Bluegrass Country Soul to be Re-released

Onomea

Onomea

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This looks really good: https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...9ab23a-d11a-11ea-9038-af089b63ac21_story.html

"... Overlooked upon its theatrical debut in 1972, "Bluegrass Country Soul" is a riveting cinema verite portrait of a bluegrass festival when it was still an underground phenomenon with a rabidly loyal fan base of spectator-participants. It documents a uniquely American musical style in its prime and in its element, without pretense or talking heads or axes to grind. For decades, as the bluegrass festival tradition exploded throughout the United States and abroad, the film gained a cult following, especially among musicians...."

... "I remember seeing bikers and full-blown hippies sitting next to people like my parents," recalls Missy Raines of the First Ladies of Bluegrass. She attended the festival as a 9-year-old and appears in the film. "It was a beautiful thing to see people from so many different walks of life enjoying the music." Remarkably, peace and goodwill prevailed, and for the most part, the festival was a respite from the tumult outside the campground. "The country was split," Ihde says. "There were people in the streets demonstrating to bring home our troops from Vietnam; Nixon was bombing Cambodia; Manson had just been sent to jail. But at the festival, everybody was getting along..."
 
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In the mid/late 70's I frequented many fiddler's conventions including Union Grove, NC and Galax, VA.

They were three day hillbilly Woodstocks. Serious partying with Galaxy Class eye candy with plenty of Dr Feelgood and no social barriers. The only discrimination was against backline/stage amps. An open mic was all that was allowed through the mains.

I know of at least four members here that were bluegrass festival attendees.

I made a killing on bootleg deodorant.☺
 
They cancelled The Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddler's Conventions, we might not go again, if/when they start it back up.

I have met some of the nicest people there and other, smaller festivals. Made friends with a retired FBI agent and part time jet jockey, and a fiddle player.

Another fiddler that showed up at our Tuesday Jam at the Civic Center, (attended for approx 30 years), has a Doctorate in music from Julliard. She discovered old time music and is learning to play the fiddle.

Probably only met 5 or less of the "stuck on me/how great I am" group, met and played music with hundreds, maybe thousands of folks.

I also became good friends with a one armed fiddle player. When he passed away I was asked to play at his funeral.

Have a blessed day,

Leon
 
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Never attended a bluegrass festival, but 20something years ago I got to attend a bluegrass jam session. Very cool experience. I was in awe of their musicianship. Even though I was playing guitar a lot at the time, maybe 5-6 hours/day, there was no way I'd have been able to keep up if I had joined in. I always thought of it as the country version of bebop.
 
My wife and i were always at the "Old time fiddlers gathering"at West Lafayette Indiana .had witnessed the growing up of a young group called Allison Krause ,& Union Station .The most enjoyment was listening to all the performers gathering and playing after the show till way past midnight .
 
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Who would have thought it???...the Washington DC area was a hotbed of Bluegrass activity in the early 70's. My wife and I spent many joyous weekends camped out in rural Virginia and Maryland at the many festivals. It was just as described. Hippies and and Vietnam vets sharing the same blanket. Great memories.

Ed
 
Played mandolin in a semi-professional/professional bluegrass band in the mid to late 70's. Our fiddler, who was old enough to be my father, was ranked in the Top 10 of Bluegrass Fiddlers at the National Old Time Fiddlers Contest in Weiser, Idaho. Heck....even today you can still occasionally find our albums at garage sales for twenty-five cents!:p

Still have the old mandolins, even though I don't play much now. Still get together every so often with a couple of local musicians for a jam session, but can't believe how sloppy I am. Truth be told, I was probably sloppy back then, too. I guess the old saying is true when they say, "The older I get, the better I was.":D
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Never been a die hard Blue Grass devotee.
Hard Core Country Fan here!
But did see Ralph Stanley in person, loved him!
Also have seen Ricky Skaggs. Oh Yeah!
Did I mention that one of my associates married an Indianapolis Skaggs?
Super nice lady, Rickys Cousin, Naval Academy Graduate.
 
My hat is tipped to anyone who can play the mandolin. I still remember
seeing Bill Monroe from atop my dad's shoulder. Bill and the Bluegrass boys came to NW Arkansas and performed in a large tent.
Shall we say times have changed with today's music?
 
Bluegrass is heavy metal for hillbillies. I love it!


The Bluegrass Hall Of Fame is in Owensboro, Kentucky, and is a pretty cool place to visit if you like the music. They have a room full of very nice instruments you can grab and play until your heart's content.
 
jscheck said:
Love bluegrass and southern gospel! My wife's not too keen on the bluegrass part but I try to tell her there's "good" bluegrass and "not so good" bluegrass singers! lol
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I think that every type of music has the good, bad, and the just plain ugly, type of participants. The ones that drive me crazier are the ones that don't tune their instruments and/or can't keep time.

I have attended a public jam session for 30 years or so, and I have seen it all. The one great jam that happens every 6 weeks or so makes up for the others that makes me quit after every other weekly jam is over.

But, I always go back. :-)

Have a blessed day,

Leon
 
I barely remember attending the Ochlockonee River Bluegrass Festival several times back in college. I always thought the harmonica should be allowed in bluegrass and finally got to ask a professor/ pro musician/historian how come and why not ?
Short answer was because Bill Monroe's band didn't use one. I could usually find a jam session that would let me sit in.
Regards
turnerriver
 
Imissedagain said:
LSS.... that mint 1922 Lloyd Loar was the first mandolin I bought in the late '70s.
It wound up with Emmylou's lead guitarist.
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All I can say is WOW!! What a nice mandolin!! The Gibson F-4 mandolin that is shown on the left side of my posted picture was made in 1921 during the Lloyd Loar years when he was the head luthier at the Gibson shop in Kalamazoo. He signed all the F-5's, but not the F-4's.:(
 
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