What are the bluegrass standards?

We have whittled down the selection to ten of our favorites, the songs that we think every bluegrass musician, amateur or otherwise, should know.
  • “I'll Fly Away”
  • “John Henry” ...
  • “I Saw the Light” ...
  • “Sailor's Hornpipe” ...
  • “Blackberry Blossom” ...
  • “Cripple Creek” ...
  • “Old Joe Clark” ...
  • “Arkansas Traveler” ...
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What are some bluegrass standards?

Bill Monroe: Blue and Lonesome, Blue Moon of Kentucky, Footprints in the Snow, I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky, Kentucky Waltz, Little Cabin Home on the Hill, Mighty Dark to Travel, Old Cross Roads, On and On, On My Way Back to the Old Home, My Little Georgia Rose, Uncle Pen, When the Golden Leaves Begin to Fall, When ...
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Who is the best bluegrass band?

20 Popular Bluegrass Bands of All Time
  • The Blue Grass Boy. The Blue Grass Boy is considered as one of the first bluegrass bands formed by Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass music. ...
  • Foggy Mountain Boys. ...
  • The Stanley Brothers. ...
  • Kentucky Thunder. ...
  • Osborne Brothers. ...
  • New Grass Revival. ...
  • Union Station. ...
  • Trampled by Turtles.
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What is slow bluegrass called?

Though Bluegrass does include a large amount of slower songs and waltz tunes, it tends to be more up beat than Old-Time. The most common and near universal style of banjo playing used for bluegrass is three-finger picking. This style is broadly known as “Scruggs Style”, named after Earl Scruggs.
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How did bluegrass get its name?

Legend has it that when early settlers looked out on the fields of Poa pratensis in Central Kentucky, the seed heads took on a purplish hue. In the sun, it looked blue-green. Hence, the name bluegrass was born.
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Appalachian Mountain Bluegrass 24 vintage classics



What are the characteristics of bluegrass music?

Characteristics of Bluegrass Music
  • High Energy.
  • Fast Tempos.
  • Improvisation.
  • Unique instrumentation.
  • Highly skilled musicians.
  • Vocal harmonies featuring two, three, four parts.
  • All string band.
  • Absence of drums.
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Does bluegrass have Irish influence?

Bluegrass music heard across the southern United States finds its roots in Ireland and Scotland. The people who migrated to America in the 1600s from Ireland, Scotland, and England brought with them the basic styles of music that are generally considered to be the roots of bluegrass music as it is known today.
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Is Bob Dylan a bluegrass?

Covers of Dylan's most popular songs have come out of the bluegrass genre since the days of its founders' heyday, including Flatt & Scruggs who perform “Like a Rolling Stone” on this playlist.
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Is there a difference between country music and bluegrass?

Bluegrass is a sub-genre of Country Music with characteristics that differentiate it from mainstream Country: The instrumentation is purely 'string band' based: Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Fiddle and Upright Bass. There is more emphasis on an 'acoustic' sound. The music is more free and the structures are more complex.
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Who is the most famous bluegrass singer?

1. Bill Monroe. When talking about bluegrass, the first name we must mention is William Smith Monroe (1911 – 1996) – “The Father of Bluegrass.” Monroe's grandfather and mother were genius musicians so that Bill Monroe grew up with music at an early age.
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What style of music is bluegrass?

Bluegrass music is a tradition-based modern style of string band music. Typically a bluegrass band consists of four to seven performers who sing while accompanying themselves on acoustic string instruments such as the guitar, double bass, fiddle, five-string banjo, mandolin, steel guitar, and Dobro.
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Who is the most influential figure in bluegrass?

The undisputed father of the genre, Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys blended the sounds of country and blues with with string band music and infused it with the improvisational elements of jazz to create a sound all their own.
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What's an example of bluegrass music?

As for examples of Bluegrass, notable examples are: Foggy Mountain Breakdown – Earl Scruggs. Country Boy – Ricky Skaggs. Blue Moon of Kentucky – Bill Monroe.
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Does Bob Dylan play banjo?

Never knew Bob Dylan played Banjo, like all the songs in the book to learn by. Step out of the "tried and true" in clawhammer and start down stroking some tunes by Bob.
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What BPM is bluegrass music?

BLUEGRASS/FIDDLE TUNES:

Tempos here range from 60 to 130 beats per minute (BPM). 70 BPM being a slower, yet fast enough tempo that a fiddle tune will have life.
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What time signature is bluegrass music?

The most common time signature in country, bluegrass, and most genres of music is 4/4 time. Often times, people refer to 4/4 time as “common time” and replace the two stacked numbers of the time signature with the letter C.
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How many BPM is bluegrass music?

Actually, 120 bpm is 120 bpm -- in whatever time you're playing it in. The difference is in the amount of time a note is given.
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Is bluegrass a Celtic?

Bluegrass has roots in traditional English, Scottish, and Irish ballads and dance tunes and in traditional African-American blues and jazz. Bluegrass was further developed by musicians who played with Monroe, including 5-string banjo player Earl Scruggs and guitarist Lester Flatt.
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Who invented Blue Grass?

Bill Monroe, known as the "Father of Bluegrass Music," was born 100 years ago this week in rural Kentucky. He influenced early country music and rock 'n' roll, as well as the hard-driving, high-lonesome genre he created — bluegrass.
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Which came first country or bluegrass?

By the 1950s, Monroe began referring to his style of music as “bluegrass music”, based on his Kentucky roots, and others followed along. Bluegrass bands began forming all over the country and Bill Monroe became the acknowledged “Father of Bluegrass Music.”
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What chords are used in bluegrass?

Bluegrass music most often uses the 1, 4 & 5 Major chords, with sometimes an added 2 or bluesy 7. Perhaps the most common chord sequence is 1-4-5 or 1-4-1-5. Songs with minor chords typically use the 6m or 2m, e.g. 1-6m-4-5 or 1-2m-5-1.
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What is the culture of bluegrass music?

Bluegrass music is the synthesis of American southern string band music, blues, English, Irish, and Scottish traditions, and sacred and country music. It is distinguished by its high energy, fast tempo sound. The typical bluegrass band includes 5-string banjo, flat-top guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and bass.
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What is the difference between folk and bluegrass?

I often get the two confused, if there an easy way to tell the difference? If it pairs well with coffee or tea, it's folk. If it pairs well with whiskey or beer, it's bluegrass. It's very simple.
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Who is the best female bluegrass singer?

In the '80s and '90s, These 10 Women Made Bluegrass Better
  • Emmylou Harris. ...
  • Claire Lynch. ...
  • Laurie Lewis. ...
  • Alison Brown. ...
  • Lynn Morris. ...
  • Alison Krauss. ...
  • Rhonda Vincent. ...
  • Gillian Welch.
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