Roots of Bluegrass
Beginnings
The first bluegrass band performed in 1945 at the Grand Ole Opry
in Nashville. The band was Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys. Monroe blended European folk
music, especially Celtic music, with Afro-American musical ideas. Monroe's
band included a mandolin, fiddle, guitar, banjo and bass. Other bluegrass bands soon followed,
such as the Stanley Brothers and Flatt and Scruggs.
Themes
The early themes of bluegrass focused
on the everyday experiences of rural people from the Southeast. Frequent
themes included God, home and family, love,
tragedy, work, and changing times.
Growth
Bluegrass continues to grow, branching out from its Appalachian
roots to a national and worldwide following. Newer generations of bluegrass musicians
push the music into the realms of jazz, or adopt stylings of rock "jam bands."
The musical genres of folk, country, Celtic and old time music sometimes
combine with bluegrass to create a broader category of
"roots music," of which bluegrass is just one part. Gospel music
has been part of bluegrass from the beginning.
Awareness
Bluegrass sometimes experiences
renewed popularity, as in
the recent movie Oh Brother, Where Art Thou. Earlier decades had movies such
as Deliverance in the 1970s, and Bonnie and Clyde in the
1960s, which introduced bluegrass to a wide
audience. More often, bluegrass grows
quietly and wins new fans without widespread public awareness.
Today
Today, an abundance of professional bluegrass musicians are
masters of their craft and are busy touring and recording. Their
fans travel to outdoor music festivals to hear and meet the bands, to shake
hands and talk with the performers. More than a few fans are musicians
themselves. The festivals can be a place to meet friends and "jam" with
other musicians. |
Tried & True performing at the
D Note in Arvada, CO.
Tried & True performing at
GospelGrass 2005, Loveland, CO.
Jessica and Bob at the Post
Playhouse, Fort Robinson, NE. |
Our Repertoire
Most of our songs come from the bluegrass gospel tradition. We find these
songs especially meaningful. We also play ballads and songs about home and
family. The following songs are a regular part of our repertoire, though we
often add songs or play others by request.
Gospel Songs:
A Beautiful Life
A Voice From On High
Be Assured
Come Thou Fount
Don't Neglect the Rose
Go and Do the Same
Hallelujah, I'm Ready
Higher Ground
I Am the Way
I Know Whom I Have Believed
I Saw the Light
I'll Fly Away
Keep on the Sunny Side
Kneel at the Cross
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
Orphan Girl
Poor Wayfarin' Stranger
Preachin' Prayin' Singing'
Palms of Victory
Shield of Faith
Shouting on the Hills of Glory
Simple Gifts
Soul of Man
Sweet Bye and Bye
Take Me in Your Lifeboat
Voice from On High
Washed in the Blood
Were You There
Where the Soul Never Dies
When He Calls
Secular Songs:
Blue Ridge Mountain Home
Bury Me Beneath the Willow
Eight More Miles to Louisville
Fair and Tender Ladies
Handsome Molly
High on a Mountain Top
How Mountain Girls Can Love
Little Cabin Home
Love Please Come Home
My Home's Across the Blueridge Mountains
New River Train
Old Home Place
Shady Grove
Sweetheart, Darlin of Mine
Sweet Blue Eyed Darlin
This Old House
Your Love is Like a Flower . . . and anything else we can remember the words
to at the time . . . |
