Series: Gems of Bluegrass
Produced by Philip Nusbaum
short modules about bluegrass music
Each under 5-minutes, highly produced "Gems of Bluegrass" module discusses a key element of bluegrass music. Some Gems of Bluegrass relate to a particular bluegrass style or sub style, repertoire, commonplace bluegrass themes, playing techniques or study the work of a particular artist. Each Gem of Bluegrass contains snips of music taken from CD, along with Phil Nusbaum's commentary. Phil is an experienced radio producer, bluegrass scholar and bluegrass performer. Each Gem of Bluegrass also appears on the Bluegrass Review broadcast with the same number. (The Bluegrass Review is a one-hour bluegrass show available free of charge from PRX, or from Phil Nusbaum. For information on the show, see the Bluegrass Review listing on Phil Nusbaum's section of the PRX website or go to... Show full description
213 Pieces
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Today it is commonplace to acknowledge the extent of Bill Monroe’s contribution to bluegrass music: The instruments used, their function in a band...
- Added: May 21, 2012
- Length: 00:07:44
Bill Monroe’s band was called the Bluegrass Boys after his home state of Kentucky. It was considered part of country music, and bands that adopted ...
- Added: May 15, 2012
- Length: 00:08:03
We know that bluegrass music is blue. The most obvious examples are the seemingly limitless number of songs about lovers breaking up. But in bluegr...
- Added: May 08, 2012
- Length: 00:05:15
In the early twentieth Century jazz and country music both had bad reputations among members of the music establishment. For one thing, with a lack...
- Added: Apr 30, 2012
- Length: 00:07:23
If you think that folk music means singer with guitar, then bluegrass is not really folk. But before you slam the door on the idea of bluegrass bei...
Bought by KKRN
- Added: Apr 30, 2012
- Length: 00:06:21
- Purchases: 1
A recent Gem of Bluegrass addressed the recontexting of bluegrass songs. Take a bluegrass song or bluegrass approach and combine it with ideas from...
- Added: Apr 19, 2012
- Length: 00:10:53
When you play bluegrass or any type of old time music, you rely on your ear. Sure, some of the music written down, but if you rely solely on writte...
- Added: Apr 16, 2012
- Length: 00:07:27
One of the great things about bluegrass is that it is always changing, always evolving. The 60’s was an era with a lot of change, and it may be hap...
- Added: Apr 11, 2012
- Length: 00:08:28
We know that bluegrass evolves over time. But what causes the evolution? Usually we think it’s caused by the little changes made by players. But wh...
- Added: Apr 06, 2012
- Length: 00:09:33
The House of the Rising Sun. It’s an old time song that’s been kept alive by a lot of singers. Why do singers like it? It might be that it sings of...
- Added: Mar 28, 2012
- Length: 00:08:34
Tom Dooley. It’s an American Ballad that has shown staying power. Why? Part of it is what it’s about: sex and violence. Plus, everybody was talking...
- Added: Mar 27, 2012
- Length: 00:07:16
What’s in a song? You might ask. Well if there is a lyric that is ear catching, people will want to listen to find out what’s in a song.
- Added: Mar 14, 2012
- Length: 00:08:35
When the history of bluegrass music is told, it usually begins with the Scots irish people settling in the south. At the time if immigration, Celti...
- Added: Mar 06, 2012
- Length: 00:07:28
On the American frontier, the fiddle was the most important instrument. For one thing, the Scots Irish settlers was an instrument used to accompany...
- Added: Feb 28, 2012
- Length: 00:07:46
There’s a vein of humor that runs through country music and bluegrass. Over the years there have been different approaches. It’s probably because t...
- Added: Feb 27, 2012
- Length: 00:09:24
Bluegrass fans get a kick about talking about the main focus of bluegrass love songs: the exit point of the relationship. It’s funny because, unlik...
- Added: Feb 05, 2012
- Length: 00:07:11
Bluegrass fans pay close attention to bluegrass, thinking about bluegrass tradition and whether certain songs or groups are traditional or not. The...
- Added: Feb 05, 2012
- Length: 00:06:38
You hear that songwriters and musicians write and play music reflecting their experiences Fair enough but it doesn’t stop there. In old time music ...
- Added: Jan 26, 2012
- Length: 00:06:06
When you think about bluegrass, what do you think of?. I’ bet it’s reckless speed and drive, or maybe harmony singing especially the kind of 4-part...
- Added: Jan 26, 2012
- Length: 00:08:26
Bluegrass fans pay close attention to bluegrass, thinking about bluegrass tradition and whether certain songs or groups are traditional or not. The...
- Added: Jan 26, 2012
- Length: 00:06:38
