On Wednesday February 25, John Lawless (founder of Bluegrass Today) came to visit our Bluegrass class at Virginia Tech. After reading Chris Pandolfi’s Bluegrass Manifesto, I was able to link concepts between it and Mr. Lawless’ talk. Pandolfi’s Bluegrass Manifesto … Continue reading
Ricky Skaggs, considered by Fred Bartenstein to be a third generation artist, was born in Cordell, Kentucky on July 18, 1954. His father purchased a mandolin for him after he was heard harmonizing with his mother when he was only … Continue reading
On February 7th our class took a field trip to the 7th annual Appalachian State University Fiddler’s Convention in Boone, NC. This event is coordinated by only 15 to 20 ASU students each year. After attending a clogging/flatfooting workshop taught … Continue reading
Robert Cantwell’s “Hillbilly Music” focuses on the commercial background of the Bluegrass genre, specifically the Monroe Brothers’ music. Cantwell begins this chapter with some of Bill Monroe’s background. In 1929, Monroe moved to Whiting, Indiana from rural Kentucky along with … Continue reading
The original Carter Family began with family patriarch Alvin P. (A.P.) Carter, his wife Sara and their sister-in-law, Maybelle. A.P. was born on December 15, 1891 in Poor Valley, Virginia. He grew up playing the fiddle and learning songs from … Continue reading