Jerry, as one who is active in the bluegrass community in a large metropolitan area and has come into contact with musicians pretty much everywhere in a 100 mile area, it is amazing that there are zero blacks involved. Two weeks back I was at the largest Chicago area festival held in Naperville, Illinois where they come from 200 miles around and I saw one black lady there, a non-player who was having a good time listening.

Bluegrass and country music are still very much joined at the hip. I am familiar with Deford Bailey and the tragedy that was his Grand Ole Opry career. I believe only the old men you referred to and older country blacks from that era were interested in the white part of southern music. The old south is long gone in that respect, and I would think today's modern black youth and the generation before have distanced themselves as best as they could from that era, and probably just as well.