Come on someone must want to talk Bluegrass

[jessecuster3]

Ok I know I am probably the only one, but I am obsessed. A friend gave me John Hartford's Aereo-Plain album a few years ago and I have been hooked ever since.

We have all heard more of it than you realize. Obviously, most of O Brother Where Art Thou is bluegrass, John Hartford actually played the instrumental version of Man of Constant Sorrow. Similarly, most should know the theme to the Beverly Hillbillies which was composed and performed by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. In addition, the famous Dueling Banjos scene from deliverance has been done and redone by countless bluegrass performers.

So with the recent rise of bands like Yonder Mountain String Band, who just had their Major Label debut, am I still the only one who listens on a regular basis ?

[Shellhead]

I like to dabble in various genres and sub-genres of music, so I eventually plan on picking up some bluegrass. I've heard the soundtrack to O Brother, and while it was good, I think I would enjoy it even more on subsequent listenings. And recently, I stumbled across mention of a peculiar bluegrass collection called "Moody Bluegrass" a tribute by various bluegrass artists to the music of the Moody Blues. It got a great review, and I used to be a big fan of the Moody Blues, so I plan on getting this someday.

[jessecuster3]

Yes the tributes can be fun, I have the Modest Mouse one, the Wilco one and at leats one of the Grateful Dead ones. The Wilco one is all instrumental, and the Dead one is kind of silly as their roots stem from bluegrass in the first place.

[Lubichev]

Ever since I picked up the mandolin and banjo, I've really started to listen to more and more Bluegrass. I was already deep into Traditional Irish and Scottish music, which are basically the forefathers of Bluegrass, so it seemed like the logical step. I go through stages of how much I listen to, but I have a good collection to choose from. I'm a sucker for the early mountain stuff. Stanley Brothers. Osborne Brothers. Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys (the Monroe/doc Watson Smithsonian Recording is wonderful).
High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass Music is essential viewing and listening.
Check out some Russian Bluegrass! The Countrybandists!

[jessecuster3]

Ever since I picked up the mandolin and banjo, I've really started to listen to more and more Bluegrass. I was already deep into Traditional Irish and Scottish music, which are basically the forefathers of Bluegrass, so it seemed like the logical step. I go through stages of how much I listen to, but I have a good collection to choose from. I'm a sucker for the early mountain stuff. Stanley Brothers. Osborne Brothers. Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys (the Monroe/doc Watson Smithsonian Recording is wonderful).
High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass Music is essential viewing and listening.
Check out some Russian Bluegrass! The Countrybandists!

I really want to learn the banjo, how do you like it, and do you like the mandolin ?

It always cracks me up how the biggest guys in the band play mandolin, and then it looks like a toy in their arms.

Have you listened to any "newgrass"? John Hartford pretty much originated it and may be the best banjo player I ever heard. Sam Bush was a part of that movement too, and his New Grass Revival was instrumental in bringing back that sound in the 1970's.

As a side note I get to see Sam Bush July 7th at a teeny tiny place here in Chicago.

[Lubichev]

The banjo is surprisingly easy to pick up. After a few hours of dicking around on it, I had a couple of tunes. Now clawhammering is hard to get used to, but once you get it, it almost seems like second nature. I love the mandolin. It is stringed like an upside down bass guitar and just like the fiddle. So if you can get a little farmilar with the mandolin, the fiddle is just a small step away. Getting the bowing down is where the difficulty lies. And the no frets thing. But I love toying around on them. Nothing like a little bluegrass breakdown to make it all better.
I've gotten into a little newgrass. Sam Bush is one of the best out there. You're gonna have a blast. Jerry Douglas, the dobro player that is SO GOOD it is almost annoying (he plays with Allison Kraus) Tony Rice, even Bela Fleck was a Newgrassy for a while.

[jessecuster3]

I actually played violin when I was young, by 10 years old I was the best in Illinois at my age. By 11 years old I realized it wasn't "cool" to play violin and i dropped it. I wonder how much I would retain, if I tried to pick it back up.

I saw Bela Fleck with Bryan Sutton, and Casey Driessen at the most amazing place in St Louis. Believe it or not, Bela was not even the best musician, Bryan Sutton blew the place away. Walking out everyone was talking about how amazing he was. At one point he broke a string on his guitar, and continued to play beautifully for the rest of the song, then left to replace the string. Four or five songs later he broke yet another string. I have since picked up both of Sutton's albums and they are incredible displays of guitar picking.

[Lubichev]

I actually played violin when I was young, by 10 years old I was the best in Illinois at my age. By 11 years old I realized it wasn't "cool" to play violin and i dropped it. I wonder how much I would retain, if I tried to pick it back up.

I gurantee it wouldn't take long.

You should get yourself a cheap mandolin. You can find nice beginners "A" Model for around 150 dollars.
http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/KM140.htm
BTW, Elderly is one of the best music store/sites around. Especially for Bluegrass fans.

[Sentry]

Ido, but im only just getting inot it. I have an album by a band called the old crow medicine show that i really like.

can anyone recommend anyone who i should def pick up?

[DennyK]

[jessecuster3]

Ido, but im only just getting inot it. I have an album by a band called the old crow medicine show that i really like.

can anyone recommend anyone who i should def pick up?

Make sure you pick up John Hartford's album Aereo-Plain. He is the father of modern bluegrass.

Old Crow Medicine Show are great, you should also make it a point to listen to Yonder Mountin String Band. You can listen to many of their past shows here: http://www.archive.org/details/YonderMountainStringBand

If I can recommend an especially good one, listen to the show they did for New Years in 2002. They came out for their first set as "Cosmic Bowling League" and played an entire set of Bluegrass Classics and then left the stage only to come back and play their entire normal show.

[Paul McEnery]

I feel compelled to recommend the Shut-Ins, who played at my 666 party; and the Burning Embers, who played at the Shut-Ins party.

And to come to San Francisco for the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. Three days, five stages, all free.

[kmeyers]

Ido, but im only just getting inot it. I have an album by a band called the old crow medicine show that i really like.

can anyone recommend anyone who i should def pick up?

Leftover Salmon. Try to find their live bluegrass cover of "Hey Joe." It makes my hair catch on fire everytime I hear it.

[jessecuster3]

Leftover Salmon. Try to find their live bluegrass cover of "Hey Joe." It makes my hair catch on fire everytime I hear it.

They are alright, a little too noodly for my taste. I have seen Drew Emmitt a few times and he plays much more traditional bluegrass.

[kmeyers]

They are alright, a little too noodly for my taste. I have seen Drew Emmitt a few times and he plays much more traditional bluegrass.

Leftover Salmon's live banjo and mandolin duels are incredible.