Jerry, thanks for the nice words about ShoreGrass. We combine some elements of bluegrass, old-timey, folk and even some blues in our band. Frank loves clawhammer as much as Scruggs-style banjo, which makes things very old-timey on some songs. And often when I try to write something bluegrassy, it comes out bluesy or folkie. As can be expected, the sticking point on some of the original music is the LYRICS! When I try to include more "content" there is a resistance from some quarters who want to keep it "simple." Hey, I'm fighting the good fight anyway...

Here's a good example of a song that exemplifies the folk process and demonstrates some commonality:

Curtains of Night (AKA I'll Remember You Love in my Prayers), written by William Shakespeare Hays in 1869.

This song was done by the Carter Family (early country), I heard it first by Stecher & Brislin (folk), Ralph Stanley recorded it (of course, he's recorded just about every song ever written, giving it his unique mountain sound) and I heard Dan Tyminski (of Union Station) perform it on stage with his own bluegrass band. The Carter Family and Stecher & Brislin use a different melody from the Stanley and Tyminski versions, but all are 4/4 time. Then our own Kendall Morse comes along and sings me a version he knows with a totally different melody in 3/4 time! All great. It's the LYRICS that tie them all together.