Back Again Soon.........Still Interested

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Allen above - "....it was consciously invented and developed by a single band-leader, ..". Very true Allen,but it did go through a lot of what you might describe as ''trial periods'' with different instrumentation line ups. I'd also say that the music that Bill & Charlie Monroe kicked off playing,was very deeply rooted in ''old time traditions'', & many of their songs had the ''Folksy'' flavour of their origins,similar to what could be found back in The British Isles & Ireland at that time. When the Folk Music boom began in the early 1960's,when i got to hear many of the Traditional English / Scottish / Irish folk singers over here,i'd already heard their American 'Old Timey' or 'Bluegrass' equivalents - the songs were coming home changed, but every bit as 'valid',& the 'changes' were beautiful to listen to. For me,it really made the connection between what we'd given & what we were getting back. A gent whom i got to know very well through his many visits over here,Mike Seeger,could talk for hours on the subject.

I've often wondered what would have happened if Bill Monroe hadn't hired Earl Scruggs, as apparently Lester Flatt wanted.
Lester wasn't exactly Stringbean's greatest fan, & wasn't overkeen on another banjo player joining them. Also,what path might Earl Scruggs's career taken without Bill Monroe ??. We'll never know the answer,but praise the Good Lord that Bill Monroe 'saw the light' & hired Earl Scruggs
Ivan

[JeffD]

Chris Thile scares me, and so does Mike Marshall (they are THAT good!!), and make me want to quit, for lack of hoping to ever reach their level (especially at "60"), ...

I have myself done a lot of thinking about this. Three blogs worth actually. Worth a squint.

I have had the great good fortune to attend a several day workshop with one of the best mandolinners walking the earth. And I was worried that despite all my thinking and zen prep, I would find myself discouraged. Quite the opposite happened. I wanted to learn learn learn. I wanted to gather his secrets, figure out what was put in his coffee. I was motivated to redouble (as in double and double again) my practice efforts.

Not that I felt I had any chance of being that great. But exposure to a mando-giant did give me the feeling that getting better was within my grasp. A better version of myself. That there was work to do and I could do it.

I am working on a fourth blog about that feeling, that inspiration. It is slow going because I would rather spend the time playing than writing! Just as I am confident you all would rather spend the time playing than reading.

[AlanN]

Weren't no bluegrass 100 years ago; Bill Monroe started performing in 1929, and formed the "Original Bluegrass Band," the Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, "Chubby" Wise, Howard Watts version of the Blue Grass Boys, in 1946. The music we currently recognize as "bluegrass" is about 70 years old.

Heck, I'm older than bluegrass. That's really, really scary.

Heck, at least you ain't older than dirt...yet ....but, that's the goal, isn't it?

And, me - am inspired by, not intimidated by any and all. Already am looking forward to attending a mando camp next summer, with Emory Lester and Alan Bibey, among others. I love seeing what these cats do with a pick and 8 strings.

[Timbofood]

Sorry boys, this is silly.
Time to pick!

[JeffD]

Sorry boys, this is silly.
Time to pick!

That should be a bumper sticker. That should be a tee shirt. That should be a billboard. That should be tattooed on the back of my arm so that i see it every day.

[allenhopkins]

...I've often wondered what would have happened if Bill Monroe hadn't hired Earl Scruggs,...We'll never know the answer...

Well, he would have hired Don Reno three years earlier, in 1943, if Reno hadn't enlisted in the Army during WWII. And after Scruggs and Flatt left, Monroe tried to form a trio with Ralph and Carter Stanley; that project was scuttled by Ralph's serious car accident.

So my guess is that he would have found a finger-style banjo player to fill the banjo "chair" in the Blue Grass Boys. Monroe was evidently aware of the new style of banjo playing developing in the Carolinas, derived from earlier players like Charlie Poole and, more directly, Snuffy Jenkins.

So, if it hadn't been Scruggs, it might have been Reno, or another banjo innovator. Woulda made bluegrass just a bit different, of course, but IMHO recognizable.

[Willie Poole]

This stuff needs to be put on TV on The History Channel so everyone in the world could then really understand what "True Bluegrass" really is...And separate it from what is being called "Bluegrass" today...Fans that are more than 50 years old know the real bluegrass sound...as do a few, very few, of the younger ones...

Willie

[fatt-dad]

I like the way Allen packaged the story. Wouldn't have known about the, "New Style in Carolinas." That makes sense and is interesting! I think what little I know is rooted in the '60s and '70s 'cause that was my, "More-Bluegrass" stage. So, I saw those bands. In retrospect, wonderful! That said, I really know nothing about the current performers, but for what I see on T.V. packaged as, "Country" or such. Heck, if there's a banjo, it's, "Bluegrass!"

These days? I make my own amusement on acoustic instruments, hang out with the missus/kids/family. . . and go to the salt mine. (Thankfully geotechnical engineering is fun work!) I am in the empty house and we-two play a lot of, "Rummy 5,000!" It's 10 games in one!

Nothing really to add. Just interloping!

f-d

[Timbofood]

Willie, the only problem with putting this information on the history channel is we would be the whole audience, and we know the real deal from,when we learned the music.
The younguns wouldn’t bother to watch it anymore than they listen to the classics.
It’s like movies, you tell people there have been earlier versions of “The Maltese Falcon” and they give you a blank look. Well, unless they are “Wiiiise” to quote Wake Frankfield!
Right Jaycat?

[Ivan Kelsall]

From JeffD - "But exposure to a mando-giant did give me the feeling that getting better was within my grasp." Ain't that the truth !!. I'm sure that despite my not liking Chris Thile's current musical output,i'd be equally enthusiastic & encouraged if i were to attend one of his workshops. Over 54 years,i've met a lot of the top banjo players both over here & in the US & i've never failed to come away without a positive outlook about my own playing. I'm always inspired to play more & to try to improve ''within my own limits''.

Hi Allen - Thanks for the reminder re.Don Reno. I remember that now. When DR came back from his army stint,Earl Scruggs was playing with Bill Monroe. DR's banjo style was somewhat 'different' than Earls. He incorporated a lot of 'guitar style licks' in his playing,where as Earl was smoooooth !. As an aside - i played DR's banjo in Owensboro back in 1992. Don Reno's 2 sons had it on display there & they very kindly let me sit & play it for a few minutes.

Interesting regarding Bill Monroe & the Stanley Bros. Over the years,Ralph Stanley's tried to separate his style from that of Bill Monre,by calling his style 'Mountain Music',although for most of us,it sounds exactly like Bluegrass done in Ralph's own way. It would have been one heck of a band though IMO,
Ivan

[Willie Poole]

Ivan, I have a few recordings of John Duffey playing with the Stanleys, now that was a heck of a band....J.D. would make any performer sound good ...