Bluegrass

Alison Krauss

Bluegrass was born of old-time traditional music but that form is not the sole contributor. Gospel, blues, and jazz directly influenced bluegrass music as it was formed in 1940s Appalachia, though it was not called bluegrass until about a decade later. Bill Monroe, and his “Blue Grass Boys” were the key developers of the unique sound that sprang from old-time music only a decade before the rise of rock and roll. They combined a three-fingered banjo style, with a mandolin, guitar, bass and banjo to rev up the tempo of traditional music, creating a new and energetic style that defined the genre. A typical bluegrass song allowed each instrumentalist to shine on their own with solos tied to the overarching melody, while also playing a supporting rhythm when their bandmates soloed. Bluegrass has been ultimately described as “folk music in overdrive.”