Bluegrass by non-bluegrass artists

**f5loar** · May-10-2007, 10:14am

Amy Grant did buy 2 of Monroe's mandolins for Vince as Christmas gifts. She was not actually at the auction but sent one of her "agents" to do the buying and said pay whatever it takes to get at least one of them. She ended up with 2 of them, the famous Ibenaz prototype and one of the Gibson signed Monroe models. Vince kept the Monroe model and sold the Ibenaz. Then he got the Loar fever and really spent some money. I think I saw him with a new DMM the other day but it might not have been his.

**mandozilla** · May-06-2008, 6:20am

Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs and others both started out playing bluegrass music. And I'm sure there are others. Yes they went country for a while but have returned pretty much to the BG fold. And there are those in other genres (Merle Haggard) who love bluegrass and have probably always wanted to cut a BG album. Bluegrass will never get anywhere with the Nashvegas gods and the the dumb ### DJ's who won't play BG on the radio. If some of these folks can give exposure to the genre that's great. (But not too much exposure...geez make up your mind!)

**Bigtuna** · May-06-2008, 6:43am

Jorma Kaukonen's last two albums are great!

**earthsave** · May-06-2008, 10:34am

Originally Posted by (Willie @ May 04 2007, 21:32)

I was in Dollywood a few years ago and saw a wonderful all girl bluegrass band and I always wondered why Dolly didn`t use them to record a bluegrass album...The way I feel about these "country" stars recording bluegrass is, Where they when bluegrass really needed a shot in the arm? #They seem to getting booked on bluegrass festivals too, kinda wish it was like the good ole` days when country and bluegrass were considered "Hillbilly music" and you hear them both on a show or on the radio stations....Willie

If you look at Dolly's liner notes, she has access too and uses some pretty big names on her albums. She did use some of the original Wildfire guys a bit, Darrell Webb especially.

**EdSherry** · May-07-2008, 6:52pm

Merle Haggard recently released a CD of bluegrass music.

**Dave Greenspoon** · May-07-2008, 7:35pm

<<Robert - I can't quote a source but I heard that Gill's wife Amy Grant bought the Loar for him. Maybe it was his birthday or Christmas - but that's one little package I'd love to unwrap. >> #

I presume the reference was to the Loar here 'cuz a man could get hurt otherwise. #:-)

The latest Fretboard Journal has an outstanding feature on VG, who apparenly has more mando credentials than I would have thought.

**hattio** · May-07-2008, 7:51pm

How about a single song. The Meat Puppets have a great rock album called Too High To Die (yes, of course one of them is now dead from a drug overdose...but still). Anyway, the last song on the album is a great electric bluegrass kind of thing called Comin Down. We used to do it at a regular jam I went to ten years or so ago.

**ALog** · May-07-2008, 8:04pm

Chris Hillman did a solo album with Sugar Hill called "Desert Rose" and Marty Stuart did one for them also called "Busy Bee Cafe". Good stuff!

**Ivan Kelsall** · May-09-2008, 4:06am

Perhaps we should open a 'sister' thread re. Non-Bluegrass by Bluegrass artistes - there's some dire stuff going on out there IMHO,
Saska

**Satchel** · May-09-2008, 6:15am

Steve Earle- "The Mountain" was mentioned but, I just had to say that is a fantastic recording and one of my fav's.

**Chunky But Funky** · May-09-2008, 7:11am

Not an entire album, but "Bare Naked Ladies" did a bluegrass version of "One Week". #It makes me smile! #Does the capo & shaker make it NOT bluegrass?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BiJF_oQhb8

Doug