The 1970s was a decade of transformation for bluegrass music. As the genre’s forefathers—including Bill Monroe and Mac Wiseman—continued to innovate, new arrivals to the music started to tug bluegrass in new and exciting directions. The nascent careers of David … Read More
Flatt and Scruggs are the other fathers of bluegrass. Earl Scruggs’ banjo playing—with his signature three-finger style—practically reinvented the instrument, while Lester Flatt’s singing and songwriting set a bedrock for the genre in the 1950s. Naturally, many of their greatest … Read More
Tony Rice tragically passed away far too young at the age of 69 on Christmas Day. It is impossible to overstate the effect Tony had on acoustic music, not to mention bluegrass—and to this day, he has no true equal … Read More
The holidays is (usually) a time for coming together to enjoy the music of the season. Bluegrass is no exception, and Christmas songs are often a favorite subject for bluegrass artists. From the genre’s forefathers like Ralph Stanley to modern … Read More
“The dreadnought guitar is the backbone of bluegrass music, and bluegrass guitarists are among the genre’s most talented vanguards. Early bluegrass guitarists like Doc Watson and Clarence White made opening arguments about the guitar’s place as a leading instrument in … Read More
From his humble beginnings as Bill Monroe’s bus driver to his modern award-winning success, no one today quite embodies bluegrass like Del McCoury—and few others have so many great stories to tell. Del’s voice, songwriting cues, and iconic band (featuring … Read More
“Bob Dylan has a songwriting footprint that has extended across half a century and more than its fair share of musical genres—including bluegrass! Covers of Dylan’s most popular songs have come out of the bluegrass genre since the days of … Read More
When I head to a jam, I always have my capo at the ready—there’s never been a picking’ party I’ve been to without a couple tunes in the key of B! The key of Bluegrass is a hard one to … Read More
Bluegrass music has a lot of favorite themes: heartbreak, the blues, lonesomeness… hmm let’s see, what else… oh yeah, and trains! Some of the genre’s best anthems integrate the evocative sounds and feelings of the railroad. From Flatt and Scruggs’s … Read More
“Bluegrass music undoubtedly has a robust standard repertoire. Songs that Flatt and Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, and Ola Belle Reed wrote half a century ago are still played from private jams to the Ryman auditorium—and everywhere between. Some songs have gotten … Read More