Good bluegrass to listen to?

[cpete430]

Hey I was wondering if you fellas had some suggestions (outside of the obvious Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer) about good bluegrass groups to listen to. I've been meaning to extend my repertoire to this area, and I'm probably going to have a bluegrass band lined up in the fall and wanted to listening material to study I guess. Thanks!

~Craig

[Jake deVilliers]

The Nashville Bluegrass Band, 'Unleashed'
Open Road, 'Lucky Drive'
The Del McCoury Band
Psychograss
Rhonda Vincent, 'Ragin' Live'

Jake

[Uncle Lee]

I would love to subscribe to this thread, as I have exactly the same question! Anybody know how I do that?

[bierbass]

Two personal favorites of mine are:
Tony Rice Unit--Manzanita
Ricky Skaggs--Bluegrass Rules

Both these artists have been around a loong time so the have an extensive discography.
Since bluegrass styles vary dramatically I'd also recommend going online to wdvx.com
It is a commercial-free radio station with online streaming. Its possible to hear a little bit of everything.

Have fun!

[mchildree]

All the above suggestions are good. There was a series of all-star type recordings made in the '70s and '80s by The Bluegrass Album Band. They covered lots of old classic tunes with top-shelf players, and the recording quality is great. They're numbered sequentially, and you can still get them on Amazon.com, etc. They are a GREAT intro to the genre.

[Damon Rondeau]

Ahem:

BILL MONROE
The Stanley Brothers
Flatt & Scruggs
Jimmy Martin

[Damon Rondeau]

Another idea. Back in 1970 a seminal country/bluegrass album came out (more country than bluegrass, really, but bluegrass is country music after all; it's the bebop of country music.) It was hippie meets redneck for the first time. I'm referring to the totally classic double album "Will The Circle Be Unbroken?". It came out under the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band name and they're all on it, but so is Roy Acuff, Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Jimmy Martin and a bunch of other old-timers I've forgotten.

Don't bother with volumes 2 and 3 under the same name. The first record is timeless and classic; the second two definitely aren't.

[AGCurry]

Originally Posted by Damon Rondeau

Ahem:

BILL MONROE
The Stanley Brothers
Flatt & Scruggs
Jimmy Martin

+1000.

All of the performers listed in this thread are good, but Damon's list is a beginning for those who want to *know* bluegrass music in their guts. Those are the giants.

Go to the roots - 1945 is the year Bluegrass was born when Earl Scruggs joined Bill Monroe's band - and THEN branch out.

I might add The Osborne Brothers and Jim and Jesse, two acts which continued to refine bluegrass in the 50s and 60s.

[mchildree]

Originally Posted by Damon Rondeau

Ahem:

BILL MONROE
The Stanley Brothers
Flatt & Scruggs
Jimmy Martin

I agree that these guys are the giants of the genre...BUT...in my opinion, they sometimes aren't the greatest intro to the style...especially for a bassist. Two reasons: first, the bass playing on some of these old recordings is either non-existent in the mix, or just really not that good. Second (and I have experienced this many times), Bill and Jimmy's vocals tend to scare the crap out of new listeners. I mean, face it...these guys are the kings, but an acquired taste. That's the only reason I like to introduce folks to the more accessible stuff first and then let 'em dig into the roots.

Flatt & Scruggs are great for anyone though. Generally a few notches above Bill's stuff, IMO. I am speaking in terms of bass playing and recording quality, mind you.

[bierbass]

Originally Posted by Damon Rondeau

Ahem:

BILL MONROE
The Stanley Brothers
Flatt & Scruggs
Jimmy Martin

My apologies for not mentioning these, esp. Monroe and Flatt and Scruggs. Flatt and Scruggs were my intro to Bluegrass.

[Whit Townsend]

Love the old stuff, but agree, usually better to start newbies out on the more modern sounds, smoother vocals, modern production values.
Check out:
Blue Highway
Mountain Heart
Lonesome River Band
The Gibson Brothers

Some slightly older stuff:
The Bluegrass Cardinals
Seldome Scene

For those who like a little rock n roll with their grass, don't forget the Newgrass Revival.


Also don't forget the classic JD Crowe and the New South Rounder album from the 70s.

[Bassmanslim]

I recommend getting hold of some Kentucky Colonels CDs. Appalachian Swing is all diamond in the rough instrumental and Long Journey Home contains live cuts. The bass cuts through well on both discs.

If you're looking more "bluegrass/country" on a recent release, try the Patty Loveless release Mountain Soul. You'll hear some good ghost note style on Daniel Prayed and Pretty Little Miss.

[Damon Rondeau]

Originally Posted by mchildree

Second (and I have experienced this many times), Bill and Jimmy's vocals tend to scare the crap out of new listeners. I mean, face it...these guys are the kings, but an acquired taste. That's the only reason I like to introduce folks to the more accessible stuff first and then let 'em dig into the roots.

Believe me, I've seen the fear too.

I dug Bill Monroe from the first note I heard out of him.

The other thing a newcomer could do is go to a good festival or two. Hear some good music, eat some good food, do some pickin' if you're so inclined.

[Steve Killingsworth]

Originally Posted by Damon Rondeau

The other thing a newcomer could do is go to a good festival or two. Hear some good music, eat some good food, do some pickin' if you're so inclined.

Probably the single most important thing to develop a taste for bluegrass.

I second all the Flatt and Scruggs recommendations. If you want to give someone an initial exposure, they are the best. Drive, vocals, instrumentation--they had it all. Later on get into Bill, Jimmy, and the modern boys.

I love the observation about Bill and Jimmy's singing. They still give me the willies on occasion!

[Gufenov]

James King, IIIrd Tyme Out, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. For the old stuff, Mac Wiseman.

I'd recomming looking for "compilation" albums - Time / Life has a couple.

[JimmyM]

People might laugh at me for saying this, but check out some of Dolly Parton's more recent stuff. She did an album where she did the song "Shine" by Collective Soul, and she had a top-flight band.

Under no circumstances should you buy David Lee Roth's new bluegrass album, though. Great playing by fine musicians, then Roth comes in and sings all these old Van Halen songs exactly how he sang them with Van Halen without one single thought about adapting them to a bluegrass format.

[Jake deVilliers]

Gee fellas, I thought this was the DB side!

Doyle Lawson, Jim & Jesse and IIIrd Tyme Out all use pathetic-sounding EB both live and in the studio.

Bill Monroe is IT, for many, many reasons, but aside from Ernie Potts, he had lousy bass players. I was lucky enough to be the voice of Bill Monroe in two tours of John Reischman's "Tribute to Bill Monroe", and we had a better bass player than Bill ever had!

The best new guys are Gene Libbea, Barry Bales, Mike Bubb, Eric Thorin, Mickey Harris, Dennis Crouch.

Opinions may not reflect the position of the Management. :-)

Bluegrass forever, Jake

[Damon Rondeau]

Originally Posted by Jake deVilliers

Bill Monroe is IT, for many, many reasons, but aside from Ernie Potts, he had lousy bass players. I was lucky enough to be the voice of Bill Monroe in two tours of John Reischman's "Tribute to Bill Monroe", and we had a better bass player than Bill ever had!

No kidding, huh? Way back he had that Stringbean guy because he was a good ball player or ran the ball team or whatever. Later on he put one of his girlfriends on the bass and of course had her sing... In the musicians' afterlife he's got a lot of credit but I'll bet he's paying for the girlfriend bass player.

[soloflyr]

Blue Highway, Mountain Heart, III Tyme out, Allison Krause and Union Station, Lonesome River Band ...... shall I go on...

[bierbass]

So did anyone check out WDVX at wdvx.com?