Over the last few years I've noticed audiences getting grayer and smaller. It also seems like I see fewer and fewer young musicians on the local scene.

Last week I saw Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder at the Ryman in Nashville. The show was a sellout but I would estimate that 75% of the crowd was well over the age of 50.

It all makes me wonder if our music is on the way out or if this is just a temporary decline like what happened in the late 1950s.

What's it look like in your area?

To begin with, I've got to say that I don't know much about bluegrass. However, I would think that perhaps you are just witnessing a bit of a down cycle.

I remember a few years ago that a revival of sorts occurred with the popularity of the soundtrack to "O Brother, Where Art Thou" and the emergence of contemporary acts like Nickel Creek.

More recently, and presently ongoing, Alison Krauss is touring with Robert Plant. Though I'm not sure how well attended or reviewed that show has been, and it certainly isn't a 'bluegrass concert,' it may give credence to the idea that there is some ongoing appeal and a viable market for bluegrass musicians.

Beyond that, I don't have much by way of insight to offer.

FWIW

Living in Kentucky as I do, I can say for certain that the audience for Bluegrass shows are generally small and graying.

Its not a particularly popular style of music. The appeal is always going to be small and I don't know how much of a audience trend you can gather from one show.

I think that bluegrass will survive just fine the way it always has. The older people who like it now will introduce their kids to it. The kids will rebel against it since its not on top 40 radio or MTV. Eventually, the kids will grow out of their peer-pressure induced listening habits and rediscover bluegrass. Shows will continue to be played...infront of smallish crowds with older audiences.

Rinse...repeat...

I live in the Northeast and things seem different here than what you describe where you live. I just got back from the Grey Fox festival in Oak Hill NY. There must have been 10,000 people camping in the field and there were tons of young people. Most were pickin in their campsites, others were there simply to watch and enjoy. The newer young bands seem to be attracting younger crowds. Bands like the Infamous Stringdusters, Crooked Still, Sparrow Quartet, Steep Canyon Rangers and many others are young bands with bluegrass roots. Some are straight ahead bluegrass and others are pushing the boundaries a bit.

In NYC there is quite a renaissance of roots music going on. Acoustic music, much of it bluegrass, is totally hip in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. Read this article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/arts/music/29folk.html?th%26emc=th

In the burbs many of the shows I attend or play at do have the smaller graying crowds, but closer to the city there is much more vibrant music going on.

Maybe younger players are gravitating toward other types of acoustic music instead of being bound to the rules of traditional Bluegrass. It's not dead, it doesn't get out as much as it used to (like me.)

I don't think you can ignore the fact that in most western countries with declining birth rates the "average person" is older and grayer than a decade ago. So naturally audiences will reflect this.

I think "usernamehere" does not speak with forked togue when they said ..

"I think that bluegrass will survive just fine the way it always has. The older people who like it now will introduce their kids to it. The kids will rebel against it since its not on top 40 radio or MTV. Eventually, the kids will grow out of their peer-pressure induced listening habits and rediscover bluegrass. Shows will continue to be played...infront of smallish crowds with older audiences."

Bluegrass continues to be popular in Europe, Australia and eslewhere, even if we don't get access to the great festivals that you American's run every summer. Audiences do tend to be in the 40 plus age bracket, but who wants to listen to rap, emo, thrash, or whatever the latest musical fade is for their whole life??

With age comes wisdom..... and dementia!!

I don't think you can ignore the fact that in most western countries with declining birth rates the "average person" is older and grayer than a decade ago. So naturally audiences will reflect this.

I think "usernamehere" does not speak with forked togue when they said ..

"I think that bluegrass will survive just fine the way it always has. The older people who like it now will introduce their kids to it. The kids will rebel against it since its not on top 40 radio or MTV. Eventually, the kids will grow out of their peer-pressure induced listening habits and rediscover bluegrass. Shows will continue to be played...infront of smallish crowds with older audiences."

Bluegrass continues to be popular in Europe, Australia and eslewhere, even if we don't get access to the great festivals that you American's run every summer. Audiences do tend to be in the 40 plus age bracket, but who wants to listen to rap, emo, thrash, or whatever the latest musical fade is for their whole life??

With age comes wisdom..... and dementia!!

(Forked tongue off...)

Actually, we've done pretty well with birth rates over here in the U.S. One of the few (if not the only) industrialized, first world country with positive population growth.

(Forked tongue back on...mwehh:mad::bassist:)

;)

I live in Northern Ohio and attend festivals all summer long. While I do agree the crowd is getting older I have found a lot of younger folks attending the festivals. One in particular is the Kendallville Indiana festival. Lots of young ones there and it is promoted by their association there with training in the schools. It is down from what it was in the 80's and 90's but I believe it is coming around.

bluegrass seems to be alive and well in south georgia and north florida. the live oak festival in florida is slap full of young folks as well as the merlefest in north carolina. the younger folks seem to be people that missed out on the grateful dead tours and have gravitated towards festivals. as far as locally most of the gigs im doing are primarily 20 and 30 year olds in the audience. in fact im finding people are facinated with acoustic music and are over electric cover band jams. just my perspective on it, but it seems to be getting more popular where im living.

Bluegrass music is not fading but may be in a corrective down swing after the huge swell of interest with “O’ Brother”. Probably the same thing happen after the movie “Bonnie and Clyde” with Foggy Mountain Breakdown and then again with “Deliverance” and Feuding banjo’s (also know as Dueling banjos…Don Reno did the original version before it was re-named).

In economic down times people make the best of a bad situation and bluegrass music’s soul is in the heart of poverty and hard times. Many of the best picker’s came out of hard times…which is why they write such great songs and have the drive to work their way into a better life by making music. I have listen to Doc Watson tell the story that he didn’t plan to make his living playing music. He would rather have been a carpenter, electrician or engineer…but god had a different plan for him…and thank goodness he did. What a national treasure Doc is…just as down to earth as you can get and still an excellent picker at 84 years young. Earl Scruggs in no different…playing a banjo was his way out of the cotton fields, same goes with Bill Monroe, Del McCoury, Chet Atkins…music was a passion and a way to make a better living.

The best way to keep the music alive and strong is to inspire a youngster or share the music with your family or a friend. Bluegrass music came out of the mountains and the fields where family and community was a way of life. The music was passed along to the next generation by people who cared deeply about keeping it alive, the tradition of the music, the meaning behind it all. I don’t think you can judge the health of the music by looking at big or expensive venues. The music is alive and well in small venues like coffee shops, music stores, barber shops…in Bristol, TN you can pick at the Shell gas station at noon time on Tuesdays…and I see young people…not just older folks.

Satellite radio and You Tube are a gold mine of traditional bluegrass music to inspire a younger generation in their own “high tech language”. When you go to a jam or festival encourage the young ones to join in…make them feel welcome…even if it is a small child who just wants to dance and jump to the beat of the music…it is all going into their brains. It is making a mental impression whether you can see it of not. Give the young ones guidance for being in tune, timing and etiquette of a jam…in other word show them the ropes. They are the future caretakers of the music.

There is no greater reward then to inspire…a candle does not extinguish when it lights another candle…meaning you lose nothing by giving the gift of music to another…it is all part of the bluegrass tradition. It keeps the music strong…there in lies the whole meaning of the “circle of music”…invite someone into your jam circle, encourage a new player, take a friend to see a live bluegrass show, support your local venues. The music will stay healthy as it has for generations, however it may not always be commercial as it has been at it heights of popularity.

When we went to the Carter Family Fold on a Saturday night in November ‘07 for $5.00 a person it was one of the most awesome night of music I have enjoyed for a long time. A thousand people from all over the valley (Japan and Australia too) clogging, talking and having a blast…all for $5.00 a person while watching Hunter Berry, Mickey Harris, Josh Williams, Daniel Grindstaff and others…what a night. This hoe down is only second to the best night of music which was “Live at the Ragged Edge” with Tom Adams and Mike Cleveland. If you have never heard this award winning CD check it out. This “live event” was at a small local coffee house with 20-25 people on a cold Tuesday, March evening in 2002; it was a FREE concert of fiddle and banjo music. I knew it was going to be an awesome night of music with Tommy and Mike but had no idea it would be a Grammy winning live concert…and I (we) were there…and you can hear me on the live recording laughing and hollering with joy…when we left that night I KNEW I had just been part of something very special…so my long winded point is…the best bluegrass music doesn’t always happen in big venues…if you look you will find bluegrass is alive and healthy in the smallest of venues. Check out the “Crooked Road” in Virginia if you need affirmation, all is well.

http://www.thecrookedroad.org

Below is a picture that shows I do what I suggest. Here is a picture from last Friday nights jam. The little girl in the picture in a great niece who think the “big bass” is cool…so cool she took her guitar and turned it upright like a bass and wanted to play it that way. I satisfied her desire to play by, I would play one string and she would play the other. I am sure we were disruptive to the beat of the jam but I only get a few short moments to capture her interest…I hope the seed is now planted.

Bluegrass is not fading…it is a tradition that will live on. :bassist:

Bluegrass will never fade away, nor will blues and jazz. They are the roots to all music.
Keep playing with all your soul and energy. Folks will come around.

Later R.

Good question.

There was a good mixed crowd at Sooke, which doesn't draw the hardcore US pickers because its at the same time as Weiser.

At Darrington, the biggie in the PNW, there were definitely less people in attendance.
I really missed a bunch of great players that usually come up from the Portland area and attributed that to the cost of fuel.

There were a lot of younger players, especially young women, who I'd never seen before, so I'd say that on balance, we're doing alright. We'll see how things look at Mt St Helen's in a couple of weeks.

Some of the contestants in the instrument competitions at MerleFest keep getting younger and younger. Aaron Williams won it at 14 (I think) on Mandolin a couple years back. He's now playing for The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band. He's from Blacksburg, VA.

My son, Aaron Ramsey, won the mandolin competiton there in 2002 at the ripe old age of 17. It was the first contest he ever entered. Aaron now plays for Mountain Heart after a 1.5 year stint with Randy Kohrs. He'll be playing the Opry tonight during the 9:30-10PM slot (EDST). Chris Harris won it in 2003 at about the same age.

Young Ken Whitesides won the banjo contest there this year at the age of 14. He'd already won 2 other contests at that point.

There's no shortage of young people learning to play the music. In an age where gas prices can affect how much traveling an underage (for driving) kid can travel, to play with other good players, may become part of the equation.

I like to see kids become interested and I love to spur them on. I know another 14-15 year old guy, Seth Taylor, who can hold his own on 6 instruments, in the bluegrass field. Banjo, bass, guitar, mandolin, fiddle and dobro. He won RenoFest 1.5 years ago on both guitar and banjo.

The banjo prize was a Robin Smith banjo and the guitar was a Henderson, patterned after Don Reno's old prewar Martin.

I've been encouraging him to sing.

There's tons of young'uns playing the bluegrass music in the southeastern states.

All I can say is I'm nineteen and I'm a huge fan of bluegrass. I'd love to be able to join or start a bluegrass band, but I think I'd get some strange looks if I showed up with my fretless Jazz... and my mandolin skills aren't quite up to par yet.

The music is not fading away, quite the opposite. I see so many young folks at the festivals these days, some playing trad and some just messing around with it. Music fads come and go but traditional music always survives. I think the scale of the music business around us is so enormous that it's easy to think trad music is small in comparison.

Bluegrass will never fade away, nor will blues and jazz. They are the roots to all music.
Keep playing with all your soul and energy. Folks will come around.

Later R.

+1000000000.

I play blues, and I find the same peaks and valleys. My feeling is that when the 'pop' music gets to a certain point, then the roots music makes a resurgence, if to do no more than to remind people where it all starts.

I agree that there are some hot young pickers out there. Just about every contest I have been to features some unbelievably good kids who are younger than a broken-in set of spirocores. I sometimes play with group who features a 13-year-old fiddler who is really good now and will be an absolute monster in a few years.

But are young folks like that the exception? I think about when I was growing up in the sixties and seventies. There were scores of musicians of all ability and age levels in this area. Now there is just so much competition (Internet, video games, organized sports, MTV, CMT, ETC) spending hours and years learning to play music is just not compatible with microwave attention spans.

I think several of you are right in that there will always be a small but hardcore audience but I fear much of the tradition could be lost if the number of pickers continues to decline.

But again, maybe this is just a localized situation, or I have been listening to too many Stanley Brothers tunes and am depressed. :D

Definitely lay off the Stanley Brothers for a while!

Try Aubrey Haynie's 'Bluegrass Fiddle' and call us in the morning. :)

Traditional music is not disappearing and I would agree with Jason and several other posters that it is very alive. Everyone only sees a small piece of the big universe, but from my little niche it looks like there are lots of younger players and bands, certainly in related styles, if not pure bluegrass.

There are of course always up and downswings and even more so in particular subgenres (like this newfangled style of commercial country music that Bill Monroe invented after world war 2). Old-time styles seem to be more popular than they were 20 years ago, lots of young bands. This young Round Peak band is playing to 2000/3000 people, young except for the guitarist (who has the "legend" credentials of being on Tommy Jarrell's recordings). But in his previous 50 years, he never played shows of that size.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7QvuyzWEYg. Another young band are the Caroline Chocolate Drops that sell out clubs in no time - and not with old people.

So the varying opinions might just be what whether it is the bigger picture (the deep tradition of traditional music out of which bluegrass comes) or a narrow subgenre with rigid rules what qualifies (laid largely down by Mr. Monroe himself).

If the latter, I'm not surprised about perceived graying, but that is like people saying that jazz is dying because the typical attendees at a dixieland festivals or on swing jazz cruises are in their 70s. Younger people tend to frequent somewhat different venues and festivals. Telluride, Merlefest, Strawberry (in California) are all doing well, no graying, even if there is a lot (most?) that wouldn't please a bluegrass purist. Strawberry is a huge festival, still a month away, yet adult tickets completely SOLD OUT more than 2 months ago. Some bluegrass, but Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, have always pushed the definition. Here is somebody with strong bluegrass credentials, Tim O'Brien (remember the Hot Rize recordings, first came out 30 years ago?). Tim O'Brien is still a very relevant artist and can pull (and hold) big crowds. Here he is a few weeks ago, very old-timey banjo playing, though (definitely not a Monroe-approved bluegrass machine, although he just borrowed it from me for the concert). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhPdL2jep64

So traditional music is doing great.

I'm playing in an Old-Time band right now, and it's by far the most successful group I've played with to date. Being in western NY state, alot of folks don't know the distinction between Old-Time & Bluegrass (and we're actually kind of a hybrid of those styles anyway), but we almost always get a big & attentive audience at our shows, and we've quickly developed a fanbase around here. As soon as the line up was completed when I joined about a year ago, this band just took off (on a local level, at least). We've always got offers for gigs & weddings, and we've gone down to play gigs in NYC twice - good gigs too, not chopshops. I'm not saying we're the most popular group around here, but there's a real interest in roots music, and people really dig it. So maybe the popularity of it is a regional thing, in part?

Just finished up our www.bluegrassinthepark.com in Atlanta Michigan. Fuel prices have to be killing BG bands. 2 yrs ago $2 per gal +/-, now routinely over $4/g. Bus, van, car, fuel is a significant expense.

My wife and I put on this small local festival, probably 900-1000 in audience on main night, Saturday. 65% over 60 yrs old. We routinely have some young people. For example we had a young man of 14 yrs show up. Could this boy play the banjo and mandolin. The audience loved him.

I would say get out on the internet. It works about as well as word of mouth.

I do find that "bluegrass Nazis" are kind of off putting sometimes. But overall BG folks are easy to get along with.

Walt MI/USA

Lots of great responses, and they're all right! Bluegrass is great music and always will be. I live in NE Ohio, and teach music in the Cleveland schools. The reason bluegrass (and other American folk music) isn't gaining popularity (IMHO) is that it isn't being taught or promoted. There are very few music teachers in my district that will dare to push a music program that is centered around traditional music. Most teachers defer to the kids and center their teaching around what they like (wanna take a guess?) in the hopes of befriending the kids and making their own jobs easier. There will always be a few that promote the music no matter what, and to me it has to start early on in school, and parents (musicians or not) need to understand the value of sharing the musical heritage of this country with their kids. It was a tough sell at first, but once the kids learned the songs and experienced the sound (I brought my old-time band in one day) they got into it and wanted to know more. It's all tied together - blues, fiddle tunes, bluegrass, and they all grew up together and intertwined here and there to create new styles. Some great lessons to teach, and wonderful music to uncover and share.
If you want bluegrass to grow, plant some bluegrass seeds!
Share it, play it, support it. Like I said, that's just my $.02

Fun thread. I don't think I have much to add but I'll add it anyway. I've actually been thinking that BG has been gaining in popularity, at least around here. And especially in NYC. Naturally, that explosion didn't start until I *left* NYC. Having played almost exclusively in jazz/free combos for the batter part of 15 years, I noticed a huge decline in the popularity of jazz, starting around 2002 or so. I used to get at least 3-4 good paying gigs (weddings, corporate events, wine tastings, art galleries, etc) for my jazz group every month, where I could guarantee each member $300 minimum. And there was a jazz gig for the taking at every coffee shop and bistro on every corner in town Those days have been gone for a while now.

But while I suffered that downturn, I started getting involved in BG and old-time music, and though these gigs don't always pay quite as well, there are many more of them. This summer, between one band that plays old time instrumentals and fiddle tunes, and another that does a combo of BG and swing, mostly originals, I have been busy almost every weekend, all weekend, and even some weeknights.

It's interesting to see how it all plays out. I expect to see the acoustic/folk-type gigs fade away eventually. And maybe then everyone will want a Sun Ra cover band to play at their wedding. You never know. :)

I'm from Utah and play in a couple local bands that adds an interesting perspective. I filled in for a bass player in a band that's as old as I am (24 years). They played very traditional straight-ahead bluegrass and the audience was almost exclusively gray-haired. I play in another that plays bluegrass but with a more modern feel (aka we have a drummer). The audience is significantly younger, usually college students. Although I don't play with them, my brother plays in a band that's more newgrass and they have a huge following of almost exclusively 20-somethings. So I don't think bluegrass is dieing, it's just adapting.

lots of good younger acts in the bluegrass scene. the whole "jam" base sees to be somewhat into it with groups like the avett brothers and yonder mountain string band making music as they are.

Bluegrass is pretty frisky still in west central Wisconsin and southeast Minnesota. Perhaps too frisky as some pretty mediocre bands enjoy a healthy following - but I'm playing roots rock and I'm a little jealous. It also seems like the serious pickers in their 20's/30's around here are all moving/moved to Colorado. Seems the younger folks have got the wrong mountains in mind.

I think it's pretty clear that there are going to be younger people jumping in and picking. I'm glad that's the case. I like Mingus' comment a lot. It's the point that has not really been hit on yet; Bluegrass is great music to gravitate to as you get older!

I don't know about the rest of you guys but my days of big hair and spandex pants are gone, lo these many years... But my BG band crosses over and plays to both sides of the audience. Some of the festivals have a decidedly jam feel to them with the classic "Dead Head" kids twirling around in batik dresses and tie-dye shirts and the occasional whiff of grass in the air. Some have that real old time feel with more oldsters. Some classic gospel and traditional Monroe style repertoire entertains the latter while jamming out rings the bell for the kids.

Either way, it's fun for us. And, I don't feel so damn ridiculous playing that music as I sometimes do when I get the sub call to cover pop music. With Bluegrass, you can be a little older and still be legitimate as hell, and being a prodigy is still the great thing it always was. I agree. This is a neat thread.

Chris Thile.

i live in kentucky which is the heart of bluegrass and while i do not think of bluegrass as my favorite genre i do respect it and it's cultural impact in kentucky
old crow medicine show is easily the most popular bluegrass like band in the region (Tennessee)
but kentucky has ALOT of bluegrass bands and still have JD Crow

I have seen a reduction in audience numbers, but I believe it is due to the gas prices and the the current economic situation. There have been highs and lows for bgrass, but I think it is cyclical, like everything else. It will take another type of "Oh Brother" movie, a new song, or a new group to bring it back to its previous heights. My group, the WBT Briarhoppers, have been performing bgrass and string band music, since 1934 (with changing members, of course). We have seen it all. http//www.wbtbriarhoppers.blogspot.com .

I agree with Tom. Gas prices really hurt festival attendance this year in the Pacific Northwest.

There were camping spaces to be had in the trees at Darrington on Friday night his year - that really hasn't been possible the last 10 years.
Mt St Helen's was down at least 10% too and Chilliwack was down more like 40% - the big motorhomes just weren't there this year.

I'm sure it was mostly to do with the price of gas at about $6.50 an Imperial gallon in western Canada and around $4.25 a US gallon in Washington. We thought long and hard about skipping Mt St Helen's in our VW Vanagon Westfalia and its only 250 miles from Crescent Beach.

Attendance is still good at shows in Vancouver. Bela and his girlfriend drew well at St James Hall.

We'll see how things look once the depression settles in.........

Niche music never goes away. It always bubbles along in its subset of society. Occasionally a genre will just up and erupt, and some of the surge is bound to stick (for good or ill), but eventually everything levels out.

JAM

Up at Berklee there's a big Bluegrass scene. Lots of great new players here, and plenty of people enjoying it.

Original question, "is bluegrass fading away?"

NAH

During the IBMA a few weeks back you could see kids from the age of 6 on up in the hallways every night, way on up until the wee hours, hammering the music.

I even stayed up and picked several jams till about 4:30AM-5 AM watching, listening and enjoying the young'uns.

bluegrass is alive and well here in east tn and north ga. lots of young pickers and way more talent than ever before. bluegrass is way cheaper than hunting or fishing and it dosen't take a $30-40k bass boat or z-71 to play music.

no disrespect to the poster who said old crow was the most popular in tennessee area but i hope that is not where the music is going. maybe fun as a novelty but i can find just about any 4-5 pickers at the jams i go to that has more musical and vocal talent than the med show. they are great for the college bar scene though.

i think the future of bluegrass is good.

It will take another type of "Oh Brother" movie, a new song, or a new group to bring it back to its previous heights.

That's it, IMO. I'm not a fan of bluegrass, per se, but any genre that rotates around a set of standards will wax and wane. People get sick of hearing the same songs, even good interpretations of them, and want something new. When they do hear something new, it reminds them what they liked about that type of music, and they'll be able to stomach that old standard again.

It's true in Jazz, 50's rock & roll, and many, many genres that have a "sound" or a set of standards. There's a gig band on my street that practices a lot of Elvis and 50's rock & roll numbers, and I can't help but think that they have a limited appeal because, while they may have an angle, people will get sick of hearing "old covers." And I think that entirely rolls into other genres and niches.

There's nothing wrong with putting standards in a gig, and many followers of specific genres, bluegrass included, go to live shows to essentially "hear the songs they like, done live." They'll be the ones complaining when you play something new. But for a genre to grow and thrive, you need to have new stuff. It's the new stuff that attracts new people.

Don't worry, there's still some younger folks discovering bluegrass, and not just in the south either. I'm a senior at Purdue University all the way up in northern Indiana and I just picked up bluegrass about six months ago. These days I go to a jam every Thursday night with anywhere from 5 to 15 college students. I'm primarily a Jazz cat, but I'm falling in love with this music, and I think plenty more will do the same.

That's it, IMO. I'm not a fan of bluegrass, per se, but any genre that rotates around a set of standards will wax and wane. People get sick of hearing the same songs, even good interpretations of them, and want something new. When they do hear something new, it reminds them what they liked about that type of music, and they'll be able to stomach that old standard again.

It's true in Jazz, 50's rock & roll, and many, many genres that have a "sound" or a set of standards. There's a gig band on my street that practices a lot of Elvis and 50's rock & roll numbers, and I can't help but think that they have a limited appeal because, while they may have an angle, people will get sick of hearing "old covers." And I think that entirely rolls into other genres and niches.

There's nothing wrong with putting standards in a gig, and many followers of specific genres, bluegrass included, go to live shows to essentially "hear the songs they like, done live." They'll be the ones complaining when you play something new. But for a genre to grow and thrive, you need to have new stuff. It's the new stuff that attracts new people.

this is good!! and true!! hearing the same songs played by numerous bands gets old!! going to a festival and hearing a new band with mostly originals and sounding good is when i get pumped to hear more!!
of course, i like when well name bands do ol traditional songs!! (but they are real good and they have THEIR OWN SOUND!! )

a buddy of mine, that use to right alot of songs said, when i asked him, "why dont you guys play a few cover songs?" he said "once a cover band! always a cover band!! it makes sense!!

Being in western NY state, alot of folks don't know the distinction between Old-Time & Bluegrass (and we're actually kind of a hybrid of those styles anyway)

I'm in WV and alot of people don't know the difference. My band is a hybrid too, but it is a hybrid of Old-time, Bluegrass, Rock, and Punk Rock. :)

As far as Bluegrass dying, I'm not sure. But I do know that alot of young musicans in my area are turned away, because of the attitude of older bluegrass musicians in the area, who will only play traditional bluegrass and will not except any variation.

a buddy of mine, that use to right alot of songs said, when i asked him, "why dont you guys play a few cover songs?" he said "once a cover band! always a cover band!! it makes sense!!

My experience is that this is NOT true - unless you consider Kentucky Thunder to be a cover band... Or Sam Bush to be part of a cover band...

I'd be more likely to take the position that I'd far rather hear a band play a great old song than a crappy original song.

i live in kentucky which is the heart of bluegrass and while i do not think of bluegrass as my favorite genre i do respect it and it's cultural impact in kentucky
old crow medicine show is easily the most popular bluegrass like band in the region (Tennessee)
but kentucky has ALOT of bluegrass bands and still have JD Crow
In my part of Tennessee, Old Crow wouldn't be anywhere close to the 'most popular bluegrass like band'. Those guys have worked in my studio and are nice kids, but for contemporary acoustic music I'll be listening to guys like Andy Leftwich and Randy Kohrs - and for traditional music I'll listen to Dr. Ralph, Jesse McReynolds, Ricky Skaggs or any number of others before I'll put on an Old Crow CD. Even better (since this is a bass forum), Missy Raines has a new CD!

I have to agree with you Dave,,the Old Crow is really not bluegrass,,they are more what I call Old Time,they are a mix of Old Time and folk rather than bluegrass.
It seem nowdays that any time someone sees a banjo they think its bluegrass,,Skaggs gets my vote right now as far as real bluegrass.

Love Missy and her music. But some bluegrass purists might need some time to adjust to the, um, drums! But then some folks had trouble with that Monroe fella, too. (I once had an old-time fiddler tell me that he preferred music the way it was before "that Bill MUN-row came along and ruined it."

The other thing about purists is that they can function as stodgy gatekeepers. They have a vision of what the genre should be, often typified by a set of songs from a certain era. THOSE songs define the music.

The ironic thing about all forms of folk music is that it's always been very flexible, with new ditties popping up, old ones being changed, instruments being swapped based on what's available, and so on.

If you have all of the instruments that comprise a bluegrass band, you could make music that qualifies as bluegrass. Whether people would accept it is a different story.

The question is, will you let that stop you? ;D

I don't think that 'having all the bluegrass instruments' means you're playing bluegrass - far from it! Playing 'Freebird' on plugged-in banjo "aint no part of nothin'" as Mr Monroe used to say.

Bluegrass is much more than the sum of the instruments, its the ensemble groove, the harmony singing, the song structure.

Bruce Harvie made a great recording as a tribute to Bill Monroe, patterned after his 'Master of Bluegrass' Columbia disc. Its called 'Mangler of Bluegrass' and is a re-creation using drums, surf guitar and chicken whistle too! Its got the bluegrass soul through and through.

You can download it free from the net. http://www.radiofreeolga.com/RadioFreeOlga/Mangler_of_Bluegrass.html

Right, I said you "could make music that qualifies as bluegrass." But it sounds like you'd be one of the people who didn't acept it, unless it had the groove, the harmony, the structure of a 'bluegrass song' :D

Which is fine, and I think that many genres have a lot of growth right in the middle. I mean, look at rock music and how much people have done within very tight constraints (by adjusting sound, playing style, rhythm, etc.). But the people who everyone talks about for years are the bands that were on the edge, trying new stuff that was outside the bounds of "normal" rock music.

I think that's true for most popular music genres, if not all. There's nothing wrong with challenging your band to write really awesome tunes within strict genre limitations.

But there's also nothing wrong with breaking convention if, to your band's ears, it makes better songs. Even if it's not as easily classified, or it challenges listeners. I mean, it would be simple to write new old-timey songs, but would that paradox be accepted by fans of the genre?

I'm not saying that I wouldn't like it Egg, just that it wouldn't necessarily be bluegrass.

I love Del & the Boys and they're bluegrass and I love Alison Krauss and what do you think - are they a bluegrass band? Psychograss? Thile? Do I have to be over 300 lbs to be a 'real' bluegrass singer?

I LOVE Bill Monroe - I was the voice of Bill in John Reischman's 'Tribute to Bill Monroe' show (guess who was the hands!) and my favourite stage photo is of me singing with Bill. I also came of age in the CSN era and I love David Crosby so you can hear that in my harmony singing and my chords on the guitar but I write 'bluegrass' style songs.

I'm fine with many different approaches but to me, Uncle Earl isn't bluegrass, Old Crow isn't either and the Merle Haggard bluegrass album just pisses me off - its just Merle being Merle with an acoustic band. Just because 'Angie' has an acoustic guitar on it doesn't make the Rolling Stones a bluegrass band.

Now excuse me, my typing finger is tired.......

for me the sound of Bluegrass, is Bluegrass!! its somewhat distinct i think!!
i went to a show where someone had claimed this band to be Bluegrass. and all i heard was guys with Bluegrass instruments playing Folk with a REGGAE feel .. never even resembled Bluegrass!! not that i have anything against what they were playing.. cause some people were diggin them.(drunks in a bar). it just never resembled a Bluegrass sound!! and then there is Hot Buttered Rum.. who i saw one late evening at Strawberry Music Festival in Yosemite ca. playing on strawberry radio.. and these guys kicked ass.. unplugged and very Bluegrassy. then heard them here in Socal, at a bar. all plugged in and the sound was gone!! still great music, but they kind of lost the bluegrass sound.. more of a Jam Band sound.. but still a great band who i will be seeing soon!!

I just got an URB and told someone that I wanted to play a little of everything. Such as jam with bluegrass guys but not really get in a "formed" band. The party I was talking to then said "they will never let you play URB in a bluegrass band". I ask why? They replied "because you have all of your front teeth."

I didn't think that was very nice thing to say, but I do value my choppers protruding from my gums.

I just got an URB and told someone that I wanted to play a little of everything. Such as jam with bluegrass guys but not really get in a "formed" band. The party I was talking to then said "they will never let you play URB in a bluegrass band". I ask why? They replied "because you have all of your front teeth."

I didn't think that was very nice thing to say, but I do value my choppers protruding from my gums.

I am not certain how this post pertains to the topic of this thread, so much as panders to false stereotypes that the pioneers of this genre have tried to to dispel.

I have two 16 year olds in my band that are thrilled about participating in this type of music. I think if we pass the tradition on, it will be perfectly safe.

I am not certain how this post pertains to the topic of this thread, so much as panders to false stereotypes that the pioneers of this genre have tried to to dispel.

My ancestry goes back into the hills and coalmining regions of Western Kentucky 150 years. Hence with all that being said I am numb to all the Kentuckian jokes and anything related to folks slant on anything related to Kentucky including Bluegrass music. I'm not wasting my time trying to dispel anything to anybody. I have more important things to do with my time, like getting on this forum and getting a tremendous education from many of the great minds of our land. The fraternity of the Bass Clef....

I love all kinds of music except Rap. Rap is not my cup of tea. There are two things that I cannot live without: Music & Pizza. I love both, a lot and often.

To me Bluegrass is wonderful. I was raised on it. Fact of the matter I can't listen to some songs without getting a lump in my throat. Many warm memories listening to Flat and Scruggs, Jim and Jess, Bill Monroe etc with my late Grandfather, (who mastered the JewsHarp).

To me there will always be a place in our culture for BlueGrass. In fact at one of the local festivals I noticed many young men...(some very young) taking to the stage and embracing BG in an impressive way. Hot young pickers they are.

If I might so bold as to say this....In Bluegrass music I prefer the real deal URB over an electric bass, be it accoustic or Solid Guitar. That scenario of NOT using an URB is really the only changes I casually see at times. But not often.

My agenda is to play my URB this coming summer with some Bluegrass pickers, if I am worthy and well qualified. If my skills are lacking a lot, I will pass as I don't want to be a "wet" blanket.

...If I might so bold as to say this....In Bluegrass music I prefer the real deal URB over an electric bass, be it accoustic or Solid Guitar. That scenario of NOT using an URB is really the only changes I casually see at times. But not often.

My agenda is to play my URB this coming summer with some Bluegrass pickers, if I am worthy and well qualified. If my skills are lacking a lot, I will pass as I don't want to be a "wet" blanket.


I can certainly understand why someone would choose an electric upright or slab when travelling to a bluegrass festival, but seems like lately half the local bands are using them too. I realize amplification is needed when performing, but IMHO double bass is just so much more satisfying than my electric and I'm going to do my part to keep the tradition alive. Sounds like you are too.

Don't worry too much about being worthy and qualified. There are pickers of all different levels at festivals so it's just a matter of finding a "slow jam" where you fit in.

I don't know how it is in other parts of the country, but around here (north of Seattle) there seems to be a dozen fiddlers and guitar players for every DB. Most of the time I'm the only bass at the local old-time fiddler jam and people are pretty tolerant of me hitting a wrong note here and there as long as I do it in rhythm.

Hey, if the Mrs is gonna get you a bass, the least you can do is get out there and play it :smug: $400, man that's a sweet deal! Sure, you'll be in over your head sometimes, maybe a lot of the time, but you'll learn from it. My advice is go, play, have fun!

What's it look like in your area?

I am from Wisconsin and I'd say Bluegrass is alive and well. As a family, we attend a large bluegrass/old-time festival in Minnesota and see 3 yr olds pickin' as well as 90 yr olds.

The group my spouse and I pick with are all under 40. Our toddler loves to strum his guitar and sing....he actually knows all the words to at least 8 of the bands songs (Rocky Top, Old Home, Rabbit in the Log, etc). He has a fit when it is time to stop pickin' and go to bed.:crying: He likes to turn his guitar into a fiddle, dobro, and bass too. The other day he asked for finger and thumb picks, so he must have been pretending the guitar was a banjo. Proud parent I am.:D

In our area, the audiance ages at concerts very greatly. Sometimes, they appear mostly 60+, other times newborns-100.

It is great having fans and people to pick with, but also nice that bluegrass is somewhat of a unique niche. At least that is my opinion.

I've just recently got into bluegrass within the past couple of years (A LOT within the past year), and I can vouch for how bluegrass isn't fading away. I'm a fan of jam bands (yeah, call me a hippie) and I can say from personal experience that there are a lot of young people who dig bluegrass. It's probably not what you would call traditional bluegrass, but back in May I caught the Hackensaw Boys in Raleigh and that place was PACKED. Every show I go to there's people in the parking lot jamming together in circles on mandolins, fiddles, banjos, acoustic guitars (haven't seen that many DBs in parking lots, though!). I think bluegrass is still going strong.

Bluegrass is alive and well in KY. Tons of younger folks are getting into it because it feels like part of our cultural heritage as well as being great music.

Here's a shot:

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/pocketbones/7409afternooncrowd.jpg

Of the July 4th afternoon crowd (before it completely filled up) at the 2009 edition of The Red White and Bluegrass Festival. Photo by Cindy Baucom.

When you bring good bands together in good facilities with good food, with good emcee work along with good ticket prices, this was the result.

Location? My hometown of Morganton, NC. Next year's dates will be 1st thru 4th, 2010.