WHAT IS BLUEGRASS MUSIC?

When we think of bluegrass music, we think of the kind of rural, acoustic music capable of instantly wiping away all your troubles.

Often considered a close relative of country music, the genre is built upon soul-stirring sounds and thoughtful lyrics that, together, transport you to pastoral villages located within the Appalachian Mountain region of North America. But what exactly is bluegrass music?

We’ve got everything you need know about this hugely popular genre, together with a look at some of the best bluegrass musicians – one of whom is a relatively new contributor to our ever-expanding collection.

Contents

• What is bluegrass music?
• Where did bluegrass originate?
• Who came first in the history of bluegrass music?
• What are the main characteristics of bluegrass music?
• The best bluegrass musicians
  • Bill Monroe
  • Alison Krauss and Union Station
  • Nickel Creek
  • John Hartford
  • Earl Scruggs
  • Yonder Mountain String Band
  • Trampled By Turtles
  • Foggy Mountain Boys
  • Eric Weissberg
  • Eddie Island
• Our music catalogue

What is Bluegrass Music?

Bluegrass music has a cocktail of influences – an American country and old-time mountain foundation is shaken and stirred with a measure of British folk, a generous helping of blues, a shot of gospel and a dash of jazz.

The result is a sound that cools the nerves, warms the heart and fires up one’s desire to become one with the moment.

Where Did Bluegrass Originate?

Bluegrass originated in the United States’ Appalachian region.

Initially, the genre was a combination of the sounds brought to America by British settlers and the West African enslaved peoples; thus, it was the European fiddle and the African banjo that originally defined the sound. Later, the guitar, mandolin and bass became vital to the style of music as it grew in popularity.

During the late 1930s, singer, songwriter and mandolin player Bill Monroe officially introduced the genre in a complete and commercial form. The musician formed the Blue Grass Boys – named after the turf that grows across his home of Kentucky – and once they shared their music, people worldwide fell in love with bluegrass.

Who Came First in the History of Bluegrass Music?

There’s no denying that Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys were absolutely pivotal to the genesis of bluegrass music, as the genre is quite literally named after the collective.

It’s said that the official debut of the fully-formed genre was in 1939 when the band appeared on the Grand Ole Opry to play their bluegrass tracks to the station’s multitudinous listeners.

What Are the Main Characteristics of Bluegrass Music?

Different audiophiles have different perspectives on what defines bluegrass music, but there are certain elements that everyone can agree characterise bluegrass. These also set the bluegrass genre apart from the more familiar country genre.

1. Bluegrass bands solely rely on acoustic instruments, eschewing electric instruments to maintain a pure and wholesome sound.

2. Bluegrass songs usually contain multi-part vocal harmonies featuring several voices stacked together.

3. Bluegrass music is usually a lot faster and more upbeat than country music.

4. Bluegrass music has a folk sensibility that keeps the sounds of traditional British music alive.

Want to learn a little more about the origins of bluegrass music? Watch this video produced by Hand Productions.

The 10 Best Bluegrass Musicians

Bill Monroe

Not only is Bill Monroe (1911-1996) the founding father of bluegrass, but he’s also recognised as one of the greatest bluegrass musicians to ever exist.

The singer, songwriter and mandolin player combined breakneck tempos, stacked harmonies and acoustic string solos to create a sound that was unlike anything else on the music scene at the time.

Alison Krauss & Union Station

Alison Krauss and Union Station were established in 1987 when Krauss was supported by a bluegrass band composed of Jeff White, Mike Harman and John Pennell.

Although its members have changed over the years, the band is still going strong – ensuring modern-day audiences still have access to traditional yet contemporary bluegrass music.

Nickel Creek

Often dubbed a ‘progressive bluegrass band’, Nickel Creek has always been good at imagining what the future of the music genre looks and sounds like.

The Southern Californian band is currently made up of three members – Sara Watkins on the fiddle, Sean Watkins on the guitar and Chris Thile on the mandolin – and, as of 2014, has been signed to Nonesuch Records.

John Hartford

John Hartford (1937-2001) was an all-rounder in terms of his bluegrass abilities. The New York City-born musician was a master on the fiddle and the banjo and also had an idiosyncratic voice that perfectly lent itself to the genre.

His most memorable song was undoubtedly ‘Gentle on My Mind’ – a track that led to the singer picking up two accolades at the 10th Annual Grammy Awards.

Earl Scruggs

Earl Scruggs (1924-2012) – the man famed for popularising the three-finger banjo-picking style – was just 21 when he was hired to join Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys.

Just a few years later, Scruggs resigned from the band alongside Lester Flatt, and together they established their own group called Flatt and Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys.

Yonder Mountain String Band

Yonder Mountain String Band is a bluegrass group from Nederland, Colorado that has been active ever since 1998.

Thus far, they have released five studio albums and have even established their own independent record label called Frog Pad Records.

Trampled By Turtles

In fewer than two decades, Duluth-based band Trampled By Turtles have released nine albums, three of which have reached the top spot on the US Billboard bluegrass chart, and played at many of the world’s major festivals, including Coachella, Stagecoach and Bonnaroo festival.

Punch Brothers

Chris Thile, Gabe Witcher, Noam Pikelny, Chris Eldridge and Paul Kowert make up the Punch Brothers – the bluegrass band signed to Nonsuch Records and was awarded the Grammy Award for the Best Folk Album in 2018.

Formed in 2006 in NYC, it’s fascinating to see how the Punch Brothers permeate their bluegrass sounds with urban influences.

Eric Weissberg

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Eric Weissberg is celebrated as both a solo artist and as part of the American bluegrass group The Tarriers.

One of the most significant moments in Weissberg’s career is when his banjo solo ‘Dueling Banjos’ was used as the theme of John Boorman’s 1972 thriller Deliverance.

Eddie Island

From American Idol to the Audio Network catalogue, Eddie Island has had a whirlwind couple of years.

The bluegrass vocalist and guitarist was born and raised in Fairfax, Virginia and, after high school, relocated to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career in music.

Our Music Catalogue

Of course, our catalogue covers a lot more than just bluegrass music. At Audio Network, you can discover albums and playlists of every kind of genre, for every kind of production (including film and television productions, no matter how big or small the budget may be).

And if you want to learn more about other types of music before you commit to purchasing and licensing one of our tracks, check out The Edit. Split into inspiration, expertise and news the content explores how the industry uses music in everything from ads to films, TV and documentaries.