with a photo that my good friend Gabby sent me.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music Songwriting

Another Reason That American Songwriter Magazine Sucks

I stopped my subscription to the hard-copy of American Songwriter magazine a few years back. The articles were getting way too politically left leaning. It was like the magazine was trying to compete with Rolling Stone.

A few weeks back, an online article popped up on my computer entitled “10 Bluegrass Songs Everyone Should Know” (https://americansongwriter.com/10-bluegrass-songs-everyone-should-know/). The article is written by Peter Burditt, who seems to be a regular contributor to the magazine and/or website. However, I highly doubt that he is a go-to person when it comes to bluegrass music. A Google search did not find any credible information on the man, unless he is also a financial consultant or a lacross player.

The article chooses the following as “must know” bluegrass songs:

  1. “Dueling Banjos” – Eric Weissberg
  2. “Man of Constant Sorrow” – Dick Burnett
  3. “Blue Moon of Kentucky” – Bill Monroe
  4. “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” – Ada R. Habershon & Charles H. Gabriel
  5. “Rocky Top” – The Osborne Brothers
  6. “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” – Flatt & Scruggs
  7. “Nine Pound Hammer” Unknown
  8. “With Body and Soul” – Bill Monroe
  9. “Tennessee 1949″ – Larry Sparks
  10. “Tortured Tangled Hearts” – The Chicks/The Dixie Chicks

OK, where do I start?

In the article, Burditt states that these are 10 bluegrass songs that you should know. As a writer? As a musician? As a band? As a listener of bluegrass? He never defines that. In all instances, he is off target. Speaking for myself as a fan, musician and writer of bluegrass music, I only see three songs that are “must-know” contenders: Numbers 2, 3, and 5. These have been standards in bluegrass bands for a number of years. I could even go to say that “Man of Constant Sorrow” has not been a contender until the release of the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? back in 2000. It was popular with the Stanley Brothers back in the 1950s and 60s before Carter Stanley passed away, but rarely heard until the movie brought it back to life.

Numbers 1 and 6 are instrumental songs, but “Dueling Banjos” is rarely performed by any bluegrass band. It has become more of a novelty song with bluegrass bands, the musicians joking around when tuning up or between-song banter. There are a lot more popular instrumentals that that one, including “Shucking the Corn,” Orange Blossom Special,” and “Back Up and Push” to name a few.

Number 4: “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” is pretty much a folk standard, and yes, many bluegrass bands perform it. However, it is usually as an unexpected encore or when two or more bands get together on stage to perform. So yes, it is one that bluegrass performers should know, but it is not on a regular set list.

Number 7: “Nine Pound Hammer” is better known by its country-picking version from Merle Travis, and is rarely played among bluegrass bands on stage. Occasionally, you will hear it in jam sessions, so, yes, it is one that you should probably know. That is, if you are looking to do some parking lot jams. If that is the case, then there are a dozen or more jam standards that you should know that are not on this list. I recommend checking out Pete Wernick’s website, where he lists over 100 songs that one usually hears at bluegrass jams (https://wernickmethod.org/jam-favorites).

Number 8: “With Body and Soul” is one that I would consider on a secondary list, not necessarily a “must know.” A few bands do this song justice, and it has a unique chorus, if you can get your tenor singer to do some falsetto on the line That’s how she loves me. Because it is not as common as “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” it does make a nice change of pace when a band does a rendition.

Number 9: Larry Sparks is a modern legend in the bluegrass world. He performed with Ralph Stanley after Carter’s passing, went on his own in the late 1960s, and has been giving us great music ever since. Is “Tennessee 1949” a must-know bluegrass song? Again, probably secondary. Incidentally, this was written by Bill Emerson and Pete Goble, not Sparks. However, Sparks always had a good ear for good songs. When he originally released this song in 1987, it was a bluegrass smash hit, and yes, parking lot jammers started including it in their repertoire. A few bands cover it, but it is not as common as the article makes it out to be. This is a good example of the author trying to make out like he is “in the know” with bluegrass music.

Number 10: Really? REALLY? I have NEVER heard this song played on stage by any bluegrass band, nor have I ever heard it in my years of playing at or listening to multitudes of parking lot jams! Even when jamming with female bluegrass singers, they tend to go for tunes by Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, or Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard. Way more common tunes include Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors” and “Jolene,” or Lucinda Williams’ “Can’t Let Go.” Again, Burditt is trying to look like he is “in the know,” while also being inclusive, which is popular with the Left these days. All that it tells me is that he has probably never attended a bluegrass festival.

So what songs would I include in a Top 10 list? Here are a few:
“Hard Hearted” – Jim & Jesse
“Sunny Side of the Mountain” – Jimmy Martin
“Freeborn Man” – Jimmy Martin
“Salty Dog Blues” – Flatt & Scruggs
“Doing My Time” – Flatt & Scruggs
“Rolling in My Sweet Baby’s Arms” – Flatt & Scruggs
“Thirty Years of Farming” – Fred Eaglesmith/James King
“Dooley” – The Dillards
“Angel Band” – The Stanley Brothers
“Dark Hollow” – Bill Browning/Mac Wiseman/Muleskinner
“East Virginia Blues” – The Carter Family
“Love Please Come Home” – Reno & Smiley
“In the Pines” – Bill Monroe
“Sitting on Top of the World” – Bill Monroe (among others)
“Wabash Cannonball” – Mac Wiseman (among others)

As for instrumentals, before “Dueling Banjos,” I would include standards such as “Bill Cheatham,” “Cripple Creek,” “Whiskey Before Breakfast,” and dozens of other old-time fiddle tunes, as well as the instrumental songs mentioned previously. I am also aware of a few Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Gordon Lightfoot songs that seem a lot more common with jammers than some of what is mentioned by Burditt.

I wrote a blog a few years back on bluegrass fake books (https://luegra.design.blog/2020/07/17/a-brief-look-at-bluegrass-fake-books/). I would recommend checking out Bluegrass Fakebook by Bert Casey for some “must know” bluegrass songs instead of going on the opinion of Peter Burditt. He truly seems like he did very little research on popular bluegrass songs and just googled his way through the article.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

Recommended Book: Bluegrass Odyssey

Here’s another book that I highly recommend, especially if you want to see what the bluegrass music scene was like in the 1960s and 70s. The authors traveled the bluegrass circuit as it was transitioning from the dive-bar circuit to fresh multi-day festivals, and documented the adventure with hundreds of photographs and brief text interludes.

Originally published in 2001, the book has had a number of reprints, mainly due to the historical significance of the photographs held within. There is humor, sorrow, drama, and celebration throughout the pages.

Carl Fleischhauer worked for a number of years as a photo-archivist at the Library of Congress, while Neil V. Rosenberg has served as a professor of folklore at the University of Newfoundland as well as authoring a number of other bluegrass history books. These two knew the importance of the American music format and how it shaped its corner of the music industry. Thus, they embarked on a two-decade journey to ensure that future bluegrass fans would know where the music came from in a visual format.

Chapters include “Intensity,” which looks at the artists dedication to the craft, whether it be Flatt & Scruggs performing at a festival in Ohio or Earl Taylor sweating it out at a bar in Cincinnati.
“Destination” captures the results of the authors’ travels throughout the eastern part of the US, particularly festivals in the Appalachian Mountain region as well as bars in Ohio, Maryland, and Washington DC. This chapter also begins to show where bluegrass hid in other spots, such as barber shops, television repair shops, and musical instrument stores. “Transaction” expands on the locations, including recording studios, radio stations, sale tables at festivals, and backstage at the Grand Ole Opry. “Community” looks at the interactions of musicians, as well as the personal communication that bluegrass artists have with their fan base, which is extremely unique in the music industry. “Family,” of course, looks at the multi-generational family bands that have graced bluegrass stages, including Earl Scruggs and his sons, the Lewis Family, and the Stoneman family. Finally, there is “The Monroe Myth” chapter, which takes a look at the Father of Bluegrass’ work with his band, guesting with other bands, as a festival organizer, and his love for his family.

There are so many important photos within the pages that mark important parts in bluegrass history for the time. A wonderful example is the photo collection of guitar legend Clarence White, performing with a new edition of the Kentucky Colonels at a festival shortly before his tragic death. White had just recently quit the rock band the Byrds to perform again with his brothers because he so missed playing bluegrass. Included is also a photo of Clarence talking to future bluegrass guitarist David Grier, then a young boy, and a picture of the White brothers talking to legendary fiddler Kenny Baker during a Bill Monroe performance.

Yes, there are plenty of big-name bluegrass performers appearing in this book, but there are also a number of local musicians that probably never saw any success, but played for enjoyment and passion. That is what makes bluegrass music so unique – that it survives as a true community.

I highly recommend getting a copy of Bluegrass Odyssey. My current copy is so dog-eared from multiple readings that it has a life of its own. If you are a fan of bluegrass music, this book will give you plenty of reasons to enjoy it when you don’t have your instrument in your hands.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

Jesse McReynolds, Bobby Osborne RIP

I realize that I am about two weeks late on this, but it slipped my mind, and I did want to say a few words about two great bluegrass mandolinists.

Jesse McReynolds passed away on June 23, a few days short of his 94th birthday. I was at the Charlotte Bluegrass Festival at the time when the news came down, and word spread throughout the bands and crowd slowly that afternoon. By the evening, each band that came on stage made a short announcement and dedication.

Jesse performed for over 50 years with his brother Jim as Jim & Jesse. He had a very unique style of mandolin playing. Instead of hard, barking rhythmic strumming and fast single-note leads, he instituted and perfected an arpeggio-style of picking to simulate the picking of a banjo. The duo had a number of hits on the bluesgrass charts, most notably recording an album of Chuck Berry songs in bluegrass style. Jim McReynolds died of cancer in 2002, and Jesse continued on solo, recording with a number of collaborators. He was also a big fan of jam bands, particularly the Grateful Dead, with one of his last recordings being Songs of the Grateful Dead: A Tribute to Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter in 2010. I had the chance to speak with him briefly at an IBMA World of Bluegrass conference back when it was in Nashville, and he was a true, humble gentlemen.

Bobby Osborne passed away on June 27 at the age of 91. With his brother Sonny, they helped bluegrass gain a foothold in the country and pop music world during the 1960s as the Osborne Brothers with the standard “Rocky Top.” The band was well known for pushing the bluegrass barrier, often plugging in their instruments into amplifiers and having a drummer so that they could compete with country bands at outdoor shows. Bobby was also instrumental in having his high tenor voice serve as the lead singer while harmonies were sung in the lower registers. One of his most memorable vocal songs is “Ruby Are You Mad.” in which he holds a falsetto note often throughout the song for a number of seconds. After Sonny’s retirement in 2005 (he passed away in 2021), Bobby continued to perform with his sons as the Rocky Top X-Press. The band performed regularly on the Grand Ole Opry until Bobby’s passing. I also met Bobby at an IBMA World of Bluegrass conference in Nashville, but not the same year as when I met Jesse. Bobby as well was friendly and humble about his work in the bluegrass field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtSNeANMDd4

What will be missed about both of these mandolin players is their love of bluegrass music, the dedication to the art, and how much of an impact that they both had on players of today. Yes, they were in their old age, but it is always heartbreaking when those that were pioneers in the music industry leave us. Ironically, one of the last recordings that these men did was an album together, Masters of the Mandolin. That might be a good one to hunt out.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

Charlotte Bluegrass Festival 2023

Sorry that this blog is a day late, but I spent Friday and Saturday in Charlotte, Michigan for its 51st Annual Bluegrass Festival. I had not been to the Charlotte (pronounced shar-LOT) festival in about 20 years, so this was a renewed experience to say the least. Here are a few positive and negative things that I took home with me.

  • My old age. I’m pushing 60, so there are a lot of things that I could easily do 30 years ago that are impossible today. When I was Civil War reenacting back then, it was nothing for me to camp out in a canvas tent (or if going campaign-style, sleeping out in the open) on rocky ground and finding the nearest tree when nature called. Now, with diabetes and aches almost everywhere, I don’t think that I could spend a night in a trailer, let alone in a tent. Fortunately, there was a reasonably priced hotel just a mile from the festival site. Also, my stomach cannot handle carnival-type food any more, The heartburn-drenched pizza slices and heavy-feeling hot dogs do not sit well with my digestive system. Thank God that I remembered some Pepto Bismol tablets. I’ll be packing my own food next time.
  • Williamson Branch. This is a family band with husband, wife, and three daughters (along with a non-relative banjo player). They are generally good entertainment, with everyone having good singing voices and satisfactory instrumental capabilities. That is, with the exception of the bassist Kadence Williamson. This girl is phenomenal to say the least! She’s 20 years old, looks much younger, and because of her small stature, she does not play a standup bass or even a full-scale electric bass. Her tool is a short-scale Kala 5-string bass, but what she lacks in size she more than makes up for in her playing. She goes way beyond the root-fifth thump heard on most bluegrass songs. No, she is throwing in some marvelous bass lines into each of the band’s songs, many times singing the lead as well. I was absolutely blown away by her. I am definitely going to work on doing a story on this girl! (http://www.williamsonbranch.com/)
  • The David Mayfield Parade. I saw David about a dozen years ago when he was with the Avett Brothers. He has also worked with Mumford & Sons as well as Cadillac Sky. This band is more progressive, in the vein of Grassicana, and the material has a slight Gothic feel to it. However, what makes it special is David’s rapport with his audience. He is like a living marionette, jumping around the stage with acrobatic skill, and his banter between songs is amazing. Everything he says has some sort of punchline, but it is truly intelligent humor. The harmonizing of the vocals is a lot darker than what one would expect from a bluegrass band, but I absolutely loved it. A standout song for me was “Blacksmith at Bull Run.” a Civil War ballad that touched me deeply. I will definitely be keeping track of this band. (http://www.davidmayfieldparade.net)
  • The Kody Norris Show. For anyone wishing to see what it was really like at a Jimmy Martin show, this is the band to see! All four members come onto the stage wearing outlandish Western wear, cowboy hats, boots and all! But they back up their visuals with amazing musicianship. Kody is a great frontman, hillbilly-style singer, and phenomenal flatpicker. His wife Mary Rachel switches between fiddle and mandolin, proving a bluegrass/country expert on both. Hearing banjoist Josiah Tyree perform is like listening to J.D.Crowe back in his younger days. This is a complete show! The band seems to know just about every traditional country and bluegrass song ever written, and can perform them with pure heart. If you see or hear of this band coming into your area, definitely go and see them! (http://www.thekodynorrisshow.com/)
  • Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper. What hasn’t already been said about Michael Cleveland. Twelve-time IBMA Fiddler of the Year Award winner, and he just doesn’t stop! Watching him bow his fiddle is hypnotic. His speed and accuracy is indescribable! I don’t know of anyone that has seen Michael and his/her jaw doesn’t drop. He has a great musical sense of humor, and when he plays either “Orange Blossom Special” or “Lee Highway Blues,” The audience goes crazy! Whether you are a bluegrass fan or not, or even if you are a classical violinist, you must witness Michael Cleveland in your lifetime. (https://michaelclevelandfiddle.com/)
  • Sevillana 2208. I took the guitar to the festival, not to jam (I don’t do that much any more), but to let a few artists try it out. Those that gave it a strum or two included Kody Norris, Josiah Tyree, David Mayfield, and Jamey Pittman (of the Edgar Loudermilk Band). All were quite impressed with the lower-midrange boom in volume as well as the quality that went into the workmanship. I did a blog about this guitar about a year ago (https://luegra.design.blog/2022/07/16/this-dreadnought-needs-to-come-to-the-u-s/) and am trying to convince the manufacturer in China to market it in the US. Hopefully, if I let them know about these four approvals (as well as a few that I sent them previously), they might take some initiative.
Kody Norris
Josiah Tyree
David Mayfield
Jamey Pittman

I wasn’t able to attend on Thursday, but hopefully, I can do all three days next year. My schedule is filled at work until Christmas time, so that’s about it for me this summer. I’m still planning on SPBGMA in Nashville in January!

Chew on it and comment.

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