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.

Categories
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
Acoustic Guitars Music Stores Old-Time Fiddle

Yard Sales, Fiddle Conventions, Elderly Instruments

Last weekend I did my yearly trek to two of my favorite ventures – the Michigan Avenue World’s Longest Yard Sale and the Michigan Fiddlers Association Fiddlers’ Convention. Before this year, the Fiddlers’ Convention was held in Hillsdale, so I could take Michigan Avenue all the way from Saline to Hillsdale to see the fiddling as well as do some yard sale shopping. This year, the convention was moved to Hastings (west of Lansing), so I ended up taking Friday off of work and doing each activity on separate days. Rain was predicted both Friday and Saturday, so here’s how it went.

Friday: The morning started off sunny, but I was frustrated with being stuck in traffic for an hour due to construction on Michigan Ave. and US-23. Once moving, I was able to stop in a few places that set up tables in quaint towns such as Clinton, Allen, and Quincy. My first stop led me to an old garage full of antique/junk toys, games, and nick-nacks. While I passed on almost all of it, I did get something that brought back memories of a when I was a kid – salt and pepper shakers that look like vintage Squirt soda pop bottles. Totally going up on a shelf in the kitchen.

About the time that I reached Quincy (a few miles east of Coldwater), the skies were starting to turn dark, so I figured to head back toward home. I was primarily looking for music-related items, but almost everything that was in that category was priced way too high, even if I was able to barter down some. However, I was able to secure a used Applause AE-32 acoustic/electric guitar for a decent price.. For the unfamiliar, Applause guitars were put out by Kaman in the late 1970s to be a lower-end version of the popular Ovation acoustic guitar series. The main difference was a laminated top instead of a solid top. Other than that, most everything was the same. I was never a big fan of these guitars due to the rounded molded-plastic back/sides that made them difficult to play while balanced on the lap sitting, requiring a strap and standing up to hold. Bringing it home, I tested it out and it still had a good sound unplugged, also being clean and loud when plugged into an amp. While it seems like a good guitar, I plan on just cleaning it up and selling it off, hopefully making a few bucks in the process. Fortunately, I did beat the rain making it home.

And I did make a pit stop at Randy’s BBQ near the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. It is a trailer where they make some of the best pulled pork barbeque you have ever tasted. Every year I stop by and order a Godzilla sandwich, which consists of pulled pork, pulled chicken, brisket, mac & cheese, cole slaw, and pickles on a bun! I literally starved myself all day because I knew that I would be devouring one of these in the afternoon.

Saturday: This day went a lot worse in so many ways. First off, getting to Hastings is not an easy task. I used to go to a park near Hastings every June for a Civil War reenactment. I had forgotten how many two-lane roads with police cars shooting radar there were along the way. No, I didn’t get busted, but I kept my eye on the speedometer almost all of the way there and back.

As soon as I pulled up to the campground where the convention was, Mother Nature let out a storm that made you want to start building an ark! It kept going on and off for over an hour. I was able to catch most of the fiddle workshop and jam session under the pavilion. I had attempted to video some of the activities, but the video camera that I was using was brand new and my first time using it, so I was unfamiliar with the set-up. The result was absolute garbage! Live and learn. I have to say that the workshop leader, a left-handed fiddler named Dave Langdon, has a great demeanor with the students, being very patient and hands-on with learning each part of a song.

After some time at the convention, I decided to head to Lansing for a stop at Elderly Instruments. This place used to be a Mecca for me prior to the pandemic. I would either schedule time off from work or make a clean slate on Saturdays to make the trip and spend a few hours testing out guitars and thumbing through the room full of CDs, videos, and music books. When I walked into the store, I was extremely disappointed. A lot has changed at the place in three years. What was once a room full of books and CDs was now limited to two or three bins each. The videos were completely gone, most likely due to the lack of interest in hard-copy videos and the move to online instruction. It was all replaced with walls of ukeleles – not my favorite stringed instrument to be sure. They still had the Martin guitar room, but the violin room was converted to a left-handed instrument room. It just didn’t have the same appeal to me as a whole than it did a few years back. I should have sensed that it would be a disappointment when I checked out the website earlier this year and noticed that there was a lot less being offered. I guess that my trips to the store will be extremely rare, only if I should happen to be in the area and the store is open at that time. No going-out-of-the-way trips for me any more.

Because of that, I will be scouting around for other music stores to make the trips to in the future.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Americana Music

Robbie Robertson RIP

Robbie Robertson, the guitarist and songwriter for The Band, passed away on August 9th from complications of prostate cancer. Anyone that knows me knows that The Band is one of my all-time favorite bands, EVER! There was a reason that no one argued that these guys called themselves The Band. They could play anything, as a group, and they fit in with anyone.

With the passing of each member, starting with Richard Manuel in 1986, I continually had a piece of my soul ripped out. I was able to see Rick Danko at a live solo show shortly before he died in 1999 (strangely, a few days before he had passed, he played The Ark in Ann Arbor, and signed one of the green room walls with the statement “I’m not feeling well”). If I were to say the one bassist that my style was most like, it was Rick.

I was also able to catch Levon Helm perform at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville a day prior to one of the Americana Music Association’s annual conference in 2008. Even though the original band had broken up in 1976 as seen in the triumphant film The Last Waltz, one could tell in Levon’s performance that there was still a piece of The Band in his heart.

I remember also watching the 1989 Juno Awards (the Canadian equivalent to the Grammys) on the Windsor station that we could watch here in Detroit. Robbie, Rick, and Garth Hudson (along with Richard’s children) accepted the Hall of Fame award, then the three performed “The Weight” with Blue Rodeo (another of my all-time favorite bands) backing them up.

The breakup of The Band had a lot to do with songwriting control. Many of the songs, especially all of them on their self-titled second album, were credited to Robbie. Other members, especially Levon, claimed that they had contributed to the compositions. Levon wrote about it in his autobiography This Wheel’s On Fire, and held that grudge to his death. For Robbie’s part, he often admitted that other members threw in ideas. Like The Beatles, the members of The Band became too close, like a family, and had their family arguments, which led to a divorce.

I always had respect for Robbie’s guitar playing. It was totally underrated by rock music listeners, but fellow musicians often praised his six-string work. Bob Dylan (who often worked with The Band), George Harrison, and Eric Clapton are just a few fans. In fact, Robbie was able to not only keep up with Clapton in a guitar duel in The Last Waltz, but even jumped in fast when Clapton’s guitar strap broke so there was no dead air. Robbie was humble about his guitar work, but I will always be in awe of his simple but effective intro to “The Weight.”

Robbie was a fan of film, and became good friends with The Last Waltz director Martin Scorsese. He would handle the soundtracks for a number of Scorsese’s films as well as other films. However, one of the best outputs I loved from Robbie was his 1987 self-titled solo release. Although he was from Toronto, his mother had Native-American roots, and his passion for this ancestry shows up in the music. He also secured some amazing talent to record with him, such as U2, Peter Gabriel, The BoDeans, and Maria McKee. Both Gorth and Rick also appeared on the album.

While I always had a leaning toward Levon as far as who was my favorite member, all of the members of The Band mean a lot to me. That includes Robbie, who was more than just a cog in the machine. His work in The Band helped make it the forefathers of the Americana music genre (no one can deny that “The Weight” is the Americana national anthem), and he will never be forgotten by those who understand how important his work was. This weekend, I plan on watching The Last Waltz.

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
Musical Instruments

The Shredneck: Pass On It!

Today, I’m going to recommend a product NOT to purchase, unless you can really understand the purpose of it and are willing to ignore all of its faults.

A few weeks back, I picked up the Shredneck Low Rider 4-string bass neck. Mind you, I did not pay full price (thank God!), but got it off of eBay. This is a product for musicians to practice fretting and fingerpicking exercises when it is not convenience to have a regular bass guitar handy, such as at the office, waiting in a car, or other cramped situations (I dunno, doing a constitutional in the bathroom?). The Shredneck is about 18 inches long, has the four bass strings (Note: the company also makes 6-string guitar models) with a nut, bridge and tuners, and a fingerboard that consists of the first six frets of a full-scale 34-inch bass guitar neck.

Have you figured out the problem with this yet? Here it goes – the frets are set up as if this were a 34-inch neck, but the actual “neck” on this item is less than 18 inches. In short (no pun intended), the fretting of these strings will not match the note that is expected. For example, on a regular bass guitar, the frets are set up so that when you press your finger down on the fretboard, it will create the note intended according to the scale of the bass, be it 30- or 34-inch scale. On the low E string, if you press your finger down on the first fret, the F note will sound. The next fret will sound F#, the next fret will sound G, and so on.

However, because of the set-up on this Shredneck, fretting on the E string first fret creates a note somewhere between F# and G. The second fret creates a note somewhere around Bb. The same problem goes for all four of the strings. The fretwork on this product should have compensated for the scale length. Instead, you have some contraption that, when fretted, sound like some weird musical instrument that perhaps Mr. Spock would have played on Star Trek.

The Shredneck also puts normal-gauge bass guitar strings on the piece. The result is that the strings never stay in tune anyways, so even open strings never sound the same way twice. The tuning machines are decent, but if you should pluck a sting a bit hard, you can hear the pitch fluctuate. It sounds more like when you stretch out a rubber band and pluck it, then stretch it back and forth a little to get that wobbly sound.

There is very little positive about the Shredneck other than its portability. I surfed around on YouTube for some reviews of it, but there weren’t much, and most of them are a few years old. The selling point seems to be that you can practice fretting-hand work and finger picking. I would think that you can noodle around on something like this, but how can you tell if you are improving if the notes are not correct according to the fret? It seems unproductive. Even bassist Billy Sheehan, while trying to promote the Shredneck, admits that you shouldn’t listen to what you are doing on it (he introduces it at the beginning, but talks about it more about 3:00 in).

Looking around the internet, there are a few other products that are similar to the Shredneck but do a better job. In conclusion, pass on this!

Chew on it and comment.

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