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Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the United States. [1] The genre derives its name from the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. [2]
By the 1950s, Monroe began referring to his style of music as “bluegrass music”, based on his Kentucky roots, and others followed along. Bluegrass bands began forming all over the country and Bill Monroe became the acknowledged “Father of Bluegrass Music.”
Oct 9, 2024 · Bluegrass, in music, country and western style that emerged in the United States after World War II, a direct descendant of the old-time string-band music that had been widely played and recorded by such groups as the Carter Family from the late 1920s. Bluegrass is distinguished from the older.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
May 9, 2022 · In short, the earliest bluegrass musicians of the 1940s created the music in response to the needs of a group of people navigating movement between rural and urban lives. Only later was the music presented implicitly as a totally “authentic” product of rural Appalachia.
- What Is Bluegrass? The History & Evolution of Appalachian Music Guide
- What Is Bluegrass?
- Traditional Bluegrass Instruments
- The History of Bluegrass Music
- The Best Bluegrass Bands & Artists Today
- Bluegrass Museums & Trails
- Bluegrass Music Festivals
What is Bluegrass?Traditional Bluegrass InstrumentsThe History of Bluegrass MusicThe Best Bluegrass Bands & Artists TodayBluegrass music is roots music from the American South. It’s essentially a blend of blues and gospel from African-Americans and string band music from Scots-Irishtraditions. Like several other related Americana subgenres, its early development was in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Settlers of Appalachia, particularly North Carolina, Kentucky, Tenn...
Bluegrass instruments traditionally center around string instruments. Banjo and fiddle are considered crucial to the sound, with guitar, mandolin, and upright bass also being common additions. Dobro and dulcimer might also show up in bluegrass string bands. There were occasional homespun instruments added to the bluegrass sound, including washtub b...
Early Appalachian Folk Music
Early Appalachian folk music really began to arise in the mid-1700s and early 1800s. Lower-class immigrants from Europe (particularly Scotland and Ireland) arrived and created self-sufficient communities in the mountains, which eventually grew into the small towns we know today. Members of these communities lived on remote farmsand would gather for dances, usually playing traditional Celtic folk music. The fiddle was the centerpiece instrument for this music, and vocal ballads were also part...
Old-Time Music
From the early American folk songs and the desire to dance arose old-time music, which was played to cater to square dancing, clogging, and flat-footing. Like bluegrass, it was mostly reliant on string instruments, particularly those that could be transported easily. Old-time music (which is sometimes called old-timey music, or mountainmusic) is much more of a group effort, with the purpose of giving the crowd something to move to. It usually lacks the solo breaks that are typical of bluegras...
Bluegrass Pioneers
Bluegrass has deep roots in old-time music, but it also dipped heavily into jazz, which lent the genre its expressive brand of improvisational solo breaks. Kentucky native Bill Monroe– an accomplished mandolinist, singer, and composer– is considered the “father of bluegrass.” He also led the Blue Grass Boys, who helped usher bluegrass into the national spotlight. Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys didn’t really hit their stride until Lester Flattpicked up the guitar and Earl Scruggs took over...
Of course, bluegrass music is still very much alive and kicking today, with new incarnations of its traditions found in newgrass(also known as progressive bluegrass). Newgrass melds the traditions of bluegrass with other genres like rock and pop, sometimes adding new instruments like electric guitar and drums. Béla Fleck, who is considered by many ...
Appalachian musicis still prevalent in the modern music scene, particularly in the mountains, where bluegrass music originated. There are several fantastic music trails where bluegrass history features prominently. The Crooked Road is Southwest Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina is full of great bluegrass ven...
Music festivals are also great options for seeing the top names in bluegrass, as well as up-and-comers. Raleigh NC is home to the largest urban bluegrass festival, Wide Open Bluegrass Festival, which takes over a few blocks in Downtown Raleigh for days. The Earl Scruggs Music Festivalis another major NC bluegrass festival. Galax VA has the world-re...
- Jonathon Engels
In this article, I want to trace bluegrass music back to its early Irish and Scottish roots to provide new insights into some of the most beautiful and time-honored acoustic music ever produced. Early Irish and Scottish Influences on Bluegrass Music
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The group name was derived from Monroe’s Kentucky roots, the Blue Grass State. The genre was not called “Bluegrass” at the time, simply “Old Time Mountain Music” or “Hillbilly Music.” The name “Bluegrass” wasn’t applied until the music’s revival at the folk festivals of the 1960s.
