Americana Music Magazine – Bluegrass, Roots, Folk, Blues, and Old-Time
Wow! This is Americana Rhythm’s 100th issue. It is going on 13+ years we’ve been writing essays about our favorite genre of music—the music that Virginian Ralph Stanley once described as, “That music they call bluegrass”. Of course, in a different setting it is that music my mother called “string-music” when she and I, as a child, listened to the radio broadcasts of the old time and classic country music. A chance encounter with my musical roots one spring at Merlefest brought me back to ground zero; and at the same time opened our publisher’s eye’s to potentials that helped conceive this publication.
Here we are today looking forward and speculating about musical futures. Because I do not want my thoughts alone to conjure this future, I have conferred with some heavy hitters in this business to lend their views as well: We have AR’s esteemed friend, Ms. Donna Ulisse (a successful songwriter and IBMA song writer of the year winner; as well as someone who enjoyed a good run as a country music recording star). Plus, Mr. Greg Blake (IBMA and SPBGMA nominated male vocalist of the year; founding member of Jeff Scroggins and Colorado; and current lead vocalist and guitarist for The Special Consensus).
Americana String Music
This bluegrass subset of Americana string-music has had an evolutionary growth. With its origins in the Eastern Appalachian mountains as ancient Scot-Irish and English ballads infused with enslaved African influences, it first morphed into a folksy sound that changed every time someone new played its melody and sang its lyrics; however, it eventually gelled into a genre known as old-time music. With the emergence of recorded music and radio air play, this old-time music became somewhat standardized. Then, along came Kentuckian, Bill Monroe and his band who was named after that famous KY bluegrass. They produced a new, faster, hard driving way of playing that same old-time music (my music teacher, Dulcimer Diana, never ceases to mention, “Bill Monroe stole old-time music”). Nevertheless, sometime in the 50’s or early 60’s, bluegrass music became its own genre of sound and never looked back.
Bluegrass music has gone through several eras: from the origin players such as Monroe, the Stanley brothers, and other similar sounding folks; a second wave such as Seldom Seen, Country Gentlemen, and other innovating artists; a third generation filled with artists such as The Steep Canyon Rangers and many others; and this present group of artists who are just now making their mark. The bluegrass genre has always exhibited generational change. Greg Blake put it this way, “The bands to which I listened as a child were then considered contemporary, progressive, and on the edge; and now those bands are considered traditional. I think we will continue to see that kind of move.”
Donna Ulisse’s take on the present is this, “I am excited for bluegrass music! There is an abundance of talented folks writing and recording songs with a mountain flavor and filling the airwaves with banjoes and fiddles. I am happy to hear the new music.” Greg Blake concurred by adding, “Many young fans are currently turned by great young artists like Molly Tuttle and Billy Strings as well as many other new-comers. I know both of those folks personally, and their heart’s are definitely into the music. They have a great appreciation for the past. You can hear that in their playing, and you can hear it in what they say when they talk to you as well.”
Where We Go Now
But this is the present; where do we go from here? That question begs another. Is there a future for bluegrass music as a viable musical art-form? While this is a music genre that has a rich history, it actually can only claim a small but loyal fan base—many of which sport gray hair. Like any of the past genres of music, this music art form must adapt to changing times if it is to remain viable. Ms. Ulisse sees this point a bit differently and says, “The tried and true classics should always be an integral part of this genre because I believe that’s the heartbeat of this music.” Greg takes a somewhat different slant in saying, “Bluegrass music is easily adaptable, and it has room for just about everybody.” Okay, both fair points. Let us explore the current state of bluegrass music, the challenges it faces, and the opportunities that exist for this genre to continue to thrive in the years ahead.
While originally only regional in nature, bluegrass music today has a national exposure and is enjoyed almost anywhere it is played with its distinctive instrumentation that includes: banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and bass (violin); plus a few recent additions such as resonator guitars, mouth harps, and yes, even drums. Thus, bluegrass music continues to attract that small loyal fan base that value’s its traditional sound and instrumentation. Many fans are drawn to the nostalgic and sentimental lyrics, which often tell stories of rural life and the struggles of everyday people. Bluegrass festivals and concerts currently draw large crowds throughout the nation, and the genre has spawned a cohort of successful musicians and bands over the years.
Facing Challenges
Despite all this, bluegrass music faces a number of challenges in the modern music industry—the biggest of which is its limited appeal outside of its core fan base. Although bluegrass music has enjoyed some mainstream success in recent years, it remains a niche genre with a relatively small audience when compared to other popular music genres.
Another challenge facing bluegrass music is the changing nature of the music industry itself. While SirusXM® internet radio currently includes Bluegrass Junction on its station list; it jerks that channel around to suit its own agenda. Add to that the rise of streaming services like Spotify®, Apple Music® and others that have disrupted traditional revenue sources for musicians. When combined, these changes make it difficult for artists to generate a living wage playing bluegrass music. Also, the decline of recorded album sales has made it harder for bluegrass musicians to fund their tours and recording projects even though boxes of CDs (what’s those?) set front and center on every merchandise table at every festival.
Must bluegrass musicians be willing to adapt to changing times and find new ways to connect with audiences? Maybe, but what are those ways? Maybe they must embrace new technology by using social media, online streaming platforms, and other digital tools to reach fans and build an audience. To be fair, many bluegrass musicians are already doing this by using social media platforms to share their music and connect with fans all over the world. Another way to expand the appeal of bluegrass music is by collaborating with musicians from other genres. Cross-genre collaborations have become popular in recent years, and some bluegrass musicians are working with artists from a wide range of musical backgrounds to make a hybrid form of the genre.
This thought leads one to conclude that bluegrass musicians must grapple with the ongoing debate over what constitutes authentic bluegrass music. Some purists argue that the genre must adhere to strict rules and traditions, while others believe that the genre must evolve and adapt to changing times. This debate is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon, but it underscores the importance of innovation and experimentation within the genre.
Future Looks Bright
Despite the challenges, the future of bluegrass music looks bright. The genre has loyal fans that value the traditional sound and instrumentation yet are willing to expand its listening tastes to enjoy some hybrid variations as well. Many young, talented pickers and singers do not look the part of traditionalists but they sure do put heart and soul into their performances and value lessons from the past. Billy Strings, for instance, credits Doc Watson (Merlefest) as his greatest influence.
Schools such as East Tennessee State University (ETSU) and various community colleges throughout the Appalachian region offer courses of study that lead to degrees in bluegrass and old-time music studies. Blake’s view of this innovation is, “I am a believer in these new programs These programs are all over the place these days Every time I turn around I see a new one popping up. The folks coming from these schools are skilled, well trained, and well grounded.” A testament of sorts to this innovation is this: A successful and well-known bluegrass singer, Dave Adkins, is currently touring with a very young group of hot bluegrass pickers comprised almost completely of currently enrolled ETSU students and recent graduates.
Thus, there are opportunities for bluegrass musicians to expand their audience and reach new fans. By embracing technology, collaboration, formal college-level study, and continued innovation, bluegrass musicians can ensure that the genre remains a viable and vibrant art form for many years to come.
Recently, AR’s publisher was chatting off the record with a respected member of the bluegrass community about the future of bluegrass. The general conscience of that conversation was bluegrass music is currently riding a wave of popularity and that wave might ebb and flow over time. Further, bluegrass could crudely be compared to the punk music scene—it might not be in the popular eye but it can be found playing anywhere fans were willing to look and it will never fully go away. They concluded that a younger audience is finding bluegrass music and as the older audience slowly moves on, this younger group of fans will keep the music alive—it too will be found anywhere fans will be willing to look and it too will never fully go away.
Loyal Fans Deep Roots
In conclusion, bluegrass music has a rich history and a loyal fan base; and with its deep roots in American culture and that dedicated fan base, there is no reason to believe that it cannot thrive for many years to come; however, it faces a number of challenges. To remain viable, bluegrass musicians and bluegrass music fans must adapt to changing times. It is no longer my Mother’s string-music that she nurtured me upon in its emergence era; nor is it the music that reintroduced itself to a new generation some years later; or even the music of that next wave of new folks that later emerged. Those eras are gone. In the last few years, almost all of the founding artists are gone; many of those second generation and even some of the third generation of pickers and singers have faded into memory as well.
The yoke of success now rides the necks of the emerging avant-garde who may look and sound a bit different than those who came before. These folks will and do embrace technology, and find new ways to connect with audiences (and those audiences will adapt). These new bluegrass musicians can and will ensure that the genre remains a vibrant and relevant art form in the future but at the same time never forgetting its storied past and its valuable use as their touchstone.
Donna Ulisse has this upbeat final thought, “The tried and true classics should always be an integral part of this genre because that’s the heartbeat of this music. However, as I share my take on songwriting with young, hungry writers, I am assured the future of bluegrass music will play on. The new songs being written are creative and interesting; still consisting of real life struggles and stories being set to melodies that support great harmonies and musical arrangements. Today’s artists mostly include that high lonesome element and have reminiscent strains inside their songs, allowing this music to carry on into the next generation.” Greg Blake’s final words on the subject were these, “I believe these young people today play with a lot of heart; and if that is the case, then bluegrass music is going to stay around for a long time.”
By Ed Tutwiler