From: gcmccoury@yahoo.com
Make that "Del McCoury" who happens to be 68 years old today - Happy
Birthday uncle Del!
FYI: Some history is as follows:
The Monroe Brothers were one of the most popular duet teams of the 1920s and
into the 1930s. Charlie played the guitar, Bill played the mandolin and they
sang duets in harmony. When the brothers split up as a team in 1938, both
went on to form their own bands. Since Bill was a native of Kentucky, the
Bluegrass State, he decided to call his band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass
Boys.
Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry
in 1939. Bill's new band was different from other traditional country music
bands of the time because of its hard driving and powerful sound, utilizing
traditional acoustic instruments and featuring highly distinctive vocal
harmonies. After *experimenting* with various instrumental combinations
(including accordion), Bill settled on mandolin, banjo, fiddle, guitar and
bass as the format for his band.
While many fans of Bluegrass music date the genre back to 1939, when
Monroe formed his first Blue Grass Boys band, most believe that the classic
Bluegrass sound came of age in 1946, shortly after Earl Scruggs joined the
band. Equally influential in the classic 1946 line-up of the Blue Grass
Boys were Lester Flatt on guitar and lead vocals, Chubby Wise on fiddle and
Howard Watts on the doghouse bass.
Initially, Monroe's music was simply called "country", "mountain" or
"hillbilly" music. By the 1950s, people began referring to this style of
music as "bluegrass" music primarily associating the music with Bill's band
name/home state. Therefore, the term bluegrass was not really used until
well after the genre was defined by Monroe.
The following bands will give you a good introduction to Bluegrass music:
Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys, Lester Flatt/Earl Scruggs & the Foggy
Mountain Boys, Jimmy Martin & the Sunny Mountain Boys, Don Reno/Red Smiley
& the Tennesee Cutups, The Stanley Brothers, The Osborne Brothers, Jim &
Jesse McReynolds and The Country Gentlemen. This is certainly not a
complete list but it will give you a good introduction to the sound of
traditional Bluegrass music.
Yet another $.02 worth from a Bluegrass music fan since in the womb...
"Steve C" wrote in message
news:tIadndu76Msv9V_YnZ2dnUVZ_oernZ2d@comcast.com...
> "B" is exactly right....Sugerhill Records, for one, is a GREAT place to
> start.
> I would also recommend Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour (woodsongs.com)
> which broadcasts "live" every Monday night at 7 p.m. (video and audio
> feed) E.S.T..Quite often Michael (the host) has Bluegrass genré folks.
> Our local Boarders Book Store has just moved into the area, and I was
> pleased to see that THEY had a "Bluegrass" section.
> Some recommended artists would be:
>
> Dawg
> Frank Wakefield
> Flatt & Scruggs
> Bill Monroe
> Alison Kraus
> Ricky Skaggs
> Tony Rice
> Chris Thile
> Del McCourey (sp?)
> The Dry Branch Fire Squad
> Seldom Scene
>
> and many, many more.....
> "Good Luck!!"
> -Steve in CT
>
> Harold Robbins wrote:
>> Don't own many bluegrass albums, but I have a problem. Most of the
>> stores I go to do not have a "bluegrass section". I have to browse the
>> Country section to find bluegrass. Unfortunately not a lot of the CDs
>> are labeled "Bluegrass". Can't go by performer alone, because some
>> performers sneak in the closet to play bluegrass.
>>
>> I don't understand that! I think bluegrass is at least as good as
>> country. How can I find more bluegrass albums in stores? Anyone know of
>> any external clues?
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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