Brian Murphy - Posted - 06/01/2026:  15:01:41

UIP puts out many of the best-written bluegrass and roots music books. Like all private press books, they can get pricey, but everything right now is 50% off with the code SUMMER26.  The new Buzz Busby will be released this month.  

HaganBond - Posted - 06/02/2026:  06:30:02

Thanks so much for the heads up! Any specific recommended from the list?

Brian Murphy - Posted - 06/02/2026:  07:29:04

On the Bus with Bill Monroe is great. I've also liked Stringbean and, of course "Earl Scruggs and Foggy Mtn Breakdown," Bluegrass Generation, Banjo Roots & Branches, and the Bill Clifton and Josh Graves bios are interesting. UI Press books are all well written and edited. Some get a little professorial every now and then. But they're solid for reference purposes. In our genre, there are a number of self published and poorly edited books. Some of these are interesting and can be the most candid insight into the music, but they're not as reliable in terms of historical events because they are very subjective. The book I'm really enjoying right now is the Alice Gerrard autobiography. It is well written, but very honest and candid. She has had a very interesting life.

ssduke - Posted - 06/02/2026:  11:47:57

quote:

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Originally posted by HaganBond

Thanks so much for the heads up! Any specific recommended from the list?

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"The Beautiful Music All Around Us" by Stephen Wade digs deep into the origins of a dozen or so songs in the old-time and bluegrass canon. "The Dixie Dewdrop" is a readable biography of the Grand Ole Opry star. Written by his great-grandson, but not hagiography. The  author is a respected historian with other books to his credit. "Industrial Strength Bluegrass" examines the identifiable strain of the music that came out of the industrial Midwest and its performers, including the Osborne brothers of Ohio. "The Hayloft Gang" explores the origins of the national barn dance radio program at Chicago's WLS, the predecessor to the Grand Old Opry on WSM.

Edited by - ssduke on 06/02/2026 11:48:43

ssduke - Posted - 06/02/2026:  17:43:43

quote:

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Originally posted by Brian Murphy

. . . The book I'm really enjoying right now is the Alice Gerrard autobiography. It is well written, but very honest and candid. She has had a very interesting life.

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Thanks for the tip on the Alice Gerrard bio. Just ordered it, thanks to your recommendation.