steve davis - Posted - 01/23/2017:  09:23:06

Conspiracy?

Frozen Assets - Posted - 01/23/2017:  10:57:02

Doubtful. It was somebody on Music Row who killed country music –“cut out it’s heart and soul”- but they all say not guilty. Could happen to Bluegrass too. By in large it’s up to those who have respect of the music’s history and origin to keep it at least somewhat contained to its original form or it too will go off the cliff like a lemming…like modern country music. Since somebody mentioned the Earls of Leicester and said they didn’t understand the theory behind the music they are “recreating”, see my previous thoughts on the history and origin of -in this case Bluegrass-. The Earls have it right and in my opinion their appearance is very timely since a lot of “Modernization” and “Form drift” has occurred since Flatt and Scruggs (And many other first generation Bluegrass pioneers) were together and making the kind of music that drew nearly all of us in. Scope drift is natural and OK as long as the roots are fully understood and remain intact. Looks what’s happening with this country (The USA) since our educational institutions largely stopped teaching the constitution and early American history… I’ll leave it at that and go pick my terribly performed versions of original Bluegrass standards on my otherwise sweet sounding Huber VRB-G which I am exceedingly talented at bringing down to my level!

John

monstertone - Posted - 01/24/2017:  13:22:25

I beg to differ on the subject BG has to progress with times else it becomes stagnant & dies, beating a dead horse (golden oldies), & women's place in BG. Laurie Lewis, Lynn Morris, Allison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, Claire Lynch to name just a few. The number of songs I've seen Laurie Lewis perform that were not her own, I can count on one hand, with fingers to spare! One such is her rendition of Stephen Foster's My Old Kentucky Home. Now it doesn't get any more "golden oldie" than that! My ex reared back & let out LL's version of OKH at a Midwest jam hoisted by a local band leader holding that stigma about women singers. When she finished he said "fella's we've got a new singer in town" The Scene breathed new life into oldies like Old Blue Bonnet (w/all the pigeon poop poop's on it) Grandfather's Clock, & City of New Orleans. They helped launch Linda Ronstatt & Emmy Lou Harris' career. All those ladies' mentioned above, plus Larry Sparks, Chris Jones Chris Thelie, & let's not forget Hot Rise & the boys in the back of the bus (Trail Blazers) and a lot of others introducing a ton of original material & creating their own sound in doing it, while maintaining the gut feel, the soul of BG music.  Change? Earl tried that. It went over like a lead balloon.

Maybe the acceptance of change is dependent on what attracted you to BG in the first place, what time frame when you came into it, & who is trying to profit from it.      

Edited by - monstertone on 01/24/2017 13:24:28

bnjojo62 - Posted - 01/24/2017:  14:27:59

quote:I could take my handsaw and make it sing, or howl, or whatever that sound is. Would blend in with the hammers on the anvil. We could call it "sawgrass"

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Originally posted by Kenneth Logsdon

 

By using different hammers I can play a mean beat on my anvil... Can play with any band, style or Genre, even classical or jazz.. Count me in..

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Banjoman Braddock - Posted - 01/25/2017:  05:59:36

Although my wife goes to bluegrass festivals with me, I can tell (and she tells me) that after about 15 min she is sneaking as far away from the main stage as possible.... I could sit there all day long.

Gymbal31 - Posted - 01/25/2017:  06:37:59

quote:

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Originally posted by Banjoman Braddock

 

Although my wife goes to bluegrass festivals with me, I can tell (and she tells me) that after about 15 min she is sneaking as far away from the main stage as possible.... I could sit there all day long.

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I had a bluegrass girlfriend. She plays banjo. I play banjo. My wife doesn't hate bluegrass but with kids, it wasn't worth the cost to both go to shows. My bluegrass girlfriend was married and her (now ex-) husband didn't like bluegrass. We're friends so we'd go to shows together. She's also seventeen years younger than me and sweet as can be so my wife had no problem with me hanging out with her. My wife's attitude about me and younger women is, "You're 48, out of shape and married. Good luck with that."

steve davis - Posted - 01/26/2017:  08:12:16

I like musical change that addresses the times we live in.

RB3WREATH - Posted - 01/26/2017:  08:24:56

Any good quality and well played music is good music and any bad quality and poorly played music is bad music. There seems to be more poorly executed bluegrass out there to help give this perception.

Joe

Edited by - RB3WREATH on 01/26/2017 08:25:53

Hotrodtruck - Posted - 01/26/2017:  17:39:07

Bluegrass will never be mainstream, nor will many bluegrass music players garner national fame. Bluegrass music is like classical and Jazz. There is a following of players and listeners who appreciate it for what it is. It is not like rock or country, which must continue to change according to the vagaries of the next generation. I accept it for what it is. I don't care for the music of those who stray away from the roots.

Of course, I am only one person....

steve davis - Posted - 01/27/2017:  09:03:22

We each like what we like.

Tommy5 - Posted - 01/28/2017:  16:25:29

Bluegrass music is like classical and jazz ,the harder the music is to play, the fewer people are interested in listening to itl

steve davis - Posted - 01/29/2017:  07:13:16

I'm glad there isn't a rule book for playing bluegrass.

Also glad there isn't a "Bluegrass Court" where people are judged and sentenced for how they play or what they call it.

Edited by - steve davis on 01/29/2017 07:18:22

Aradobanjo - Posted - 01/29/2017:  07:32:59

Hello,

A court does exist. This court is defined in sales of concert tickets, memorabilia, shows, radio, cable, and paid downloads of multimedia. This court has caused band breakups and disbanding. This court has changed the music venues. Finally, this discussion and this website is an arm of this court.

The only reach this court does not have sway is in the final sale. Then the court is in session again.

Edited by - Aradobanjo on 01/29/2017 07:34:12

steve davis - Posted - 01/29/2017:  15:13:25

My bluegrass music isn't judged or defined by concert ticket sales or that other stuff,John.
You're viewing an art form with business eyes.