From: v_abadie@cox.net   
      
   Alex wrote:   
      
   >Wait a second -   
   >   
   >A bluegrass band needs to center around a fiddle?   
   >   
   >The mandolin is a secondary instrument?   
   >   
   >Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but isn't bluegrass named after one Bill   
   >Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys?   
   >   
   >Now, I don't know if a bluegrass get's it's 'grassiness' from the   
   >instruments on stage, the music played, or the musicians (though I'd   
   >lean towards the latter).  But if you need one basic element it HAS to   
   >be the mandolin.   
   >   
   >You don't have to center the band around the mandolin (or any other   
   >single instrument - it should center around the best/most charismatic   
   >player).  But you can have bluegrass without a banjo.  You can have   
   >bluegrass without a guitar.  You can have bluegrass without a fiddle or   
   >bass.   
   >   
   >But if you don't have a mandolin?  All you have then is country.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   Alex,   
   I'm guess you're a mando player? :-)   
   While the style is named after Bill Monroe's band, and he, of course,   
   was THE mandolin player, I do not feel the mandolin is essetial. I play   
   a little mandolin and mostly banjo, and unlike many banjo players, I   
   also do not feel banjo is essential. I just think the music sounds   
   better with both.   
   Musical styles evolve. Interpretations evolve. I've heard what I would   
   consider to be good bluegrass that actually incorporated /electric/   
   guitar, piano, dulcimer, and other non-standard bluegrass instruments.   
   Of course, I wouldn't let them into /my band/, but ya know... :-)   
   Vince   
      
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