Bluegrass suggestions for beginners

I was going to title the thread "Bluegrass for n00bs" but people might take me less seriously.

There's a surprising dearth of bluegrass threads on the SH forums. Any fans out there with some suggestions for someone who owns NO bluegrass albums? Looking to talk albums in conjunction with pressing suggestions (remasters, if any, etc.)

I listen to bluegrass Sundays on a local station here in the No. MD/PA area. Reached the decision last night that I should seek out some albums. No preference if it's old or new.

 

You may want to try The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”. A bit old school, but well recorded with a lot of great talent to boot!

 

Off the top of my head

Old: Bill Monroe, Reno & Smiley

New: Ricky Scaggs (not sure who else!)

With bluegrass you can always start off with compilations rather than full artist cds. You get a nice selection of tunes and you can take it from there.

Rounder Records I believe had a 2cd compilation out.

 

I have to admit I oppose compilations on principle. I feel as if I should listen to a song, unless it's a single, in totality of it's album.

 

The classic era of bluegrass predates albums. It was all released on 78 rpm records.

 

Solves my problem for me!

 

go with one traditional selection, one progressive...

1. Traditional: Home Is Where The Heart Is: David Grisman (& many friends)
2. Progressive: Strength In Numbers - Telluride Sessions (their only album)

honorable mentions in each category:
1. Bluegrass At Newport 1959-1963
2. Bela Fleck - Drive

p.s. Mike Compton & David Grier is an excellent, excellent, excellent instrumental CD chock full of chops!

 

Flatt and Scruggs: Tis Sweet To Be Remembered

 

I'm a big fan of the Osborne Brothers and especially the Stanley Brothers. For me, all those infernal twiddlin', twangin' banjos and fiddles and whatnot are less important than the wonderful vocal harmonies. Your mileage may vary! The Osborne Brothers sometimes offend purists -- too many modern instruments -- but they're just so, so good. They're poorly served on the CD reissue front aside from the mammoth "everything" Bear Family Set, which is terrific as always but maybe not the best place to start! There's a bunch of random best-of comps available; I dunno which is best (which in many cases means "has the best booklet").

The Stanley Brothers have a number of good compilations out; their Complete Columbia and Complete Mercury CDs are both great. I like the Columbia stuff best; it's earlier, and more trad, and just so simple and affecting.

A later group to look into is The Dillards, who recorded in a seemingly endless series of ways, as pure bluegrass, as bluegrass-country-rock-folk, and even as "The Darlings" on the old Andy Griffith Show. Here they are on "Playboy After Dark" in 1970: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfUpQsGCInE

 

Flatt and Scruggs/with Doc Watson-Strictly Instrumental...killer album!

Earl Scruggs:His Family and Friends...on Columbia from the early 70's not the new CD that's out there with the same title...

 

"Foggy Mountain Breakdown" by Steve Martin, Earl Scruggs, and Men With Banjos Who Know How To Use Them, from Letterman:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrlqQ1_vZVE

Hayseed Dixie cover Outkast:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0FuMRHRCVY

and The Beatles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKP0-f2_eRM

The great John Hartford:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdgLtzWJhbU

 

Get Rhino's Appalachian Swing comp CD or the Time-Life Bluegrass compilations for your easy introduction to quality grass. And until the post 1965 era, Bluegrass was mainly a singles medium for the most part. Do remember that this music may not be easy to listen to on a modern bright revealing system, a little bit mellow serves the music well.

 

Time-Life's Stanley Brothers Definitive Collection box is nice sounding and fairly cheap, it's got a lot of their Rich-R-Tone sides on it.

 

Flatt & Scruggs - Complete Mercury Recordings is also essential

 

Flatt & Scruggs At Carnegie Hall would be very accessible to a newcomer. Nice cross section of material, and all the real stuff, but not too edgy.

 

I agree, Appalachian Stomp is a great cross section of eras and styles. Some other thoughts:

Late period Ricky Skaggs on his Skaggs Family imprint is reverant, traditional bluegrass.

As for individual songs, I love the Del McCoury Band's cover of Richard Thompson's 1952 Vincent Black Lightning and I don't think the Louvins were ever better than on I Don't Believe You Met My Baby.

Not a pure bluegrass album, but Marty Stuart's Live At The Ryman has some great picking. Same goes for the Pizza Tapes by David Grisman, Jerry Garcia and Tony Rice.

 

I suggest the Bluegrass Band albums.
There are about six volumes.
Modern recordings of bluegrass classics done very well by the best in the business.
Check out Volume One, you will love it.

 

For great trad grass that doesn't get mentioned very often (for some reason) try something by The Lilly Brothers.

 

Cmon folks-Seldom Scene! They revolutionized bluegrass starting in the 70s with their combination of flat out awesome picking, incredible harmonies and song selection. Their bass player alone-Tom Gray changed the entire idea of how bass is played in a bluegrass band. Old Train, Blue Ridge with Jonathan Edwards and 15th Anniversary Celebration are some of their better recordings.

 

The Seldom Scene's Act IV is a classic album. Tony Rice's classic albums are essential.

 

The Kentucky Colonels

 

Yup. Desert Island disc for me.

 

I know you aren't looking for Compilations, but I never would have discovered a lot of bands I like without listening to www.bluegrasscountry.org when Ray Davis's and jerry Grey's shows were still on the FM station. The two Appalachian Stomp compilations from Rhino are pretty good for the traditional stuff. I think the first one is still in print. I also saw a Rounder comp in Borders the other day with a good selection of modern-sounding bands.


As far as "Album Experiences" go, Dolly Parton's "Little Sparrow" and Nickel Creek's albums are essential.

 

Doc Watson on Stage - Doc Watson featuring Merle Watson

Tony Rice