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Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the United States. [1] The genre derives its name from the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys . [ 2 ]
Bluegrass Hall of Famer, Art Stamper, played old-time bluegrass fiddle with some of the greatest names in the business, like Ralph and Carter Stanley, Bill Monroe, Larry Sparks, the Goins Brothers, Jim and Jesse. He was also instrumental in preserving and promoting the old-time roots of bluegrass as the genre developed.
Traditional bluegrass, as the name implies, emphasizes the traditional elements of bluegrass music, and stands in contrast to progressive bluegrass.Traditional bluegrass musicians play folk songs, tunes with simple traditional chord progressions, and on acoustic instruments of a type that were played by bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys band in the late 1940s.
Reflecting the cultures that settled North America, the roots of old-time music are in the traditional musics of the British Isles, [2] Europe, and Africa. African influences are notably found in vocal and instrumental performance styles and dance, as well as the often cited use of the banjo; in some regions, Native American, Spanish, French and German sources are also prominent. [3]
Country and bluegrass artists such as Loretta Lynn, Roy Acuff, Dolly Parton, Earl Scruggs, Chet Atkins, The Stanley Brothers and Don Reno were heavily influenced by traditional Appalachian music. [1] The Appalachian song "Coo Coo Bird", a variant of the English folk song "The Cuckoo", recorded by Clarence Ashley (vocals and banjo)
Bluegrass fiddling is a distinctive style of American fiddle playing which is characterized by bold, bluesy improvisation, off-beat "chopping", and sophisticated use of both double-stops and old-time bowing patterns.
[1] Speaking of Kuykendall and the influence of Bluegrass Unlimited, David Freeman, owner of Rebel Records, said: "When the magazine started publishing, bluegrass was pretty much at a low point. The magazine spread the word and highlighted the artistic aspect of the music, which helped to bring it out of the bars where it was in the 1950s.
The song was named for Cumberland Gap, a narrow pass through the Cumberland Mountains, which was explored by Daniel Boone in the 1770s, as he blazed the Wilderness Road.In recognition of this heritage, the town of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, hosts the monthly "Cumberland Mountain Music Show", with live gospel, bluegrass, and country music.