Rural Roots of Bluegrass: Songs, Stories & History

Rating:
Summary: A romp through the history of enduring favorite tunes
Review: Rural Roots Of Bluegrass: Songs, Stories & History is an eclectic medley of a book that profiles great bluegrass musicians, offers a wealth of music (including a classic song with notes and lyrics on almost every page), and packed from cover to cover with fascinating anecdotes of history, and so much more. Rural Roots Of Bluegrass is an enjoyable romp through the history of enduring favorite tunes and the great people who performed them. Also highly recommended is the Rural Roots Of Bluegrass CD ($14.95) by Wayne Erbsen and Laura Boosinger which features 13 vocals, 3 instrumentals, and has a total playing time of 54 minutes.

Rating:
Summary: A romp through the history of enduring favorite tunes
Review: Rural Roots Of Bluegrass: Songs, Stories & History is an eclectic medley of a book that profiles great bluegrass musicians, offers a wealth of music (including a classic song with notes and lyrics on almost every page), and packed from cover to cover with fascinating anecdotes of history, and so much more. Rural Roots Of Bluegrass is an enjoyable romp through the history of enduring favorite tunes and the great people who performed them. Also highly recommended is the Rural Roots Of Bluegrass CD ($14.95) by Wayne Erbsen and Laura Boosinger which features 13 vocals, 3 instrumentals, and has a total playing time of 54 minutes.

Rating:
Summary: Grass roots music and bluegrass
Review: This book will appeal to readers who are new to bluegrass as well as readers interested in the history of old-time and bluegrass music genres and musicians. Wayne Erbsen has previously written on bluegrass and old-time, but this book updates and embellishes earlier work. Erbsen begins by providing an engaging historical overview of the various roots music traditions that contributed to contemporary bluegrass styles. He explains how the string band music of North Carolina, Tennessee, and other areas form a foundation for Bill Monroe's later contributions, thereby affirming both Monroe's important role in developing the genre while also acknowledging the sources that Monroe drew from in crafting his own style. I especially like the biographical sketches of major musicians such as Snuffy Jenkins, Bradley Kincaid, Eck Robertson, the Coon Creek Girls, the Blue Sky Boys, and other artists who may not be as well known. Erbsen's introduction to the basic instrumental and vocal techniques used in bluegrass will appeal both to musicians who want to learn to perform in this style as well as to listeners who simply wish to develop their musical ear. The book includes lyrics, melodies, chords, and historical background on nearly 100 old-time, gospel, and bluegrass songs. The music is presented in an accessible and engaging way, and Erbsen's clear writing style sets a great tone for encouraging novices who wish to learn the tunes. The book also includes an excellent and extensive presentation of photographs of musicians and a good list of resources for further reading and listening. Having all of this information in one volume that is a pleasure to read is a valuable resource for anyone interested in American music.