Looking at a time line, bluegrass started out of Kentucky in the 1930’s and 40’s with Bill Monroe and, the Stanley Brothers, and Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, and was found to be quite popular radio entertainment. At that point in time, there wasn’t many other outlets for the music to be presented or promoted … Continue reading
Month: March 2015
Communities and Values
In “The Portable Community: Mobility and Modernization in Bluegrass Festival Life,” Robert Gardner quotes Richard Florida, who says, “Where old social structures were once nurturing, they are now restricting. Communities that once attracted people now repel them. Our evolving communities and emerging society are marked by a greater diversity of friendships, more individualistic pursuits, and … Continue reading Communities and Values
Bluegrass Festivals: All Kinds of Kinds
After reading Robert Owen Gardner’s The Portable Community: Mobility and Modernization in Bluegrass Festival Life I have learned a lot about how Bluegrass festivals display a sense of community formed of an unlikely mix. In his article, Gardner discussed the meaning of community and how that is reflected in the Bluegrass festival scene. Community is … Continue reading Bluegrass Festivals: All Kinds of Kinds
Bluegrass Festivals and Community
In my Bluegrass class this week we focused on Bluegrass festivals and the communities that form among members of the festival audience. On Monday we watched a documentary called Bluegrass Country Soul that showcased Carlton Haney’s 7th annual Labor Day … Continue reading →
What’s On This Side of Jordan?
I first heard the singer-songwriter duo of Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz in a collaboration video with Peter Rowan and Tibetan vocalist Yungchen Lhamo at last year’s Merlefest. (Their performance of Rowan’s I’m Calling You still remains as my favorite example of the “High Lonesome Sound” in music today.) This Side of Jordan is their latest … Continue reading What’s On This Side of Jordan? →
Festivals are Families
Recently I read, “The Portable Communities” by Owens Gardener. The “portable communities” he referred to were the communities found at the smaller bluegrass festivals. It describes the way people interact at festivals, and how festivals tend to bring people together. I enjoyed the writing because it perfectly describes what I define as Bluegrass music. To … Continue reading Festivals are Families
Some thoughts on “Bluegrass Country Soul” and “Portable Community”
Class this week consisted of watching the film “Bluegrass Country Soul”, reading “Portable Community” by Owen Gardner, and some in class discussion on both of these topics. “Bluegrass Country Soul” is a documentary-style film that covers Carlton Haney’s 1971 Labor Day Weekend Bluegrass Music Festival in Camp Springs, North Carolina. The film features some interview-like … Continue reading Some thoughts on “Bluegrass Country Soul” and “Portable Community”
“Community” Development
Through the discussion around festivals and the bigger scope of the bluegrass community, I have been thoroughly entertained hearing stories of community from other classmates. This aspect in itself is one of the reasons I enjoy Tech. The university has such far reaching boundaries that you can hear such different stories. The film, Bluegrass Country … Continue reading “Community” Development →
Research Paper Spoilers
This is an excerpt from the first draft of my research paper. It’s on traditional music and bluegrass in Montgomery County and Giles County. It’s under revision so any feedback would be great! The existence of old time music and bluegrass in Montgomery County—which is a geographically defined Appalachian community—sustains Appalachian culture for its inhabitants. … Continue reading Research Paper Spoilers
Bluegrass Festivals
Today, Bluegrass and Folk Music Festivals are extremely popular scenes, and draw both large audiences and important exposure for musicians. However, the idea of having a festival for bluegrass music was not always popular, and was in some places actively resisted. When Bluegrass was emerging onto the national stage, most bluegrass performances occurred at recording … Continue reading Bluegrass Festivals