Looking for beautiful bluegrass and country songs and records

[Kipaste]

Hey!

I usually spend my days listening to funk, reggae and hip hop, but I've always had a fascination for slower bluegrass and even some country music and now I've decided to order a couple dozen records so I can finally have a new section in my record collection. Problem is, I don't know what to look for and where to look from and I don't know almost any artists in these genres. I have some bela fleck records and the slow tunes are great and my straight story soundtrack is completely worn out. I'm looking for those beautiful violins and softly speaking acoustic guitars and banjos.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by Kipaste

I'm looking for those beautiful violins and softly speaking acoustic guitars and banjos.

Sorry, they don't have violins in country and bluegrass. Only fiddles.

Alison Krauss and Dale Ann Bradley immediately come to mind, but the whole bluegrass genre is this incredible wealth of unknown talent. I have a stack of it in my CD collection, I can't even remember the names.

[van_gogh_bass]

Check out Danny Barnes, and his old group The Bad Livers. They've done everything from traditional, bible-belt bluegrass to more experimental stuff with guest spots on tracks from people like Paul Leary from the B*tthole Surfers. Highly recommended...and I'm not much of a country fan!

http://www.dannybarnes.com
http://badlivers.com

For something more traditional, John Hartford is also excellent: www.johnhartford.com

[MakiSupaStar]

Bad Livers are great. Also check out Yonder Mountain String Band (Tons of free live shows to download), The Dillards are also great (love their version of Orange Blossom Express). Go to www.nugs.net and see if they have "Bluegrass Sessions" live show from the "Strawberry Mountain Festival". Amazing and beautiful. Hot Buttered Rum has some good stuff too.

Of course there are the classics. Bill Monroe, Lester Flatts, Earl Schruggs.

[Kipaste]

Thank you all for the responses, they really help me to broaden my horizons.

[jaywa]

"Whiskey Lullaby", duet by Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss. It will bring you to tears.

"Killing the Blues", duet by Robert Plant and Allison Krauss.

Heck... anything that comes out of Allison Krauss' mouth is gorgeous.

[JerBo]

Old And In The Way
Some damn good playing by them...
Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements, John Kahn

Yes, Alison Krauss is phenomenal as well. That "Killing the Blues" is GREAT

[Floridabwoy]

yeah.. but he said slow bluegrass...

Sing High, Play Fast...

you should check out Jimmy Martin & the Sunny Mountain boys... now THAT is bluegrass.

[Earthday]

Railroad Earth - Bird in the House

[praisebass]

http://www.countysales.com/

http://elderly.com/recordings/bluegrass_country.html

These are both great sources for bluegrass.

Check out: 'The Bluegrass Album Band', Larry Sparks, Bobby Hicks has a nice fiddle album, Del McCorey is a bit of the 'pure drop', JD Crowe and the New South is essential, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, most real bluegrassers don't like 'em but I even dig 'Old and in the way', All the Jim and Jesse and Virginia boys stuff has been remastered and re-released lately - my current favorite is probably the Issacs - they are gospel/bluegrass but you will not find sweeter music this side of Heaven.

Dude - my brain is going to explode - the is WAY to much good bluegrass music. Imagine someone knoew almost nothing of rock and roll and asked for good bands.

Oh, Oh, Oh - can't forget the Dillards...

[praisebass]

...or Nickle Creek - not strictly bluegrass but might be EXACTLY what you are looking for...

[zachoff]

Greensky Bluegrass is kinda my current favorite

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mALVvMmgGUs

[elgecko]

Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris...hauntingly beautiful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYMf_kOYQlc

God, I LOVE Emmylou!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTry1yKvxZM

[JerBo]

Originally Posted by zachoff

Greensky Bluegrass is kinda my current favorite

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mALVvMmgGUs

I like that!
Never heard of these guys, they're really good. Not too flashy.

Bluegrass is full of some of the greatest musicians.
Not sure if it has anything to do with it, but no effects or electronics to hide behind...

[Kipaste]

Brilliant! Thanks for all the input.

I just spent about 300 usd ordering records, included some of pretty much every artist mentioned on this topic.

[MIJ-VI]

Henhouse Prowlers
http://www.reverbnation.com/henhouseprowlers

[MNAirHead]

I was raised on the genres

Now that said..

You asked for "Slow and Beautiful"

Don't flinch bluegrass snobs..



I'd suggest picking up a used copy of Willie Nelson Red Headed Stranger It's a very sparse record with beautiful slow story/melody lines. It's more folk/cowboy than bluegrass/americana.. it is what you're describing.

This is kind of the record that brought red dirt and roots country to the radio labelling it "outlaw"

The record was done when Willie was at a make/break stage of his career.. still really sang.. wrote/found some great tunes and put tons of work into the recordings.

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If it's just the harmonic structure you're interested in and "smooth pretty sounds" in the 90s Suzy Boggus put out a few disks like "Aces" that had super sweet melody lines, great harmonics structure.. as a bass guy you may appreciate that Leland Skar was thumping on it.

Really helps that the vocalist (Suzy) has perfect pitch.. she can do some sweet stuff others can't dream of.
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For recent stuff.. consider Jamey Johnson.. it's a bit darker than commerical country stuff... he has a deep eerie type voice with great melody lines.


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There are a few compilation disks for americana.

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You may also be interested in Gospel Choir sounds....
Misssissippi Mass Choir "Near the Cross" has this trait


I could list tons of acts to listen to.. unfortunately this isn't slow and beatiful as it's tought to get many americana instruments to sound incredible at slow speeds

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Now for the bluegrass kids
I'd also say ditto to Alison Krauss.. (pass on the Robert Plant duo projnect - even if you're tempted).. she's easy to listen to as isn't overly syrupish and has solid recordings (the ones without robert plant).

[goodscoolwf]

http://www.countysales.com/ maybe helpful. I like it.