The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #113475   Message #2505904
Posted By: GUEST,Side Street American
02-Dec-08 - 11:19 AM
Thread Name: BBC making documentary on bluegrass
Subject: RE: BBC making documentary on bluegrass
I think you may be right about that. The American artists being profiled are many of those who have been close to the UK & Irish revivalists, aren't they?

The world of revived trad music in the commercial music business has never been very large, after all. Several dozen at most from both sides the pond, as far as I can figure. And they aren't getting any younger. In fact, when I heard the New Riders were touring again, I was puzzled because Spencer Dryden has been gone a few years now. Musically, I don't think he is irreplacable in term of the NRPS sound, but he was an organizing influence for the group, IIRC.

I guess I can appreciate NRPS without Dryden easier than I was able to appreciate the Band reuniting without Robbie Robertson. That one never worked for me. Without Manuel and Robertson, there was no cohesion of any of their "sounds" of the era.