XPost: rec.music.country.old-time   
   From: dwsanderson685@adelphia.net   
      
   Brad Sondahl wrote:   
      
   > When it comes to performing groups, they can try any combination they   
   > like, and the market will decide, and eventually musical history will   
   > record what was more successful and less.  That's how bluegrass   
   > differentiated itself from both Old-time and country and western...   
   > I remember I was pretty put off by the Red Clay Ramblers when they   
   > appeared using trumpet and piano, in spite of some of their fine old   
   > time fiddling.   
   >   
   > Brad Sondahl   
      
   Well, some things work and some don't; and as often as not it depends   
   upon the way the performers use the available instruments and   
   techniques.  It was Bill Monroe and sound technology that made the   
   mandolin a lead instrument, for example, and similar forces that pushed   
   the accordion out of mainstream country music.   
      
   I always liked the Ramblers use of additional instruments, because they   
   used them intelligently and appropriately, though if what you're   
   expecting is mainstream old time then you may well be disappointed.  It   
   is probably worth pointing out once again that the original performers   
   did more or less what they felt like, absent influence by record   
   producers.  For example, Lonnie Austin often played piano when he   
   performed with Charlie Poole, but in the studio they kept him to the   
   fiddle.  Then there's H.M. Barnes, who toured in vaudeville with a band   
   that performed old time tunes on trumpet among other things.  There's a   
   78 around of their version of Old Joe Clark that's interesting, though   
   not enough to make me want to take up the trumpet for the purpose.   
      
   --   
         David Sanderson   
         East Waterford, Maine   
      
         dwsanderson685@adelphia.net   
         http://www.dwsanderson.com   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)