www.bluegrassbassplace.com

There are some great bluegrass festivals happening this time of year but you won’t catch them at home watching Andy Griffith reruns on your www.satellitetv-hq.com satellite channels. Get out there and explore some of these great bluegrass events!
Mountain View Bluegrass Festival: It’s going to take place in Mountain View, Arkansas this year like every other but they’ve got a great line up already and some of your favorites are back for the first time in years. You can get your tickets online.
Southern Ohio Indoor Bluegrass Festival: Held in Wilmington, Ohio, this festival is a great option if the weather’s not. They’ve got food, crafts and all your favorite groups and it’s the second of the year so they really know what they’re doing when it comes to setup.
Wickenburg Bluegrass Festival: One of the only festivals happening outside the southern United States, this one takes place in November in Arizona. If you live out that way you’d be hard pressed to find a better collection of Bluegrass bands in your local area. And don’t forget about all the great food!

Just as America is the home of so many immgrants from all over the world, it is also the home of so many different styles of music which were influenced by musical styles introduced by immigrants who settled here. As a result, these various musical styles are associated with regions in which they took root. It can be Cajun music from Louisiana where many Acadians from Canada settled, or rural country music which is believed to have been influenced by settlers of Scotch-Irish descent whose dances influenced the sound of country music as we know it today. As modern technology emerged in country music in the 1940s with the sound of electric guitars and peddle steel, there were those individuals who preferred to stick with the more acoustic based traditional sounds. One man, known as the Father of Bluegrass music, was Bill Monroe.

While Bill Monroe experimented with the then-emerging modern country sound of the 1940s, he learned there were others such as Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs who formed the first bluegrass band in 1945, Bill Monroe and The Bluegrass Boys. Bluegrass music is perhaps more popular than ever everywhere. Many informative articles about bluegrass appear in this blog.

Bluegrass music is one of the most easily recognized styles of American country music. The typical bluegrass band consists of a fiddler, a banjoist, a guitarist, and a mandolin player, all of whom take turns on solo improvisation, much in the manner of a 1920s jazz band. Bluegrass is not, strictly speaking, a form of folk music.

The style first rose to prominence in the years following World War II, when Bill Monroe (whose hundredth birthday, incidentally, was just this year) formed his Bluegrass Boys. Bill had recorded during Read the rest of this entry »

Bluegrass is a variation of traditional country music that started in the 1940s and its popularity continues to increase with a variety of listeners. Initially bluegrass music was merely seen as a niche genre. However, over the years it has been prominent in popular culture. For example, the soundtrack to ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ won a Grammy award.

The music’s introduction into the world of mainstream music culture has created a broader audience of people who listen to bluegrass. Generation Read the rest of this entry »

Blue grass music is traditionally american and is a mixture of music from several countries by people who settled in the rural coal mining areas of Appalachia. This is a lively type of music and the songs relayed stories of everyday life in Appalachia and other rural areas. Today progressive blue grass performers still tell life stories and have made some additions to the instrumentation. Traditionally blue grass music consists of acoustic instruments such as the banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and stand up bass. These instruments are still commonly used with the addition of the harmonica, accordion, piano, drums and even some electric instruments. Traditional blue grass music has more of a folk song/story telling style and the more progressive type bands may add a touch of rock and roll and a little more jam session style improvisation.

Both traditional and new or progressive blue grass music is extremely popular today. There are blue grass fans enjoying fun and exciting festivals and performances around the world. Blue grass fans everywhere are enjoying extraordinary live music, friendly atmosphere and dancing at festivals, celebrity jam sessions and concerts. In addition to extremely talent filled live performances and events there are many ways to enjoy your favorite blue grass music, songs and artists. Several internet websites supply lyrics, chords and lessons for traditional and contemporary blue grass favorites and blue grass gospel music. Popular blue grass music is available online for listening to or adding to MP3 players. International Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductee and award winning songs and music are played on the radio and listened to by loyal fans. These popular albums are also available on music CD’s and are easy to find online. Books are an amazing way to learn all about the heritage and history of blue grass music.

The sound of Blue Grass music, much like its roots in the Southeastern United States, is complex and layered. The instruments in Blue Grass music, usually stringed, take turns in a song’s forefront, alternating between playing the melody and improvising around it. Characteristic instruments include the banjo, the fiddle, the acoustic guitar and the Dobro but the instruments used have changed as Blue Grass has evolved. The vocals in Blue Grass music are complex as well, usually including multiple voices layering harmonies of Read the rest of this entry »

The history of Blue Grass Music can trace it’s roots back to countries such as Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland, brought to America by immigrants and perfected as an art form in the mid-1800′s. In rural Appalachia and in southern areas of The United States, Blue Grass Music first took shape by combining dozens of singular musical components together with basic instruments to create a new and exciting genre. Blue Grass Music instantly became representative of the lifestyle of the people that created and performed it – Read the rest of this entry »

Bluegrass music has been around for many generations though it was not until some time in the 1950′s that the name was actually given to the music. Mr. Bill Monroe and his band the bluegrass boys seem to be where the name “Bluegrass” was derived. The band was made up of Mr. Bill Monroe, Mr. Earl Scruggs, Mr. Lester Flatt, Mr. Chubby Wise and Mr. Howard Watts. The band was formed in the late 1930′s. They were known for combining country, Read the rest of this entry »

Bluegrass has been around for many years and is one of the nation’s best kept secrets when it comes to music. There are many bluegrass musicians out there right now playing to a loving, caring fan base, yet much of the world isn’t as educated on the musical style as they should be. It is important to know where these musicians got their start, which could help answer the question as to why the genre has such a niche Read the rest of this entry »