If I am making the definitive bluegrass compilation..what tracks?

[theoctavist]

i need help from the experts. i need a time spanning comprehensive compilation of the best bluegrass(or most defining) tracks ever put on tape. it is for a music project at university, and also for my own knowledge/betterment.

the more tracks the better. I prefer none of the "newgrass" stuff, just traditional, although if you feel it is important, i will include it.

maybe a reason why you selected the track too. what makes it special/important?

please help guys. you guys are the biggest experts i know.

trb

[Denny Gies]

This is hard. Take anything from Flatt and Scruggs, The Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe, The Seldom Scene, The Osborne Brothers. Listen to the stuff and pick out what you like most. I'll bet everyone here on the Cafe will have their own favorites. Some examples..Rawhide, Foggy Mountain Breakdown, Little Cabin Home On The Hill, Daybreak in Dixie, Dream of a Miner's Child, Boat of Love, Dear Old Dixie, He Took Your Place, The Old Home Place, Rabbit In The Log, A Hundred Years From Now, Why Don't You Tell Me So, Little Girl Of Mine In Tennessee, Black Diamond Strings, Murder On Music Row,Love Oh Love Please Come Home.
These are just the beginning of a list too long to put here. They are all accessible for both playing and singing. Have fun and good luck on your quest.

[jaycat]

I'm not doing your homework for you. You didn't help me when I was in college.

[johnhgayjr]

Heavy Traffic Ahead - 1946 - Bill, Lester, Earl, Chubby...

[Timbofood]

I need help too, I'm looking for a job!
Don't mean to be glib but, that's a pretty tall order, why can't you start listening and draw your own conclusions?
Jaycat has a very valid point. Albeit stated a bit harshly. You will get tons of answers but, if YOU don't do the research youre just cheating, aren't you?
This is your first post, how do you know what "goose hunt" we might play on you
Denny and John are being helpful so, I guess I will throw a bone
The entire "Live at the Cellar Door" album from Sheldon Scene. You pick the track you like best.

[theoctavist]

well, I have listened to a ton...but im young and relatively ignorant. I figured you guys were the experts, and could help. There are dozens upon dozens of best bluegrass greatest bluegrass etc cds, but you know, you have to go to the inside to get the real goods. some background, I am an Army Veteran, and I took JD Sumner's place in the stamps quartet when he passed. I sing bass.

any help is greatly appreciated. not asking anyone to do my homework.. just trying to get some valuable opinions. thats all.

thanks for the suggestions guys. really appreciated. just trying to learn from the experts, thats all.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Your personal 'definition' of the definitive collection,may be very different that anybody elses,as i'm sure you'll realise.
The best that you can do is to explore the music of the bands/artists mentioned by Dennie Gies above. A list of what we might think of as the 'best' Bluegrass songs/tunes is going to be very long indeed.
You could do worse than to listen to as many recordings by Bill Monroe & his various bands - some of his songs & instrumentals are 'classics' ie. Rawhide / Blue Moon of Kentucky / Muleskinner Blues etc. but there's a whole boat load more. The same goes for Flatt & Scruggs with 'Foggy My Breakdown' & almost any of Earl's other incredible tunes. Songs such as 'Take me in a lifeboat' & 'I'll be going to heaven sometime' are 'classics'. Then we come to Don Reno & Red Smiley's output & on & on & on..................!!.
Your question prompts one of my own - how many tunes/songs were you planning to collect & from which eras of Bluegrass music ?. I fully understand your question & i applaud you for such an undertaking,but as you see there's so much out there it could be the start of a whole new career.
The way i see it,is to first list the bands that could be deemed as the most important in the development of Bluegrass music - in other words, the bands that got the whole ball rolling & people listening. Then,choose the songs/instrumentals from their output that popularised the music ie.usually the 'classic' songs/tunes by those bands. They in their own way are 'definitive'. Who could argue that 'Bluegrass Breakdown' by Bill Monroe & it's (dare i say 'offshoot') 'Foggy Mt.'Breakdown' by Flatt & Scruggs aren't definitive instrumentals ?. As i mentioned above,you could define 'definitive' Bluegrass songs/instrumentals as the ones that popularised the music. Having said that,one of the songs that got Bill Monroe started was the duet with Charlie Monroe "What would you give in exchange for your soul ?",that wasn't Bluegrass,but it was a hugely important song. One other recording that was pretty impotant & regarded as possibly the 'first' true Bluegrass compilation,was ''Mountain Music Bluegrass Style.
http://www.folkways.si.edu/mountain-...um/smithsonian Maybe not Bluegrass 'classics', but important because it was the first recording to bring together a whole bunch of artists on one record for the first time.
You've set yourself a daunting task & i sincerely wish you the very best of luck with it,
Ivan

[Timbofood]

Ok, you're playing pretty fairly, what have YOU found that really snaps your cap? There is so much more now than when I got hooked it's pretty hard to go through forty years in forty five seconds.
One of the bands that had a big impact on me (after the real pioneers, Monroe, Stanley's, etc) was Larry sparks and The Lonesome Ramblers with Art Wydner on bass, Wendy Miller, mandolin, Mike Lilly, banjo. The "Footsteps of Tradition" album in particular, speed, style, originality. That's one that made a believer out of me! All but Art are still at it!
Very different from "Seldom Scene" but, important to me anyway. There are so many, the "Country Gentlemen" catalog, from very traditional to "Teach Your Children" is all worth listening to. I don't believe there is a "definitive" collection, it's all very personal. The stories that you will pick up over time, the time you will spend at festivals, parties, jams, saloons, concerts will all have an impact on what will be your "definitive" collection, we can only share, you have to make the collection, we are just going to fill your head with so much information your eyes may bug out!
In this music I am not so sure about "expertise" but am very sure about "opinionated"
We all fish the same pond but, use different bait and tackle. If you catch my drift.
Good luck

Now, has anyone found me a job?

[Mandoplumb]

Definitive means what defines it. We can't agree what bluegrass is, so good luck trying. Having said that I would start with classic Monroe to Flat and Scruggs to Stanley Brothers to Reno Smiliy to Country Gentleman to etc. Try to show how each band each song led to what we now call bluegrass, whatever that is. Good luck!

[jaycat]

OK, well I remembered there was a cute girl who helped me pass Physics in college, so since I don't want to be a hypocrite, I have two words for the OP: Jimmy Martin. Since no one has mentioned him yet. I don't listen to much BG but I do really like his stuff and I believe he is one of the Big Names.

Timbo: sorry you're out of work. You know, if you was a native, you could get you a can of shoe polish and you'd be in business.

[greg_tsam]

No offense to the OP but it really is a personal preference and when posted here it becomes a loaded topic of sorts. There is a very long thread listing Favorite Videos that can give you plenty of research.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ghlight=videos

This thread below could offer a ton more.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ghlight=videos

[allenhopkins]

Start with Bill Monroe, one cut from his "pre-Flatt-&-Scruggs" bands -- i.e., pre-1946. Then a cut from the Monroe/Flatt/Scruggs/Wise band. Then after the split, an early Flatt & Scruggs cut; Foggy Mountain Breakdown from the Mercury recordings is perhaps the definitive bluegrass instrumental. Some of the earlier bluegrass bands: early Stanley Brothers, Jimmy Martin with the Osborne Brothers, Jim & Jesse, Reno & Smiley. Some more 1950's-vintage Bill Monroe, with lead singers like Carter Stanley, Jimmy Martin, Mac Wiseman -- all of whom worked with Monroe in the '50's.

As you approach the "folk revival," pick up the Country Gentlemen, Carl Story, Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, maybe Hylo Brown. If you want bluegrass gospel, the Lewis Family. Some of the "city-billy" bluegrass bands could be added: Greenbriar Boys, Weissberg & Brickman's New Dimensions in Banjo and Bluegrass album, Tasty Licks, even the Charles River Valley Boys Beatle Country. A Flatt & Scruggs cut from their "folk era" -- Songs of the Famous Carter Family has some great stuff. I'd also put in something from the Dillards, maybe even hold your nose a bit and add Ballad of Jed Clampett. A bit of "newgrass," New Grass Revival and/or Earl Scruggs Revue. Definitely a cut from the Will the Circle Be Unbroken set with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band et. al. -- one of the most influential at reaching the general audience. And, of course, Dueling Banjos.

I don't listen to bluegrass as much as I used to, and am less familiar with the newer bands. I'd suggest some of the more adventurous stuff: Bela Fleck perhaps, Alison Brown, Noam Pikelny, Nickel Creek, similar. Some of the stauncher traditional bands: Johnson Mountain Boys, Bluegrass Cardinals, Larry Sparks, Boys From Indiana, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. Definitely something from Seldom Scene. And get some women in: Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, Lynn Morris, Claire Lynch.

There are several compilations, on Rounder and other labels, of "early bluegrass" that include a wide range of 1950's bands, most fairly obscure, some not. If what you're looking for are influential artists or recordings, rather than just songs you like, you have to start with Bill Monroe, and include Flatt & Scruggs, Stanley Brothers, Jimmy Martin, Reno & Smiley, Jim & Jesse, Country Gentlemen. And also, those few bluegrass songs/tunes that have "crossed over" to general popularity: Dueling Banjos, Foggy Mountain Breakdown, Ballad of Jed Clampett, Rocky Top. Heck, maybe even Wagon Wheel, the current "fave."

Enjoy listening to all that stuff, and good luck finding it.

[Timbofood]

Jaycat, I'm getting tired of polishin' this bench with the seat of my pants, but I ain't no native so, I can't do the other. They got laws down here.
Another classic Bogart reference!
Thanks for bringing Jimmy Martin onto the mix, though not a favorite of mine certainly a pioneer!
Alan, you get women with Monroe...(Bessie Lee Mauldin)
The current stream of many women in BG is to try to be as "waif like" as Allison Krause and she's better!
I suppose I have just let loose the dogs of war on that one. Sorry, I am sure I am missing some great women singers but, I haven't heard many that make me want to run out and buy a CD, just one mans opinion.🍸

[Ky Slim]

I'm no expert but I think there are some great suggestions here. I also agree that it is going to be very difficult to be "definitive" about bluegrass at this point but I think you have a cool project and I'm glad to suggest some songs.

Bill Monroe "the Father of BG" has several intrumental tunes with the word in the title so they may be worth considering: Bluegrass Breakdown, Bluegrass Stomp, Bluegrass Swing, Bluegrass Special, and maybe others. Instrumentals aren't only part of it. The high lonesome singing is as much a part of Bluegrass as anything. My vote for a Monroe bluegrass song would be Muleskinner Blues.


Best of luck!

[Mark Christensen]

I'm always surprised how little Herschel Sizemores name gets mentioned. Check out his classic tune Rebecca or his album "Back in Business" Great player, great Bluegrass.

[Mike Bunting]

I'm no expert but I think there are some great suggestions here. I also agree that it is going to be very difficult to be "definitive" about bluegrass at this point but I think you have a cool project and I'm glad to suggest some songs.

Bill Monroe "the Father of BG" has several intrumental tunes with the word in the title so they may be worth considering: Bluegrass Breakdown, Bluegrass Stomp, Bluegrass Swing, Bluegrass Special, and maybe others. Instrumentals aren't only part of it. The high lonesome singing is as much a part of Bluegrass as anything. My vote for a Monroe bluegrass song would be Muleskinner Blues.


Best of luck!

Where is there a recording of Monroe's Bluegrass Swing?

[allenhopkins]

Where is there a recording of Monroe's Bluegrass Swing?

Do you mean Honky Tonk Swing? Released as a 78 on Bluebird 1941, guess it's on The Essential Bill Monroe & the Monroe Brothers.

[Mike Bunting]

Do you mean Honky Tonk Swing? Released as a 78 on Bluebird 1941, guess it's on The Essential Bill Monroe & the Monroe Brothers.

That's what I expect. Never heard of Bluegrass Swing.

[Ky Slim]

That's what I expect. Never heard of Bluegrass Swing.

I Meant Bluegrass Twist. Apologies.

[allenhopkins]

Recorded 1961, re-titled Blue Grass Part 1 later. Here 'tis:

[violinvic]

Don't forget Appalachian Swing-by The Kentucky Colonels or the Folkways recording of Red Allen and Frank Wakefield. Red is still my favorite bluegrass singer.

[Timbofood]

Excellent suggestions Vic!

[allenhopkins]

...Alan, you get women with Monroe...(Bessie Lee Mauldin) The current stream of many women in BG is to try to be as "waif like" as Allison Krause and she's better!...I am sure I am missing some great women singers but, I haven't heard many that make me want to run out and buy a CD, just one mans opinion...

Well, go back a few years and listen to Wilma Lee Cooper, Olabelle Reed with the New River Boys, Katie Laur, Ginger Boatwright with Red, White & Bluegrass or Doug Dillard's band, Rose Maddox Sings Bluegrass, Hazel Dickens & Alice Foster, or Lynn Morris…. Nothin' "waif-like" about these women; strong vocals smack dab in the bluegrass tradition. Add in any of the Lewis Family women, for sure.

Plenty of new ones, too: Rhonda Vincent, Claire Lynch, New Coon Creek Girls -- can't name 'em all. There have been "non-waif" women singing hillbilly and bluegrass since Sara Carter, Lily Mae Ledford, and Cousin Emmy; they're still doing it.

[ralph johansson]

Recorded 1961, re-titled Blue Grass Part 1 later. Here 'tis:

1960 to be exact. And Part 1 is the original title.

[Ivan Kelsall]

You can add Carrie Hassler,Becky Buller,Dale Anne Bradley & Laurie Lewis to the list of women singers in Bluegrass who have good strong voices.Personally, i can't live with the limp voices we seem to hear from the AK sound alikes. Amanda Smith has a great voice as well,but while still being strong,it's a softer voice,
Ivan