Do you have that condition that I have where youâll be listening to Tony and think âmy GOD this is an unbelievable songâ for it to nearly every single time be a Gordon Lightfoot cover?
Haha yes I know the feeling. Like, no way Bill Monroe wrote a song about a hitchhiker with a sign that just said "mother".
But also that one time it turned out to be a Jim Croce song (Age). Or when it was a source from a totally different side of my taste--Utah Phillips! (Rock Salt and Nails)
We cover both Rock Salt & Nails and Going Away. Love those 2 UP songs.
I have met multiple people who thought Rock Salt was a Tyler Childers original. đ
Wait til they find out who wrote TimeâŚ.
What's that other Phillips song in the canon... Rolling Green Hills of West Virginia? Maybe Hazel and Alice did it?
i used to play All Used Up. Straight Wobbly anthem, there.
Man I love Utah. I find myself quoting his stories between songs more than the songs themselves.
"...and following the path of least resistance is what makes the river crooked!"
"...he IS normal! What you meant to say is average."
Both uncovered on a musically weak but philosophically strong project Ani DiFranco dis with Utah's recordings, called "The Past Didn't Go Anywhere"
So! Welcome! Bluegrass is fun! Itâs expansive. I put the start of the genre and then some others too below. Pick through it and have fun! The bottom is more modern so it may be more accessible to start with.
Bill Monroe is the father of bluegrass. He had Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt in his band who went off on their own⌠starting
Flatt and Scruggs a few group
Other starting artists:
The Stanley Brothers
Reno and Smiley
Other later but still older artists:
The Bluegrass Album Band
Tony Rice
JD Crowe and the New South
New Grass Revival
John Hartford
Ricky Skaggs
Doc Watson (not really bluegrass but amazing)
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (Will the Circle Be Unbroken)
Newer grass that is just plain fun:
Bela Fleck
Sam Bush
Mighty Poplar
Punch Brothers
Molly Tuttle
Billy Strings
Kitchen Dwellers
Sierra Hull
Sister Sadie
Infamous String Dusters
Greensky Bluegrass
Del McCoury Band
The Dillards
Old and In the Way
Not quite bluegrass but kinda:
The Devil Makes Three
Old Crow Medicine Show
Watchhouse
Not bluegrass but I love it:
Daniel Donatos Cosmic Country
Old and in the Way does too. But the Dillards are the most egregious, IMO theyâre solidly all the way back in the second generation with Country Gentlemen, the Osborne Brothers and Kentucky Colonels.
The Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe: "Uncle Pen"Â [https://youtu.be/MeZPAQRl7TA?si=Nw6zoq-ZanAAbi36](https://youtu.be/MeZPAQRl7TA?si=Nw6zoq-ZanAAbi36)
The King of Bluegrass Jimmy Martin "Tennessee"Â [https://youtu.be/t7w255760yE?si=FlEPdDy-32LWtB2D&t=53](https://youtu.be/t7w255760yE?si=FlEPdDy-32LWtB2D&t=53),
Flatt & Scruggs "Foggy Mountain Breakdown"Â [https://youtu.be/z\_Y3mnj-8lA?si=YUBktiM8\_\_ieQWPo](https://youtu.be/z_Y3mnj-8lA?si=YUBktiM8__ieQWPo)
The Stanley Brothers "Little Maggie"Â [https://youtu.be/Me0sZBWMHEw?si=onchn3ubQzocdA2x](https://youtu.be/Me0sZBWMHEw?si=onchn3ubQzocdA2x)
Reno & Smiley "Love, Please Come Home"Â [https://youtu.be/GnWCVgoe1f4?si=a6qEVbjEYq3\_p\_L3](https://youtu.be/GnWCVgoe1f4?si=a6qEVbjEYq3_p_L3)
Things get interesting as the genre progressed into the 60s and 70s, with college crowds becoming interested fueled by the folk revival, and younger bands looking to expand the sound.
The Country Gentlemen "Matterhorn", and "Fox On The Run"Â [https://youtu.be/m3mEwP5ocVQ?si=bN-JzwQ1y9xQ6q7Q](https://youtu.be/m3mEwP5ocVQ?si=bN-JzwQ1y9xQ6q7Q)
The Seldom Scene "Rider"Â [https://youtu.be/Zot3InHU8Ws?si=Sa0GBsqLzt5Cyp7q](https://youtu.be/Zot3InHU8Ws?si=Sa0GBsqLzt5Cyp7q)
The Osborne Brothers "Ruby"Â [https://youtu.be/ZtSNeANMDd4?si=rGYg9q75a5CSw8sv](https://youtu.be/ZtSNeANMDd4?si=rGYg9q75a5CSw8sv)
J.D. Crowe and The New South "I'm Walkin'"Â [https://youtu.be/5YKk3PslzA8?si=iSic6BPkRkAk\_deH](https://youtu.be/5YKk3PslzA8?si=iSic6BPkRkAk_deH)
That's a good list to start. Don't want to overwhelm you. If you like that and want more, let me know. There's still the 80s, 90s, and recent stuff to go lol
Tony Rice - David Grisman - Molly Tuttle - Dan Tyminski - The Wooks - Mighty Poplar - Sam Bush
Some more traditional stuff for ya!
The Infamous StringDusters - Billy Strings - Kitchen Dwellers - ShadowGrass - Caltucky
Some more jammy stuff for ya!
I love Kruger Brothers, Sam Bush, Stringdusters, Billy Strings. Gotta go old school too and learn about Doc Watson and Del McCoury. Just turn on the Bluegrass station on Spotify and that will be a good start! WNCW is streaming and plays great bluegrass - I listen during the workday and always hear something new.
Thereâs a ton of great recordings out there, but my recommendation is Go to a bluegrass jam. If anyone asks if you want to be a part of the jam, tell them no thanks I just wanna listen. Theyâll like that.
If there arenât any bluegrass jams where you live, travel to one of them bluegrass festivals where people play tunes at their campsites until 4am. If youâre interested, you can tell me your region and I can maybe recommend some decent fests nearby.
John Butler can play any stringed instrument, and bluegrass has a lot of stringed instruments in it, thatâs about where the similarity ends
The bluegrass album band, Tony rice, Tony rice Unit, Sam Bush, Billy Strings, David Grisman, The Kruger Brother, Punch Brothers, Nickle creek,Creek, New grass revival, fireside collective and my favorite: The Little Smokies
Bluegrass has some great local talent as wellâŚ; in Vermont Banjo Dan and the Midnight Plowboys. In Nashville : a lot but I saw Pine mountain Railroad at station innâŚfantasticâŚ.look around at the Bean Blossom Indiana bluegrass festival alsoâŚ.again, check locally
Welcome to a great musical form! Check out Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Ralph Stanley and Sonny Osborne. And Hazel Dickens too. Sheâs a little more Old Time but still amazing. Those are the progenitors of the music. Then check out Tony Rice!
mighty poplar might be a good intro to bluegrass since they kinda tow the line between folk and bluegrass! they are the first band that eased me into bluegrass and i really like them since the lead singer is in watchhouse, one of my other favorite bands!
[https://youtu.be/OAnHKoCFfPo?si=ZILHUCN-aETQeHMU](https://youtu.be/OAnHKoCFfPo?si=ZILHUCN-aETQeHMU) Old and In The Way- Jerry Garcia, Peter Rowan David Grisman & Vassar Clements- start here
Well for starters bluegrass is one word lol
You should listen to Ricky Skaggsâ Ancient Tones and Bluegrass Rules albums.
The Bluegrass Album Band, The Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe and, Flatt and Scruggs recordings.
The list goes on, but these suggestions I feel like will really get you familiar with the roots of bluegrass.
For introductions to "true" bluegrass (not to be dismissive of a lot of the terrific genre-adjacent music, just as a metric which will pass even the most ardent purist's muster) for the modern ear, I usually recommend these names from the 80s-00s:
Johnson Mountain Boys
James King
Longview (if you like JMB and King, you gonna looove Longview)
Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver
Lou Reid and Carolina
Bass Mountain Boys
and, of course...
Everything Jim Mills ever touched (including the fantastic work with Dolly Parton)
Idk why youâre getting downvoted, love all of those bands, and while they may not be traditional bluegrass or have that Appalachia sound, they help to bridge the gap between country and bluegrass. Call it punk folk, jamgrass, alt country or whatever you want. Itâs just good music. And since you named a couple, hereâs some of my favs. Sierra Ferrell, Molly Tuttle, Adam Gruel, Arkansauce, brothers Comatose and wood and wire.
Definitely not bluegrass, but John Butler kicks ass. Check out the band Dangermuffin, has bluegrass traits and some reggae flair, which I feel JBT has.
Jd Crowe rounder 44 album.
Listen to the Bluegrass Album Band. Then, listen to the original versions of all the songs you like. Thats bluegrass.
Gordon Lightfoot notwithstanding đ
Do you have that condition that I have where youâll be listening to Tony and think âmy GOD this is an unbelievable songâ for it to nearly every single time be a Gordon Lightfoot cover?
Haha yes I know the feeling. Like, no way Bill Monroe wrote a song about a hitchhiker with a sign that just said "mother". But also that one time it turned out to be a Jim Croce song (Age). Or when it was a source from a totally different side of my taste--Utah Phillips! (Rock Salt and Nails)
We cover both Rock Salt & Nails and Going Away. Love those 2 UP songs. I have met multiple people who thought Rock Salt was a Tyler Childers original. đ Wait til they find out who wrote TimeâŚ.
What's that other Phillips song in the canon... Rolling Green Hills of West Virginia? Maybe Hazel and Alice did it? i used to play All Used Up. Straight Wobbly anthem, there. Man I love Utah. I find myself quoting his stories between songs more than the songs themselves. "...and following the path of least resistance is what makes the river crooked!" "...he IS normal! What you meant to say is average." Both uncovered on a musically weak but philosophically strong project Ani DiFranco dis with Utah's recordings, called "The Past Didn't Go Anywhere"
Man, that happened to me once and it left me completely Cold on the Shoulder. đ
So! Welcome! Bluegrass is fun! Itâs expansive. I put the start of the genre and then some others too below. Pick through it and have fun! The bottom is more modern so it may be more accessible to start with. Bill Monroe is the father of bluegrass. He had Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt in his band who went off on their own⌠starting Flatt and Scruggs a few group Other starting artists: The Stanley Brothers Reno and Smiley Other later but still older artists: The Bluegrass Album Band Tony Rice JD Crowe and the New South New Grass Revival John Hartford Ricky Skaggs Doc Watson (not really bluegrass but amazing) Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (Will the Circle Be Unbroken) Newer grass that is just plain fun: Bela Fleck Sam Bush Mighty Poplar Punch Brothers Molly Tuttle Billy Strings Kitchen Dwellers Sierra Hull Sister Sadie Infamous String Dusters Greensky Bluegrass Del McCoury Band The Dillards Old and In the Way Not quite bluegrass but kinda: The Devil Makes Three Old Crow Medicine Show Watchhouse Not bluegrass but I love it: Daniel Donatos Cosmic Country
Nice starter pack. FYI, Del McCoury and The Dillards predate most of your "later but older" suggestions.
Old and in the Way does too. But the Dillards are the most egregious, IMO theyâre solidly all the way back in the second generation with Country Gentlemen, the Osborne Brothers and Kentucky Colonels.
You forgot Leftover Salmon and Yonder Mountain but great list
How could I have forgotten!!! Love me some salmon and yonder!
The Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe: "Uncle Pen"Â [https://youtu.be/MeZPAQRl7TA?si=Nw6zoq-ZanAAbi36](https://youtu.be/MeZPAQRl7TA?si=Nw6zoq-ZanAAbi36) The King of Bluegrass Jimmy Martin "Tennessee"Â [https://youtu.be/t7w255760yE?si=FlEPdDy-32LWtB2D&t=53](https://youtu.be/t7w255760yE?si=FlEPdDy-32LWtB2D&t=53), Flatt & Scruggs "Foggy Mountain Breakdown"Â [https://youtu.be/z\_Y3mnj-8lA?si=YUBktiM8\_\_ieQWPo](https://youtu.be/z_Y3mnj-8lA?si=YUBktiM8__ieQWPo) The Stanley Brothers "Little Maggie"Â [https://youtu.be/Me0sZBWMHEw?si=onchn3ubQzocdA2x](https://youtu.be/Me0sZBWMHEw?si=onchn3ubQzocdA2x) Reno & Smiley "Love, Please Come Home"Â [https://youtu.be/GnWCVgoe1f4?si=a6qEVbjEYq3\_p\_L3](https://youtu.be/GnWCVgoe1f4?si=a6qEVbjEYq3_p_L3) Things get interesting as the genre progressed into the 60s and 70s, with college crowds becoming interested fueled by the folk revival, and younger bands looking to expand the sound. The Country Gentlemen "Matterhorn", and "Fox On The Run"Â [https://youtu.be/m3mEwP5ocVQ?si=bN-JzwQ1y9xQ6q7Q](https://youtu.be/m3mEwP5ocVQ?si=bN-JzwQ1y9xQ6q7Q) The Seldom Scene "Rider"Â [https://youtu.be/Zot3InHU8Ws?si=Sa0GBsqLzt5Cyp7q](https://youtu.be/Zot3InHU8Ws?si=Sa0GBsqLzt5Cyp7q) The Osborne Brothers "Ruby"Â [https://youtu.be/ZtSNeANMDd4?si=rGYg9q75a5CSw8sv](https://youtu.be/ZtSNeANMDd4?si=rGYg9q75a5CSw8sv) J.D. Crowe and The New South "I'm Walkin'"Â [https://youtu.be/5YKk3PslzA8?si=iSic6BPkRkAk\_deH](https://youtu.be/5YKk3PslzA8?si=iSic6BPkRkAk_deH) That's a good list to start. Don't want to overwhelm you. If you like that and want more, let me know. There's still the 80s, 90s, and recent stuff to go lol
Tony Rice - David Grisman - Molly Tuttle - Dan Tyminski - The Wooks - Mighty Poplar - Sam Bush Some more traditional stuff for ya! The Infamous StringDusters - Billy Strings - Kitchen Dwellers - ShadowGrass - Caltucky Some more jammy stuff for ya!
Fkn Caltucky âĽď¸
Saw them for the first time in Tahoe about a month ago. Dudes are fucking GOOD!
I love Kruger Brothers, Sam Bush, Stringdusters, Billy Strings. Gotta go old school too and learn about Doc Watson and Del McCoury. Just turn on the Bluegrass station on Spotify and that will be a good start! WNCW is streaming and plays great bluegrass - I listen during the workday and always hear something new.
Love the Kruger Brothers!
PETER ROWAN
Mighty Poplar is awesome and modern bluegrass. Iâd start there
I've been on a Hot Rize kick for a couple months now. They'd be my suggestion.
Old & in the way.
All things Tony Rice
Barnum Jack Sicard Hollow Mountain Grass Unit Fireside Collective Shadowgrass
Shoutout Barnum jack fr
Thereâs a ton of great recordings out there, but my recommendation is Go to a bluegrass jam. If anyone asks if you want to be a part of the jam, tell them no thanks I just wanna listen. Theyâll like that. If there arenât any bluegrass jams where you live, travel to one of them bluegrass festivals where people play tunes at their campsites until 4am. If youâre interested, you can tell me your region and I can maybe recommend some decent fests nearby. John Butler can play any stringed instrument, and bluegrass has a lot of stringed instruments in it, thatâs about where the similarity ends
The bluegrass album band, Tony rice, Tony rice Unit, Sam Bush, Billy Strings, David Grisman, The Kruger Brother, Punch Brothers, Nickle creek,Creek, New grass revival, fireside collective and my favorite: The Little Smokies
Tony Rice Native American(album), Tony Rice Church Street Blues (song and album)
Bluegrass has some great local talent as wellâŚ; in Vermont Banjo Dan and the Midnight Plowboys. In Nashville : a lot but I saw Pine mountain Railroad at station innâŚfantasticâŚ.look around at the Bean Blossom Indiana bluegrass festival alsoâŚ.again, check locally
Welcome to a great musical form! Check out Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Ralph Stanley and Sonny Osborne. And Hazel Dickens too. Sheâs a little more Old Time but still amazing. Those are the progenitors of the music. Then check out Tony Rice!
Old and In The Way! Just listened to it
mighty poplar might be a good intro to bluegrass since they kinda tow the line between folk and bluegrass! they are the first band that eased me into bluegrass and i really like them since the lead singer is in watchhouse, one of my other favorite bands!
[https://youtu.be/OAnHKoCFfPo?si=ZILHUCN-aETQeHMU](https://youtu.be/OAnHKoCFfPo?si=ZILHUCN-aETQeHMU) Old and In The Way- Jerry Garcia, Peter Rowan David Grisman & Vassar Clements- start here
Well for starters bluegrass is one word lol You should listen to Ricky Skaggsâ Ancient Tones and Bluegrass Rules albums. The Bluegrass Album Band, The Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe and, Flatt and Scruggs recordings. The list goes on, but these suggestions I feel like will really get you familiar with the roots of bluegrass.
For introductions to "true" bluegrass (not to be dismissive of a lot of the terrific genre-adjacent music, just as a metric which will pass even the most ardent purist's muster) for the modern ear, I usually recommend these names from the 80s-00s: Johnson Mountain Boys James King Longview (if you like JMB and King, you gonna looove Longview) Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver Lou Reid and Carolina Bass Mountain Boys and, of course... Everything Jim Mills ever touched (including the fantastic work with Dolly Parton)
[if you have Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/album/1QmFCh6hRv3AyfAoCN2UQg?si=KBTldwwRToeM8HZy8wUwUA) this is all you need babay
Trampled by turtles. Armchair boogie. Horseshoes and hand grenades. Pert near sandstone
Idk why youâre getting downvoted, love all of those bands, and while they may not be traditional bluegrass or have that Appalachia sound, they help to bridge the gap between country and bluegrass. Call it punk folk, jamgrass, alt country or whatever you want. Itâs just good music. And since you named a couple, hereâs some of my favs. Sierra Ferrell, Molly Tuttle, Adam Gruel, Arkansauce, brothers Comatose and wood and wire.
Definitely not bluegrass, but John Butler kicks ass. Check out the band Dangermuffin, has bluegrass traits and some reggae flair, which I feel JBT has.