Here's the info from _www.thebluegrassblog.com_
(file://www.thebluegrassblog.com/)
_Del McCoury featured in Amazon/UPS  video_
(http://thebluegrassblog.com/index.php/archive/del-mccoury-featured-in-amazonups\
-video/)
posted by John on 07.27.06 @ 5:28  pm
The Del McCoury band is currently  the featured subject in a UPS Special
Delivery feature on Amazon.com’s site.  This is a regular segment in their
weekly
Amazon Fishbowl video, where an artist  or author personally delivers an order
to an Amazon.com customer.
The _online video_
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/16305491/ref=ent_fb_gw_0727A/102-\
7204425-0875364click/103-3014032-7818219)  shows Del and
the boys popping out of the UPS truck to  deliver his new Gospel CD, The
Promised  Land, to a surprised and delighted  Amazon/UPS customer in Louisville,
KY. Not only do they hand deliver the CD,  they also pick and sing one for him
out in the street.
To watch Del’s segment, visit the _Amazon Fishbowl page,_
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/16305491/ref=ent_fb_gw_0727A/102-\
7204425-0875364cli
ck/103-3014032-7818219)  and click on the small “Show Playlist” button to
display  the menu choices. Once you select the McCoury segment, you can click
“
Hide  Playlist” to see the clip in a larger  size.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Everyone,
I am a professional harmonica customizer and I specialize in playing
bluegrass on the harmonica. Because of my hard and fast attack of playing
bluegrass, I have developed a unique set up for my customized Hohner
diatonic harps. I call this the "bluegrass set up".
If you are interested in playing a better quality instrument, set up
specificly for bluegrass, please check out my web site at
www.bobmeehan.net
By the way, these harps will also work for all other music and overblow
easily also. There are also sound clips of my bluegrass style of playing.
I play with a band called Common Ground, based in Charleston South Carolina.
Please check out our band web site at www.commongroundbluegrass.com
All the best,
Bob Meehan
843-670-3154

So you're playing with a group that likes to change keys. The first
website is one person's promotion of using diminished tuned harmonicas
to accomplish this task. There's loads of music theory even if you don't
buy into the whole program. The second website is the 'nuts and bolts'
of doing it.

http://www.angelfire.com/music/harmonica/dimichromintro.html
http://www.angelfire.com/music/harmonica/dimichromintervals.html

Certainly the major drawback is securing a diminished tuned harp.
Expensive and/or time consuming. For most of us just picking up a
different keyed harp would be the solution.

I re-tuned my F harp to a C, which starts 2 draw and liked it a lot and
planned to re-tune several more of my 10 holers when I got interested in
diminished tuning.

A while back I purchased a CX12 Tenor C Solo tuned chromatic. With a
solo tuned chromatic each key requires learning a different pattern to
play it. Diminished tuning requires that you only learn three patterns
to play all 12 keys.The website has a THOROUGH explanation.

For me, the expense of a new diminished tuned harp was out of the
question, so, for three days I worked on re-tuning my CX12. Now, I ONLY
have to learn the three patterns.:)

Went to PT's site and my brand new, up-dated, high-speed, super
deluxe, computer wouldn't play the music! So I guess I'll just have to
order the CD if I'm going to hear it. (Maybe it's all a plot to get my
retirement money!)
   Dave: you guys with lighting bolts shooting out of your head are
easy to mess with. ET ET ET... Ernie Tubb... good thing you don't live
in Texas, you'd get excommunicated and disowned!!
   That is a good wrinkle you guys, saying "when I do that song I start
on 3draw" or 4b or whatever. You know, all this talk about positions
and stuff. All most of us really need is to know what hole to start
the tune in. Our ear will let us play the rest of the song. Oh, there
might be a bent note in there that would trip us up the first time or
two, but really just telling a guy which hole to start on in my
opinion is a good enough clue most of the time.

Steven,  Buy PT's CD Pace Yourself and I guarantee you will never regret
it.  Any bluegrass harp lover that doesn't have it should get
excommunicated and disowned.  It's great.

-----Original Message-----
From: bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of steven83204jay
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 10:28 AM
To: bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [BluegrassHarp] Red Haired Boy and other..


  Went to PT's site and my brand new, up-dated, high-speed, super
deluxe, computer wouldn't play the music! So I guess I'll just have to
order the CD if I'm going to hear it. (Maybe it's all a plot to get my
retirement money!)
   Dave: you guys with lighting bolts shooting out of your head are
easy to mess with. ET ET ET... Ernie Tubb... good thing you don't live
in Texas, you'd get excommunicated and disowned!!
   That is a good wrinkle you guys, saying "when I do that song I start
on 3draw" or 4b or whatever. You know, all this talk about positions
and stuff. All most of us really need is to know what hole to start
the tune in. Our ear will let us play the rest of the song. Oh, there
might be a bent note in there that would trip us up the first time or
two, but really just telling a guy which hole to start on in my
opinion is a good enough clue most of the time.





Visit Coast to Coast Music for a complete line of harmonicas,
instruction, and accessories at great prices:
http://www.coast2coastmusic.com

To unsubscribe, send an email to:
bluegrassharp-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

To Post a Message, send email to: bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com


Yahoo! Groups Links

Steve, this morning,I was listening to JP's course and found an
interesting piece of information that seemed to me out of place but
what do I know about positions. Anyway,the positions were dealing
with the song,"When Saints Go Marching In" played in 5 positions on
one harmonica or perhaps two because of the relationship of having
two odd position names. Jerry uses an A harmonica and says
1st.A,2nd.E,3rd.B and then says C#,4th and D,5th,which is out
context with the circle of 5ths theory. Perhaps he meant to say F#
and C#. Anyway,the playing was great,my concerns were not so much of
an error but with playing itself. I have a tendency to depend on my
ear as well,then I figure out the theory later.
  ET,oh I knew that meant Earnest Tubb...lol. Lighting bolts,eh? I am
getting a lot of information from this course of JP's. I would
highly recommend to those who just like to play the harmonica. JP
does state,that he doesn't give one licks to play but the means to
do it. I like the guitar playing. It makes for better playing.
  I took out Mike Steven's CD out and checked to see if there were
some bluegrass songs and low behold,there was "Red Hair Boy" and
some others that have been mentioned here. Talk to you soon, your
friend, David




--- In bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com, "steven83204jay"
<steven83204jay@...> wrote:
>
>  Went to PT's site and my brand new, up-dated, high-speed, super
> deluxe, computer wouldn't play the music! So I guess I'll just
have to
> order the CD if I'm going to hear it. (Maybe it's all a plot to
get my
> retirement money!)
>   Dave: you guys with lighting bolts shooting out of your head are
> easy to mess with. ET ET ET... Ernie Tubb... good thing you don't
live
> in Texas, you'd get excommunicated and disowned!!
>   That is a good wrinkle you guys, saying "when I do that song I
start
> on 3draw" or 4b or whatever. You know, all this talk about
positions
> and stuff. All most of us really need is to know what hole to
start
> the tune in. Our ear will let us play the rest of the song. Oh,
there
> might be a bent note in there that would trip us up the first time
or
> two, but really just telling a guy which hole to start on in my
> opinion is a good enough clue most of the time.
>

From: "David A. Lovatto" <slipindave@...>
> Steve, this morning,I was listening to JP's course and found an
> interesting piece of information that seemed to me out of place but
> what do I know about positions. Anyway,the positions were dealing
> with the song,"When Saints Go Marching In" played in 5 positions on
> one harmonica or perhaps two because of the relationship of having
> two odd position names. Jerry uses an A harmonica and says
> 1st.A,2nd.E,3rd.B and then says C#,4th and D,5th,which is out
> context with the circle of 5ths theory. Perhaps he meant to say F#
> and C#. Anyway,the playing was great,my concerns were not so much of
> an error but with playing itself. I have a tendency to depend on my
> ear as well,then I figure out the theory later.

Read page 35 of the book that accompanies the CDs. He is well aware of the
circle of 5ths way of naming the positions, but he names them the way that
he learned them. There is a colorful story about Sonny Boy II and Leonard
Chess naming a song on that page. The punch line is how he says that he
feels about the names of positions.

He made no mistake if you use the table that he put on page 37. What he
calls 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th if you were using the circle of 5ths
would be named 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 12th, and 4th.. Those of course are the
six most useful positions for non-OB players. A, E, B, Db, and D is what he
meant and he used one A harp.

Peace and music,
Dave

On Portnoy's circle of fiths , there is a mistake. I memtioned it in
an earlier post but didn't have enough faith in myself to say to much.
I couldn't hold Jerry Portnoy's harp case while he was playing "yankee
Doodle". But anyway that explains to me the slight discreptency in
what he says and what you hear in that portion of the tapes. That man
WILL teach you how to bend a note and play the harp. He won't teach
you how to think for yourself; you have to stumble down that lonely
road on your own... 8o( ..Steve

Dave, not having the book, explains why I didn't get the example as
you explained. David

--- In bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com, "Dave Murray" <dlmurray@...>
wrote:
>
> From: "David A. Lovatto" <slipindave@...>
> > Steve, this morning,I was listening to JP's course and found an
> > interesting piece of information that seemed to me out of place
but
> > what do I know about positions. Anyway,the positions were dealing
> > with the song,"When Saints Go Marching In" played in 5 positions
on
> > one harmonica or perhaps two because of the relationship of
having
> > two odd position names. Jerry uses an A harmonica and says
> > 1st.A,2nd.E,3rd.B and then says C#,4th and D,5th,which is out
> > context with the circle of 5ths theory. Perhaps he meant to say
F#
> > and C#. Anyway,the playing was great,my concerns were not so
much of
> > an error but with playing itself. I have a tendency to depend on
my
> > ear as well,then I figure out the theory later.
>
> Read page 35 of the book that accompanies the CDs. He is well
aware of the
> circle of 5ths way of naming the positions, but he names them the
way that
> he learned them. There is a colorful story about Sonny Boy II and
Leonard
> Chess naming a song on that page. The punch line is how he says
that he
> feels about the names of positions.
>
> He made no mistake if you use the table that he put on page 37.
What he
> calls 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th if you were using the
circle of 5ths
> would be named 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 12th, and 4th.. Those of course
are the
> six most useful positions for non-OB players. A, E, B, Db, and D
is what he
> meant and he used one A harp.
>
> Peace and music,
> Dave
>

--- In bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com, "steven83204jay"
<steven83204jay@...> wrote:
>
>snip: "he WILL teach you how to bend a note and play the harp. He
won't teach
> you how to think for yourself; you have to stumble down that lonely
> road on your own... 8o( ..Steve"
"Think for yourself",....hmmm,this morning I was reading a book
called "What To Say When You Talk To Yourself" by Shad Helmstetter.
Basically, it says,if one speaks to themselves,I do all the time,with
a negative attitude,then the subconscience mind excepts that
information to be true. So one sabotages any project before he or she
attempts to complete it. The idea is to say to oneself, with these
tools JP gives me, I will be a better player! We all stumble but most
of the time we find the courage to get up and start over again and
find a better solution. I think I once mentioned,probably off
list,that you have talent in your art,right?,then take that process
you learned to be a great painter and put that energy into your
music.If one thinks,yeah,that's it! Use the same process!
  Now a days, I have to stuggle with finding the time to
study,practice,read and work for a living. The saying goes,"where
there's a will,there's a way". For years,I kept a note in my wallet
that said,"an effort a day,keeps failure away." Now,I just say this to
myself and continue with the many projects I have going and complete
each task as needed. Sometimes, I am over whelmed with all the
multitasking but I remind myself that it can be done and don't give
up. Occassionally, I swear and brake down with anger but I am only
humane and still have my faults to mend. JP,can only give you the
tools,it's up to one's own drive and ambition to complete each task
and master it before going on to another one. You said it before,"I'll
will probably be giving advice to some beginners" Excuse me,if I
misquoted you but I do remember you saying something like that. Keep
up the faith,your friend, David

>

--- In bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com, "Carr, Randy \(SN\)"
<randy.carr@...> wrote:
>
> Steven,  Buy PT's CD Pace Yourself and I guarantee you will never
regret
> it.  Any bluegrass harp lover that doesn't have it should get
> excommunicated and disowned.  It's great.
>
>Well, I ordered it. Hope to hear it pretty soon. Wouldn't want to get
excommunicated from the bluegrass camp before I even got a chance to
coozie up to the fire!!...;) Steve

Steven, Now that you know who E.T. is and have ordered from P.T. I'm
sure you'll never be excommunicated from Texas or the bluegrassers.
You'll enjoy the CD.

-----Original Message-----
From: bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of steven83204jay
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2006 8:48 PM
To: bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [BluegrassHarp] Re: Red Haired Boy and other..


--- In bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com, "Carr, Randy \(SN\)"
<randy.carr@...> wrote:
>
> Steven,  Buy PT's CD Pace Yourself and I guarantee you will never
regret
> it.  Any bluegrass harp lover that doesn't have it should get
> excommunicated and disowned.  It's great.
>
>Well, I ordered it. Hope to hear it pretty soon. Wouldn't want to get
excommunicated from the bluegrass camp before I even got a chance to
coozie up to the fire!!...;) Steve






Visit Coast to Coast Music for a complete line of harmonicas,
instruction, and accessories at great prices:
http://www.coast2coastmusic.com

To unsubscribe, send an email to:
bluegrassharp-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

To Post a Message, send email to: bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com


Yahoo! Groups Links

Yes, along with Hank Thompson, Hank Snow, Hank Williams, Johnny and Jack,
Bill Monroe, Mac Wiseman, etc.  (We even have a Audie Murphy tune.)  Our
lead singers have been around for awhile and and have quite a range, and one
of them is a convert from country to bluegrass.  It is a shame you don't
come down to Texas with the rest of what we call "snow birds" (or "winter
Texans").  You could come to one of our Friday night shows at the Firehall
and request a few likely tunes for the band to play.  Here, in Texas, a
certain amount of older country, along with a certain amount of Old-Time
Texas Fiddling, tends to find its way into all sorts of music, especially
bluegrass -- which started out with country in the first place.

Cara


On 7/30/06, steven83204jay <steven83204jay@...> wrote:
>
>    guys that was interesting about the changing of keys on the tunes
> with the mando and fiddles. The only instruments that I know anything
> about are guitars and harps. So I found that kind of enlighting. Just
> once tho I'd like to recognize one of the tunes that you guys are
> talking about! ;)... Doesn't anybody do ET anymore?
> Steve
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com, "Carr, Randy \(SN\)"
<randy.carr@...> wrote:
>
> Steven, Now that you know who E.T. is and have ordered from P.T. I'm
> sure you'll never be excommunicated from Texas or the bluegrassers.
> You'll enjoy the CD.
Have any of you all heard PT's newest CD 'Swingin' Easy & Hittin' Hard'

IMHO it should get a reward or recognizition for album of the year or
something.  Every time I listen to it I am more amazed at the content
and skill of PT.  I am so glad that he got back into the harmonica
scene.  (the regular disclamer)  Just a BIG fan.. Love that PT sound!!

BTW I have his LP, and CD 'Pace Yourself', and of coarse his newest CD.

dy

I've looked and looked for PT's Site and still not found it. HELP!

steven83204jay <steven83204jay@...> wrote:  Went to PT's site and my brand
new, up-dated, high-speed, super
deluxe, computer wouldn't play the music! So I guess I'll just have to
order the CD if I'm going to hear it. (Maybe it's all a plot to get my
retirement money!)
Dave: you guys with lighting bolts shooting out of your head are
easy to mess with. ET ET ET... Ernie Tubb... good thing you don't live
in Texas, you'd get excommunicated and disowned!!
That is a good wrinkle you guys, saying "when I do that song I start
on 3draw" or 4b or whatever. You know, all this talk about positions
and stuff. All most of us really need is to know what hole to start
the tune in. Our ear will let us play the rest of the song. Oh, there
might be a bent note in there that would trip us up the first time or
two, but really just telling a guy which hole to start on in my
opinion is a good enough clue most of the time.





Visit Coast to Coast Music for a complete line of harmonicas, instruction, and
accessories at great prices:
http://www.coast2coastmusic.com

To unsubscribe, send an email to: bluegrassharp-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

To Post a Message, send email to: bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com


Yahoo! Groups Links









[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> From: Skaggs Bill <wlskaggs@...>
>
> I've looked and looked for PT's Site and still not found it. HELP!

Hey Bill:

      Here is the link:

      http://www.ptgazell.com/

      Glenn

> From: Skaggs Bill <wlskaggs@...>
> Date: 2006/08/05 Sat PM 05:04:38 EDT
> To: bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [BluegrassHarp] Red Haired Boy and other..
>
> I've looked and looked for PT's Site and still not found it. HELP!
>
> steven83204jay <steven83204jay@...> wrote:  Went to PT's site and my
brand new, up-dated, high-speed, super
> deluxe, computer wouldn't play the music! So I guess I'll just have to
> order the CD if I'm going to hear it. (Maybe it's all a plot to get my
> retirement money!)
> Dave: you guys with lighting bolts shooting out of your head are
> easy to mess with. ET ET ET... Ernie Tubb... good thing you don't live
> in Texas, you'd get excommunicated and disowned!!
> That is a good wrinkle you guys, saying "when I do that song I start
> on 3draw" or 4b or whatever. You know, all this talk about positions
> and stuff. All most of us really need is to know what hole to start
> the tune in. Our ear will let us play the rest of the song. Oh, there
> might be a bent note in there that would trip us up the first time or
> two, but really just telling a guy which hole to start on in my
> opinion is a good enough clue most of the time.
>
>
>
>
>
> Visit Coast to Coast Music for a complete line of harmonicas, instruction, and
accessories at great prices:
> http://www.coast2coastmusic.com
>
> To unsubscribe, send an email to: bluegrassharp-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> To Post a Message, send email to: bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>

Hank Snow ... I thought he was one of those Northern type guys or do
you Texans just claim everybody that wanders through?
   When I was a young guy I thought I could sing just like Old Hank
Snow. Don't know if that is a plus or not, but I still love him. "I
don't hurt any.." ... Everybody sing!!!  Steve

Hi Everyone,
I am a professional harmonica customizer, and I specialize in playing
bluegrass on the harmonica.
I have deleloped a way to "set up" and customise harmonicas for playing
bluegrass.
I call this the "bluegrass set up". If you are thinking about getting a
better instrument, please check out my web site www.bobmeehan.net
you can also hear some examples of my bluegrass style of harmonica playing
from my CD's.
All the best,
Bob Meehan
PS. These harps are overblow friendly and are also good for any other
style of music.
>
> To unsubscribe, send an email to:
> bluegrassharp-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> To Post a Message, send email to: bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Well, I got my CD today, so I put the ol' headphones on and sat back
and gave a listen. Wow. There are guys like me and then there are guys
like PT and Gang. I don't live on the same planet that those guys do.
Maybe that's a good thing. Light against dark, warm against cool and
all that. Someone has to be bad else how would we know who is good??
   Oh well, onward ever onward.. nothing comes without practice. Keep
on blowing those things and have some fun at it.. ;) Steve

We don't have to claim him.  But his music still lives here.  Killer is, you
didn't notice that I left out Bob Wills.  (Hah!)  As Hank said it, "In
Texas, Bob Wills is still the King.".  I also managed to leave out Jimmy
Rodgers and a variety of others.  There really are too many for me to
remember to mention, but their music still lives on here -- off of the
radios, of course -- but then, little of the music I enjoy or play ever
really makes it to the commercial radio stations.  C'est la Vie!

Cara


On 8/5/06, steven83204jay <steven83204jay@...> wrote:
>
>    Hank Snow ... I thought he was one of those Northern type guys or do
> you Texans just claim everybody that wanders through?
> When I was a young guy I thought I could sing just like Old Hank
> Snow. Don't know if that is a plus or not, but I still love him. "I
> don't hurt any.." ... Everybody sing!!! Steve
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Oops.  I cannot spell, either.  The link should be www.texannarecords.com.
(The attack of the typos!)

Cara


On 8/7/06, Cara Cooke <cyberharp@...> wrote:
>
>  A little while back I listed the folks that appear to have recorded "Red
> Haired Boy", but I left someone out -- me.  I recorded "Red Haired Boy" with
> a fiddler on a historic CD for the "Father's of Texas" series by K. R.
> Wood.  The CD it is on is called the "Crockett Chronicles" and I play "Red
> Haired Boy" and several other tunes on the CD in a rough jam with a fiddler
> -- somewhat reminiscent of the jams/contests that Davy Crockett (fiddle) and
> John McGregor (pipes) had at the Alamo to keep everyone's spirits up during
> the siege.  The CD is available at www.texanarecords.com.
>
> Cara
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

A little while back I listed the folks that appear to have recorded "Red
Haired Boy", but I left someone out -- me.  I recorded "Red Haired Boy" with
a fiddler on a historic CD for the "Father's of Texas" series by K. R.
Wood.  The CD it is on is called the "Crockett Chronicles" and I play "Red
Haired Boy" and several other tunes on the CD in a rough jam with a fiddler
-- somewhat reminiscent of the jams/contests that Davy Crockett (fiddle) and
John McGregor (pipes) had at the Alamo to keep everyone's spirits up during
the siege.  The CD is available at www.texanarecords.com.

Cara


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

P. T. Gazell's CD's are certainly worth adding to your music collection.  He
does a fine job on them.

Cara


On 8/5/06, Stanley Doyle Yoder Sr <doyle_yoder@...> wrote:
>
>    --- In bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com <bluegrassharp%40yahoogroups.com>,
> "Carr, Randy \(SN\)"
> <randy.carr@...> wrote:
> >
> > Steven, Now that you know who E.T. is and have ordered from P.T. I'm
> > sure you'll never be excommunicated from Texas or the bluegrassers.
> > You'll enjoy the CD.
> Have any of you all heard PT's newest CD 'Swingin' Easy & Hittin' Hard'
>
> IMHO it should get a reward or recognizition for album of the year or
> something. Every time I listen to it I am more amazed at the content
> and skill of PT. I am so glad that he got back into the harmonica
> scene. (the regular disclamer) Just a BIG fan.. Love that PT sound!!
>
> BTW I have his LP, and CD 'Pace Yourself', and of coarse his newest CD.
>
> dy
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

As I recall, our attacks are not that different -- somewhat necessary for
the genre.  Some day I may have to try one of your customized instruments --
to see if it works for me.  I am still getting mine off of the shelf,
though, right now.

I do recommend folks check out Bob's site.  He is another wonderful player
making in-roads in bluegrass harp playing.

By the way, the band he plays with is a good band.

[Bob:  Here's one of the bands I play with:
http://manchacaallstars.tripod.com.  I hope you enjoy listening to them on
your visit to the site as I enjoyed exploring your band's site.]

Cara


On 8/1/06, Bob Meehan <yeehaw@...> wrote:
>
>    Hi Everyone,
> I am a professional harmonica customizer and I specialize in playing
> bluegrass on the harmonica. Because of my hard and fast attack of playing
> bluegrass, I have developed a unique set up for my customized Hohner
> diatonic harps. I call this the "bluegrass set up".
> If you are interested in playing a better quality instrument, set up
> specificly for bluegrass, please check out my web site at
> www.bobmeehan.net
> By the way, these harps will also work for all other music and overblow
> easily also. There are also sound clips of my bluegrass style of playing.
> I play with a band called Common Ground, based in Charleston South
> Carolina.
> Please check out our band web site at www.commongroundbluegrass.com
> All the best,
> Bob Meehan
> 843-670-3154
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Someone else noted that Hank Snow was from the north, and they're
right, he was from Nova Scotia - a place more likely to be associated
with pure celtic music than with country (and snowbird is a term often
used for Canadians who like to winter in southern climes).

As to bluegrass coming out of country, I'm not sure that's quite
right. Seems to me bluegrass came directly out of old-timey, with an
overlay (or maybe that should be underlay) of jazz rhythm section
support along with more pronounced virtuosity and featured improvised
solos (as opposed to improvisation going on all over with no
particular focus on a "soloist"). Comparing, say, Bill Monroe's
Bluegrass Boys (bluegrass) with Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers
(late-period old-timey) of ten or fifteen years earlier doesn't really
make a convincing case for country music being the deciding difference
between the two.

I think it would be more accurate to say that both bluegrass and
country evolved from different aspects (or maybe evolved differently
from the same aspects) of southern rural music, and ended up sharing a
stage - quite literally - when records, radio, and touring shows
commercialized them both. Thus bluegrass came to be perceived as a
flavor element in country (along with string bands, gospel singing
groups, comedy acts, sequin-bedecked singers of cheatin'-hurtin'
songs, and so on). There has been considerable back-and-forth over the
years, yet bluegrass has a distinct enough identity that purists have
something to define and defend.

Meanwhile, Texas fiddling has found its way to all sorts of places.
Some of the old-time Canadian fiddle contest champions (I'm thinking
of people like Ned Landry, Ward Allen, and Graham Townsend) tended to
have a Texas-influenced style even though there are plenty of
distinctive indigenous styles in Canada.

WInslow

--- In bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com, "Cara Cooke" <cyberharp@...> wrote:
>
> Yes, along with Hank Thompson, Hank Snow, Hank Williams, Johnny and
Jack,
> Bill Monroe, Mac Wiseman, etc.  (We even have a Audie Murphy tune.)  Our
> lead singers have been around for awhile and and have quite a range,
and one
> of them is a convert from country to bluegrass.  It is a shame you don't
> come down to Texas with the rest of what we call "snow birds" (or
"winter
> Texans").  You could come to one of our Friday night shows at the
Firehall
> and request a few likely tunes for the band to play.  Here, in Texas, a
> certain amount of older country, along with a certain amount of Old-Time
> Texas Fiddling, tends to find its way into all sorts of music,
especially
> bluegrass -- which started out with country in the first place.
>
> Cara
>
>
> On 7/30/06, steven83204jay <steven83204jay@...> wrote:
> >
> >    guys that was interesting about the changing of keys on the tunes
> > with the mando and fiddles. The only instruments that I know anything
> > about are guitars and harps. So I found that kind of enlighting. Just
> > once tho I'd like to recognize one of the tunes that you guys are
> > talking about! ;)... Doesn't anybody do ET anymore?
> > Steve
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Bluegrass and country were originally just country music, or the music from
the Grand Ol' Opry (as some called it).  Bluegrass did not get its name
until much later, in the 1950's.  But, Bill and his Bluegrass Boys were
playing the music long before that (even if you only start with the band
where Earl Scruggs joined in 1945).  At the time Bill Monroe gave Bluegrass
its name, Flatt and Scruggs (playing the same music) refused to call the
music they played anything but country because 'Bluegrass is the music that
Bill Monroe plays...  Only Bill can play Bluegrass...'.  Later on, Bluegrass
was more widely applied to the other groups that played similar music to
Bill Monroe.  You will find that many of the old country stars, like Roy
Acuff, also are considered root musicians in Bluegrass, and the mix of the
two styles and their musicians was as common then as they are today.  In the
end, the two music forms have developed differently from one another, but
similarly, too -- and they are often intermingled, most commonly with
bluegrass attacks, musicians, and even songs/tunes being marketed as
country, and some country groups with pseudo bluegrass instrumentation or
presence being marketed as bluegrass.

The frustration is the marketing aspect and the attitude of many die-hard
bluegrassers.  Country radio will play bluegrass which is labeled as country
with great results, but it will not play bluegrass.  Bluegrassers do not
like to have "folk" or "country" labels attached to their beloved music.
They may play the same tunes, even in the same way, yet they eschew the
label and insist only on the "bluegrass" label, which alienates them from
the country radio stations that might consider including bluegrass in their
line-up.  If the radio station mixes the two, the bluegrassers complain, but
the country listeners enjoy it -- so, since they already have the country
listeners, they just do not mess with catering to the bluegrassers.

However, it is historic fact that both music forms were played, often by the
same people, on the same stations, and were called country, before there was
a name for "Bluegrass".  Once the name "Bluegrass" was applied, it was
limited to Bill, then later applied to other similar groups, while Bluegrass
continued to play on the same country shows for the listeners who love
country music.  The labels are simply marketing and perception.  Honestly,
it is the presentation and their individual development over many, many
years that make the two music forms different, not their roots.  Their roots
both include the mountain music, blues, jazz, and anything else that
wandered by at the time.  Bill Monroe gave bluegrass a gentle push in
another direction from the roots, and that is why he is the "Father of
Bluegrass".  It should be noted, though, that there are bands that developed
similar styles independently of Bill which are also considered to be
bluegrass -- so the roots are still there and the direction was not solely
of Bill's choosing, but obviously a direction worth taking or others would
not have done as he did.  (Those other groups were amongst those considered
to be country while bluegrass was considered to only be played by Bill
Monroe.)

Cara

On 8/8/06, Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@...> wrote:
>
>    Someone else noted that Hank Snow was from the north, and they're
> right, he was from Nova Scotia - a place more likely to be associated
> with pure celtic music than with country (and snowbird is a term often
> used for Canadians who like to winter in southern climes).
>
> As to bluegrass coming out of country, I'm not sure that's quite
> right. Seems to me bluegrass came directly out of old-timey, with an
> overlay (or maybe that should be underlay) of jazz rhythm section
> support along with more pronounced virtuosity and featured improvised
> solos (as opposed to improvisation going on all over with no
> particular focus on a "soloist"). Comparing, say, Bill Monroe's
> Bluegrass Boys (bluegrass) with Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers
> (late-period old-timey) of ten or fifteen years earlier doesn't really
> make a convincing case for country music being the deciding difference
> between the two.
>
> I think it would be more accurate to say that both bluegrass and
> country evolved from different aspects (or maybe evolved differently
> from the same aspects) of southern rural music, and ended up sharing a
> stage - quite literally - when records, radio, and touring shows
> commercialized them both. Thus bluegrass came to be perceived as a
> flavor element in country (along with string bands, gospel singing
> groups, comedy acts, sequin-bedecked singers of cheatin'-hurtin'
> songs, and so on). There has been considerable back-and-forth over the
> years, yet bluegrass has a distinct enough identity that purists have
> something to define and defend.
>
> Meanwhile, Texas fiddling has found its way to all sorts of places.
> Some of the old-time Canadian fiddle contest champions (I'm thinking
> of people like Ned Landry, Ward Allen, and Graham Townsend) tended to
> have a Texas-influenced style even though there are plenty of
> distinctive indigenous styles in Canada.
>
> WInslow
>
> --- In bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com <bluegrassharp%40yahoogroups.com>, "
> Cara Cooke" <cyberharp@...> wrote:
> >
> > Yes, along with Hank Thompson, Hank Snow, Hank Williams, Johnny and
> Jack,
> > Bill Monroe, Mac Wiseman, etc. (We even have a Audie Murphy tune.) Our
> > lead singers have been around for awhile and and have quite a range,
> and one
> > of them is a convert from country to bluegrass. It is a shame you don't
> > come down to Texas with the rest of what we call "snow birds" (or
> "winter
> > Texans"). You could come to one of our Friday night shows at the
> Firehall
> > and request a few likely tunes for the band to play. Here, in Texas, a
> > certain amount of older country, along with a certain amount of Old-Time
> > Texas Fiddling, tends to find its way into all sorts of music,
> especially
> > bluegrass -- which started out with country in the first place.
> >
> > Cara
> >
> >
> > On 7/30/06, steven83204jay <steven83204jay@...> wrote:
> > >
> > > guys that was interesting about the changing of keys on the tunes
> > > with the mando and fiddles. The only instruments that I know anything
> > > about are guitars and harps. So I found that kind of enlighting. Just
> > > once tho I'd like to recognize one of the tunes that you guys are
> > > talking about! ;)... Doesn't anybody do ET anymore?
> > > Steve
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Guys, I may be way off track but for some reason I had always
understood that the greatest influence on the bluegrass as we know it
was from the Scotch/Irish and highlanders living in the Appalachian
reagions.  Please correct my thinking if I have been misguided.
   I have some cuts of some grass roots music that I find hard to enjoy
but very interesting to listen to.

Heading to the eastern reagions,
Doyle

Doyle -

You're right that the string band tradition of the Appalachians did
come from the Scotch/Irish settlers. This music is still around and is
often called "old-timey". However, it is considered distinct from
bluegrass, which could be characterized as a sort of modernized and
stremalined approach to a similar repertoire and instrumentation.

I'm being a little cautious about drawing a direct connection because
I'm not sure how closely the geographical (and ethnic) bundaries of
the two musics match up.

Winslow

--- In bluegrassharp@yahoogroups.com, "Stanley Doyle Yoder Sr"
<doyle_yoder@...> wrote:
>
> Guys, I may be way off track but for some reason I had always
> understood that the greatest influence on the bluegrass as we know it
> was from the Scotch/Irish and highlanders living in the Appalachian
> reagions.  Please correct my thinking if I have been misguided.
>   I have some cuts of some grass roots music that I find hard to enjoy
> but very interesting to listen to.
>
> Heading to the eastern reagions,
> Doyle
>

Doyle,
	 I think you are right on.   Then, Davie Crockett and a whole slew of
other good hill folks went to Texas.
After they got to Texas they became Texans.  My folks in Oklahoma
used to say, "You can always tell a Texan....  just can't tell em
very much!"

On Aug 9, 2006, at 6:45 PM, Stanley Doyle Yoder Sr wrote:

> Guys, I may be way off track but for some reason I had always
> understood that the greatest influence on the bluegrass as we know it
> was from the Scotch/Irish and highlanders living in the Appalachian
> reagions. Please correct my thinking if I have been misguided.
> I have some cuts of some grass roots music that I find hard to enjoy
> but very interesting to listen to.
>
> Heading to the eastern reagions,
> Doyle
>
>
>
>
>





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

One could argue until the cows come home. I live right here in the
Applachian foothills. Each year there's festivals of every
kind,except for blues or old timey blues. Mostly,we have
bluegrass,Celtic,and anything to do with the Scots,Irish and some
Italians.
Bill Monroe is stuck in my mind. Until I came here to North
Carolina,I never once associated Bill Monroe with Bluegrass music.
Before I came to NC,I lived most of my life in the L.A.
basin,California. Back then I was mostly into blues,rhythm and
blues,soul classical and jazz. I liked most music.I even listen to
some country. I didn't care to much for the whinny stuff. I called
it old timey country music.I'd laugh at the musicians who whore
those sequenced suits and large cowboy hats but I did like the sound
of the fiddle and mandolin. Even the kingston Trio,who played this
type of music,were called folk musicians and wore funny looking
clothes too. Today,most think of folks in overhauls and straw hats,
authenicate bluegrassers. I see a different breed of dressers,just
like one sees with jazz players and some fanatic blues dressers.
yet,one still finds someone wondering where did this bluegrass music
come from.
  Other than the way each player dresses,I find bluegrassers to be a
motely crue of musicians.I get bluegrassers upset when I give them
my opinion. Espcially,when I ask them,"why do,they call it bluegrass
music"? Most will say because it came from the name bluegrass of
Kentucky. So did Leon Russell(Hank Wilson)I would reply. I would
really get serious and say, "the reason why they call it bluegrass
music,is because folks would say,"yeah,those fellows are hopped up
on the bluegrass again".
Actually,It was Bill Monroe who wanted to be known he was from
Kentucky and called his band Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass boys.Bill
was out in Asheville,NC (radio WWNC) at the time. If you want to
learn all about bluegrass music come to the Appalachians,like Bill
Did. Yeah, I know it's just as easy,listening to the recordings. How
about Del McCurry? He's as whinny as can be. As one gets older,one
has to appreciate his or her whinny voice.