Tag: #eventreviews
At a Glance: Doc Watson
Born on March 3, 1923 from Deep Gap, North Carolina was Arthel Lane Watson, arguably one of the most influential old-time bluegrass artist. Mr. Watson was left blind after an eye infection during infancy, but that did not hold him back in the slightest. Doc gives much of his credit for not allowing his handicap … Continue reading At a Glance: Doc Watson
Bluegrass to Me
I have heard a lot about what makes up the components of Bluegrass music such as the type of instruments used (the banjo, the fiddle, and so on), however, when I was watching the film High Lonesome and reading up on the music, I found that my definition of Bluegrass is on of its character … Continue reading Bluegrass to Me
Roscoe Holcomb: Mountain Wholesome
Roscoe Holcomb was born in 1912, just one year after Bill Monroe, in Daisy, Kentucky. He is said to have influenced artists such as Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton and was greatly admired by the Stanley Brothers. Holcomb is credited as one of the founders of the “High and Lonesome” sound. His voice is echoes … Continue reading Roscoe Holcomb: Mountain Wholesome
Appalachian Bluegrass: A Transplanted Tradition
The sounds and lyrics in bluegrass music often echo reminiscent feelings of lost loves, distant family, and the beauty of the landscape of Appalachia. I have always felt a strong connection with these cries. They remind me of the Blue Ridge Mountains, my roots, and a sense of pride. They remind me of the rivers, … Continue reading Appalachian Bluegrass: A Transplanted Tradition
Dock Boggs
mtv.com “Dock Boggs” was born on February 7, 1898 in West Norton, Virginia. His given name was Moran Lee, after an admired town doctor, but his father started calling him Dock as a child. Dock went to school up to seventh grade but at age 12 he began working in the coal mines of Southwest … Continue reading Dock Boggs
A short biography of The Carter Family.
There are many biographies that I read that discussed the lives and music of The Carter Family. A biography by David Vinopal, Rovi summed up the groups career well and can be found on CMT.com http://www.cmt.com/artists/the-carter-family-00/biography/ . The following is a synopsis of the article from CMT. The Carter Family initially consisted of A.P. and … Continue reading A short biography of The Carter Family.
G.B. Grayson
If you happened to listen and play the above YouTube video, what you heard were the sounds of G.B. Grayson featuring Henry Whitter playing the song “Handsome Molly”. G.B. Grayson or Gilliam Banmon Grayson, was an old-time American fiddle player. He was active as a musician and known for his work with guitarist Henry Whitter … Continue reading G.B. Grayson
An Attempt to Define Bluegrass
I had some technical difficulties getting my blog up, but here is my first post on the definition of bluegrass. What is bluegrass? That’s a question that is sure to spark some conversation, and perhaps even controversy. When tackling this question, and attempting to “define” bluegrass, for me, a good place to start would be … Continue reading An Attempt to Define Bluegrass
The New Lost City Ramblers
The New Lost City Ramblers are an old-time string band, originally formed in New York City by John Cohen (left), Mike Seeger (right), and Tom Paley (center) in 1958. However, Paley left the band in 1962 and was replaced by Tracy Schwarz (left). Nevertheless, the group proved to be extremely influential during the folk … Continue reading The New Lost City Ramblers