Bluegrass is a form of Native American music. This style has its roots in Irish, Scottish and English traditional music. Bluegrass is a quirky mix of jazz and blues.
History of bluegrass
This musical style emerged in the forties of the last century, after the end of the war, which significantly hindered the development of all music. It cannot be attributed to any specific person. It is a mixture of blues, jazz and ragtime. However, traces of bluegrass lead to a specific musical group. The founding father of this trend is currently considered Bill Munro.
The style got its name in accordance with the name of its first group The Blue Grass Boys. It was founded in 1939. A key moment in the formation of bluegrass was the joining of Earl Skaraggs to this group in 1945. He possessed a unique technique for playing the banjo instrument. Together with guitarist Lester Flatt, violinist Chubby Wise and bassist Howard Watts, they managed to create an absolutely unique instrumental sound and style that became a model for other musicians.
While this band played this kind of music, it was their own unique style. It could not become a separate musical direction until other performers began to play in the same style. The point of emergence of bluegrass as an independent musical direction can be considered 1947, when the traditional song was recorded by the Stanley brothers in the style of the Blue Grass Boys.
In the literal sense of the word, bluegrass folk music has never been. Although the themes of the songs of this style are very reminiscent of folk. Throughout history, bluegrass has only been performed by professional musicians. Although sometimes amateurs tried to reproduce compositions in this style, but the sound was not the same as that of the professionals.
Musical style features
Bluegrass, like jazz, uses a technique whereby musical instruments take turns leading, while everyone else fades into the background. This is the main difference between bluegrass and other early musical directions, where the instruments are played together or one of them is the leader throughout the entire work, and the rest make up its accompaniment. Bluegrass is an acoustic style. It rarely uses electrical tools.
The main focus of bluegrass is on acoustic string instruments. This is its main difference from country music. Among them are violins, five-string banjos, acoustic guitars, mandolins and double basses. Resonant guitars are sometimes used.
