Traditional Country and Bluegrass??????

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 31 Jul 2002 7:43 pm

Think this buisness ain't crazy? We are a traditional country band (Steel, Keyboards, Bass, Drums, Lead). Jones, Haggard, Paycheck, Strait, Alan Jackson, etc. and we're workin' a Bluegrass Fest. this weekend. They tell us that Bluegrass People will accept Trad. Country. We'll find out. I guess Lyric and feeling wise Bluegrass and Trad. country is closer than New Country and Trad. Country. What do you think? Doyle

Patrick Ickes · Post by **Patrick Ickes** » 31 Jul 2002 8:18 pm

Bring your own chicken wire and hockey goal tender masks.

Pat

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 31 Jul 2002 8:18 pm

If the audience is like me, they will love what you do. I like bluegrass and traditional country. Bluegrass vocal harmonies and country harmonies are inter-changable, and when done right, they both give me goose bumps.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 1 Aug 2002 6:31 am

What a crapshoot! If you've got an older audience, they heard the Osbournes(NOT OZZY)on the radio along with Ferlin Huskey. The younger crowd grew up on something else. I've seen an almost 100% audience turnover from one band to the next, due to the "type" of bluegrass the next act played. Remember, they didn't even call this stuff "bluegrass" generically until the 50s, before that, it was country music. So, just as some folks love "classic country", but detest this CMT stuff, there's gonna be those who love "classic bluegrass", and hate anything that doesn't sound like Bill Monroe.
Boil it all down, we know there's only two kinds of music--good and bad. Go kick some butt, and let us know how you come out.

Robert Todd · Post by **Robert Todd** » 1 Aug 2002 6:44 am

I'd love it

Steve Miller · Post by **Steve Miller** » 1 Aug 2002 8:11 am

Doyle, I would tailor the set list to suit the crowd. Use the most traditional sounding songs. Keep effects to a minimum. The bluegrass crowd respects real talent. The steel guitar will replace the fiddle and/or dobro. So turn the steel up and put your heart into it. They will love it! my $.02

sgm

Pete Grant · Post by **Pete Grant** » 1 Aug 2002 8:28 am

Theres something of a tradition of PSG in bluegrass--not, of course, the just-like-Bill-Monroe style of bluegrass. Bill Monroe appears on the album "Rose Maddox Sings Bluegrass", where, on one track, Bill AND the late Wayne Galey each take a solo.

The Osborne Brothers used Hal Rugg on some of their albums, and Jim and Jesse and the Virginians used Lloyd Green.

The Bluegrass Fundamentalists will never like anything but their brand of bluegrass, as narrow as their definition is, so you don't have to worry about trying to please them.

Play what best pleases you, and you'll love the experience.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 1 Aug 2002 9:07 am

Back when the bluegrass band Hot Rize were at there peak at the festivals, they would come out as Red Knuckles and The Trailblazers and do traditional country stuff with electric bass, electric guitar ,and "The Electric Hawaiian Table" a Fender S-8 Stringmaster. They always stole the show and would sell just as many Red Knuckles albums as Hot Rize albums.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 3 Aug 2002 2:31 pm

I believe that was banjer picker Pete Wernick [Waldo?] on the steel, at least it is on the video I have someplace of their alter ego. They did a really good rendition of Always
Late....musically...The costuming and choreography had me ROFL tho'. Really funny...I'll have to hunt it up and play it again.

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jerry Overstreet on 03 August 2002 at 03:36 PM.]</p></FONT>

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 4 Aug 2002 12:12 am

Yes it was Waldo Otto (Pete) on steel.Sometimes his brother Elmo Otto(Sam Bush) would play fiddle with them or even Waldo and Elmo's dad Elder Otto (Jethro Burns) would play mandolin. I can't remember how many times I've seen them do the Trailblazer show and everyone was funner than the last.

Bob Hayes · Post by **Bob Hayes** » 4 Aug 2002 8:48 am

My Very humble opinion!!. In this rart of the counrty..the "Birthplace of Country music"..which people are celebrating this summer with various festivals....If there is ANY ELECTRIFied Instruments other than the PA system..then the music is Phooey.....The self aclaimed powers that be....seem to think that any amplified instrument is out of the realm of a "traditional" country instrument..and therefore close to voodoo!!!
. So .in this area (Bristol,Kingsport,Johnson City..IE SW Virginia..East Tenn.....There IS A very big conflict between the Blue Grassers( Who Actully believe that Blue Grass was what Mother Maybell, AP, and Jimmie Rogers was playing) and Traditional Country music ..with amplification.... And this is not just a "Debate". but real mean fightin' and feudin'.. I'm a country traditionalist..but when it comes to pickin' you have to roll with the flow..and music evolves. So ..maybee it's a good mix..old and new..but hard to play a PSG without electricity!!!!

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 4 Aug 2002 3:48 pm

Bob,
First of all, I don't know a SINGLE bluegrasser who thinks Carter family, Jimmie Rodgers, Clayton Mcmitchen, or Gid Tanner music, was, or is, bluegrass. Second, go see Sam Bush. Notice anything funny hanging out of his mandolin? Right, it's a CORD. I remember when the electric/upright bass fight was raging. I also remember when Sonny and Bobby were accused of selling out, because of Hal Rugg's groundbreaking work with them(Ever heard "Rocky Top?). Truth was, country music was, even then, being "Nashville-ized" with strings and "ooh-aahs," and rock and roll ws starving everybody who wasn't from England. Remember that hideous Jim and Jesse "Berry Pickin" album---with electric instruments, and(gasp)DRUMS? It's called survival! And as for guys plugging in today, if I'm playing 'grass, I'll take one of the Martins, and mike it(HHMM). But if we're plugging in, I'll take my Larrivee, plug it in, and enjoy. Nobody wants to mix an acoustic mandolin with a Stratocaster. But plug 'em both in, and make music! If it's good music, people will dig it. If it's not, take it back to the woodshed. I've got a good friend, a pro banjo player who shall be unnamed, who says it ain't bluegrass if Bill Monroe ain't playing it. Bill didn't even want it called bluegrass music, Flatt and Scruggs called it country music----And people are scared somebody's gonna plug in? I hope they never use microphones!
By the way, Doyle, how'd the gig go?

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 4 Aug 2002 4:41 pm

Did anyone else catch the Nickel (sp ??) Creek interview on CBS Sunday Morning ?? What caught my attention was the line about a 6 year old madolin player who found a 10 year old fiddle player whose brother played guitar.... Their producer is someone called Allison Krause !! I've heard that name before....probably a million times !!

Regards, Paul

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 4 Aug 2002 4:44 pm

There ya go, Paul. And the last time I saw 'em, they were all plugged in. INFIDELS, I SAY!

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 4 Aug 2002 4:48 pm

What we call traditional country music today was called by some of the old timers that "new crap" back in the 50's and 60's. They would say that was not traditional--"Maybelle, Jimmy Rogers, etc., they were real country, electricity ruined it all." Today people are saying that the new country is crap and Price, Owens, and Loretta Lynn are real country with plenty of electric pedal steel guitar. Todays junk will be tomorrows treasure. Joe

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 4 Aug 2002 7:20 pm

I grew up playing banjo and spent my first ten years in the music biz as a bluegrass picker. Then I decided that I needed to make money to live so I got a tele and steel and started playing country. There are a few people in bluegrass that think Ricky Scaggs is a traitor for playing country, and they still wont go to his "bluegrass shows". And there are some that dont think Nickel Creek or Allison Krause sould play at Bluegrass Festivals.
All of it is still music and back when Bill Monrore started on WSM he was just another country act. He just stayed acustic while the rest of the world pluged in.
Most bluegrass jams play the same songs that traditional country bands play just different feel and no amps.

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 4 Aug 2002 8:17 pm

Don't fear. Just get up there when it's your
time. And play your damned best. If you play honestly, and if you BELIEVE in what you are doing, then it will rub off on all around you.

Who, honestly, couldn't dig this.

John DeBoalt · Post by **John DeBoalt** » 5 Aug 2002 5:41 pm

Bluegrass is just another form of country music. Some of the so called hard core bluegrass crowd would like to forget that Bill was an Opry member, and would come back every saturday night to do his set. People get the styles confused with catagory. Mr Monro refused to let his style be compromised,and it developed into a " form " of music featuring the banjo, mandolin, and fiddle. The pedal steel entered the music scene from a different direction, and were all aware of that history. From AP Carter to Brad Paisley, if the music tells an honest story about everyday people, it could very well be country.

Gary C. Dygert · Post by **Gary C. Dygert** » 6 Aug 2002 4:33 pm

Some very good points have been made here. When Bill Monroe was experimenting in the early days, he recorded some songs with ACCORDION and (gasp!) ELECTRIC GUITAR. Flatt & Scruggs used drums a lot. Music evolves, and everything influences everything else. Let's just try to sound good and have fun.

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 6 Aug 2002 4:35 pm

Hey, appreciate all the response. It went well. They do accept Trad. Country. This particular Fest. is an annual event. We are goin' back next year. Thanks again, I would recommend it to anybody hangin' on to the tradional sounds, Doyle

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 6 Aug 2002 7:04 pm

Hey John, it's spelled MONROE. And back in those days, you had to do 50 weekends on the Opry, to remain a member. People hated having to come back to Nashville for the Opry, for scale, when they were making more money on the road. And, Mr. Monroe was told by George D. Hay,"Son, you've got the job until you fire yourself." And countless bluegrass acts, including Flatt and Scruggs, were kept off the Opry by Bill Monroe. So, give Bill the credit for inventing a new music, and blame him for keeping a lot of it off the Opry. And you might just be surprised how many 'grassers LOVE old country music. After 30+ years playing, and the last 20 or so playing bluegrass almost exclusively, I started Steelin' about 6 months ago, and I love it! And guess who's helping me a lot? Mike Auldridge, one of the greatest Dobro players of all time. So open up a little, good pickers ALWAYS appreciate good pickin', no matter what the genre.
And Doyle, I figured you'd have a good time. Congratulations!

John DeBoalt · Post by **John DeBoalt** » 7 Aug 2002 6:16 pm

I meant no respect to Bill mis-spelling his last name. I'm certainly one of these people who enjoy and have played all styles of country music. I've played peddle steel in country bands, and dobro in bluegrass bands. I alternate between instruments when I get the chance.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 7 Aug 2002 7:37 pm

Aw, John, I was just yankin' your chain a little. But as a fairly experienced 'grasser,
both traditional and "newgrass", the old "it ain't bluegrass" argument really bugs me. As I said in another post, we as musicians should just appreciate good, honest musicianship. And, according to Doyle, the crowd at his gig did just that!
And John, I hate to end this on a sour note, but did you know that Monroe HATED Dobro? Mostly because Flatt and Scruggs had Josh.