The winner is Andy Bing
July 17 TRIVIA QUESTION
Bluegrass artists have been “discovered” in a variety of ways. Which of the following discoveries accurately describes how the artist first got noticed in a big way?
- Allison Krauss won a prestigious fiddle competition as a teenager.
- Jimmy Martin went from Sneedville TN to Nashville by bus to audition for Bill Monroe when he heard on the Opry radio show that Mac Wiseman was leaving the Blue Grass Boys.
- Blind Fiddler Michael Cleveland appeared in an IBMA “youth band” at the annual convention in Owensboro KY.
- Dale Ann Bradley was singing with a band called The New Coon Creek Girls.
- Teenagers Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley were asked to sing a few numbers on stage in an Ohio bar because Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys were late to arrive.
- Sam Bush won the National Grand Masters Fiddle Contest in Nashville as a teenager
- All of the above.
G. All of the above.
Additional Bowden Comments
I appreciate the “thank you” for adding to the reader’s bluegrass knowledge. That’s kind of the intent of a trivia question/answer like this. While the music itself is wonderful, the “stories” behind the music can be fascinating also.
For instance, a lot of bars are referred to in bluegrass music history as “clubs”. Yeah. I guess clubs can admit teenagers…
Fiddle contests have produced some well known bluegrassers. Even though “contest style” fiddling is a specific genre of fiddling, good bluegrass fiddlers seem to thrive in the genre.
It’s the rare bluegrasser who leaps from complete unknown to the top of the heap, on the Opry and making records at age 19. Especially when the only previous singing exposure got the kid FIRED from his job in a paint factory — for singing too much on the job!
Basically, almost everybody in bluegrass got there via musical stepping stones. We as fans can enjoy the thought that WE are helping out an up and comer that we can look back on in our old age saying “I remember him/her when…”
Thanks to all the contestants. It’s wonderful to see your responses. Make sure Lynn rewards the winners appropriately!! (She can afford it!)
I would like to correct one error in the potential answers listed for this question. Answer E states Skaggs & Whitley were discovered in a bar in Ohio. Actually it was in Fort Gay WV, just across the river from Skaggs’ home in Louisa KY. Mea culpa. If anyone decided Answer E was not correct based on the location named, I’ll make it up to you.
G is it. All the above.
B
Come on folks! Send those answers in! The more the merrier.
I’ll go with F
Going with G. Ricky must have been awful young being in a bar.
All of the above.
G
G
A. I remember Dan Tyminski saying that as he introduced her at a concert. Not so sure about the other ones.
All of the above! Didn’t really know all six, but I was pretty sure of two, hence my answer. Thanks, Dick, for adding to my knowledge base.
We’re going to have do something about Andy Bing I guess. Perhaps all you other contestants could chip in and hire someone to cut off or delay his internet connection… NAW!!! If Andy wins again after being put beyond the Pale for the next 3 weeks, we’ll try to come up with a devilish hard one, or to be even crueler, make HIM come up with a good Trivia Question for you all (not for me, we’ve already proved he’s not up to that). Good luck to all with the next Bluegrass Trivia Question.
Just stumbled across this 1993 video of the IBMA Youth All Star Band playing at the big convention in Owensboro. “Little” Michael Cleveland fiddling Wheel Hoss assisted by Josh Williams – banjo (now guitarist with Rhonda Vincent); Chris Thile – mandolin; and Cody Kilby – guitar (now with Traveling McCourys after playing with Skaggs). All just kids.
https://www.facebook.com/bluegrassmusictv/videos/946242662486468