Know any decent blue grass songs?

Subject: RE: Know any decent blue grass songs?
From: BK
Date: 28 Jul 99 - 11:11 PM

Bluegrass is VERY TRADITIONAL - sort of... Many of it's leading proponents do "other" songs in the bluegrass style, & they sound GREAT! A few yrs ago on PHC Robin & Linda Williams were doing some nominally comic bits, re-casting pop & broadway show tunes, etc, as bluegrass... Only thing was often they were really super, not comedic at all. One wag has - possibly correctly - described Bluegrass as "folk music in overdrive."

When I started going to the local bluegrass jam, I mostly knew "folk." (Let's not try to define it, OK, or we'll be here YEARS!) So when my turn to sing came, and no favorite Gospel popped up (grew up catholic, so I only know a little Gosspel - all beautiful songs, but WE didn't sing "Protestant" songs in those days - I think they do now), I lit into a Tom Paxton number w/my usual - I thought - moderately fast finger-picking.

Well, the boys jumped right in! They not only knew the song, but played it at a thousand miles an hour; I could barely keep up! Turns out some of his stuff has made the transition to become Bluegrass standards. I understand leading 'Grasser's have recorded lots of Gordon Lightfoot material, for example. Some experiment w/blending jazz forms, (no doubt purists will dislike them for it).

And - listen to the words - there are a lot of great songs apparently accepted as "genuine bluegrass." The "high lonesome sound" can grow on you! Hang in there, get more exposure & I think you'll like it.

Cheers, BK

Subject: RE: Know any decent blue grass songs?
From: WyoWoman
Date: 28 Jul 99 - 10:09 PM

My friend who plays guitar for me does a lovely bluegrass version of "Stairway to Heaven." You might try that.

WW

Subject: RE: Know any decent blue grass songs?
From: Mark Clark
Date: 28 Jul 99 - 07:50 PM

Lowcountry,

For some reason there are two posts with roughly the same subject title. Most people seem to be using the other one so I posted there.

If you look beyond the pop imitations of bluegrass and the jam sessions filled with people who've never looked beneath the surface, I think you'll find a whole lot of bluegrass music with with emotional substance and pretty lyrics. At least I hope so.

- Mark

Subject: RE: Know any decent blue grass songs?
From: Mad Arvi
Date: 28 Jul 99 - 12:44 PM

Some might argue that you don't really like the music, given the qualifications you add to your statement.

The instrumentation (and vocalization, to a lesser extent) is what makes bluegrass bluegrass. Any song can be done as bluegrass. So take your pretty emotionally substantial songs and do them in bluegrass.

Subject: RE: Know any decent blue grass songs?
From: Paul S
Date: 28 Jul 99 - 12:04 PM

Nope.

P.

Subject: Know any decent bluegrass songs?
From: Lowcountry
Date: 28 Jul 99 - 10:30 AM

Most of the jams in this part of the South are bluegrass jams. The problem is, I can't bring myself to really love bluegrass. I like the music fine, but the words always suck. Are there any decent bluegrass songs with emotional substance and pretty lyrics?