# A country/bluegrass primer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496 "2003-12-22T19:18:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/1 "2003-12-22T19:18:20Z")
My all-time favorite movie is _Coal Miner’s Daughter_, though I don’t own the soundtrack. My all-time favorite record is _Trio_ (Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Rondstat). Those two facts notwithstanding, I actually know very little about country music or bluegrass, but want to learn more and build out my music collection. Oh and I have the _Oh Brother Where Art Thou_ soundtrack and love that too. For all three of these listening experiences, it is the harmonies that really speak to me. What artists and albums should any self-respecting country/bluegrass music fan own? Is there anything that I must not miss? I’m not looking for music-snob-obscure high-minded recommendations, just stuff that I can get to enjoy as part of my collection and to learn more about this type of music. And I’m probably not looking for Shania Twain type modern country music, I think I’m into the more traditional old-timey stuff. Thanks for any help. Twiddle ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/2 "2003-12-22T19:33:49Z")
Well, pretty much anything by Hank Williams (Senior), Johnny Cash and George Jones will get you in touch with what you might call the Holy Trinity of country music. And, since you like \*Coal Miner’s Daughter \* so much, it’ll be hard to go wrong with Loretta Lynn. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/3 "2003-12-22T19:37:38Z")
**New Grass** Alison Krauss + Union Station Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Nickel Creek Chris Thile **Traditional Bluegrass** Bill Monroe **Good Traditional Country** The Flatlanders Dwight Yoakam **Outlaw Country** Waylon Jennings Ray Wylie Hubbard Jerry Jeff Walker Steve Earle ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/4 "2003-12-22T19:52:12Z")
I recommend trying some bluegrass samplers to see what you like. Some of my favorite samplers: [Appalachian Stomp](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000033GO/qid=1072122135/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_2/002-9049848-6297623). Good introduction to classic bluegrass. [Appalachian Stomp: More Bluegrass Classics](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000IMSA/ref=pd_sim_music_1/002-9049848-6297623?v=glance&s=music) [Blue Ribbon Bluegrass](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000004DI/qid%3D1072122319/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/002-9049848-6297623) And the documentary DVD, [High Lonesome - The Story of Bluegrass Music](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000GQ3T/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_f/002-9049848-6297623) Actually, the [soundtrack from the High Lonesome documentary](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000095J22/qid=1072122619/sr=1-8/ref=sr_1_8/002-9049848-6297623?v=glance&s=music) might be my favorite bluegrass collection. And I agree with the recommendation of Dwight Yaokam for country music in the traditional vein. Of course if you want the classics, you’ll need Hank Williams, Sr., Merle Haggard, and George Jones, among many others. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/5 "2003-12-22T20:07:25Z")
I should also mention [Tulare Dust: A Songwriters’ Tribute to Merle Haggard](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000005QY/qid%3D1072122851/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/002-9049848-6297623), which simultaneously introduces you to Merle Haggard and to some of the better artists making genuine country music these days. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/6 "2003-12-22T21:10:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Twiddle \* > **Oh and I have the _Oh Brother Where Art Thou_ soundtrack and love that too.** Definitely get the [Down from the Mountain](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0284067/combined) video! It starts out with Ralph Stanley (he’s the KKK leader who sings “O Death”) being interviewed while on the road to Nashville, where he and others from the _O Brother_ soundtrack are gathering for a concert. Parts of that concert were also filmed, as was some backstage footage. Watching John Hartford saw on his fiddle is inspiring. He had throat cancer and was cleary in pain when playing. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/7 "2003-12-22T21:20:44Z")
For torchy gals, it’s hard to beat Patsy Cline and K. D. Lang. If you want to find out who invented Rockabilly, look for any surviving Collins Kids album you can find (You can probably special-order **The Rockin’est** ). Lorrie Collins was definitely the Britney Spears of her day, and little brother Larry was a pint-sized guitar prodigy who grew up to write major hits for other artists. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/8 "2003-12-22T21:37:59Z")
**Doc Watson** essentially invented the flatpicking guitar style by mimicking the fiddle parts of traditional songs on a guitar. His work is an great place to start on traditional, old-time music. He’s in his eighties now, but he’s still an amazing player if you ever get the chance to see him. For specific recommendations, I’d go with [Doc Watson on Stage](http://www.docsguitar.com/albumdetail.php?album=29) or one of the “best of” type compilations that can be found [here](http://www.docsguitar.com/discography.php). **Dwight Yoakam** has been mentioned a copuple of times, and I heartily agree - if you like him, you could look into [bMerle Haggard\*\* and **Buck Owens**. How about country blues? Try **Mississippi John Hurt** or **Merle Travis**. Other recommendations (in no particular order or category): **Gillian Welch** , **The Seldom Scene** , **Robert Earl Keen** , **Lyle Lovett** , **Townes Van Zandt** , **Guy Clark** , **Willie Nelson** , the **Del McCoury Band** , **Bill Morrissey** … A great way to learn about different artists, especially ones that aren’t too well known, is festivals. Bluegrass and folk festivals pop up everywhere, and I’ve never been to one without finding a new band to get into. ---
**Author:** ![TheInterruptingCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9c0ed/32.png) [@TheInterruptingCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInterruptingCow)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/9 "2003-12-22T21:49:27Z")
All good suggestions. I’d personally recommend investing in a copy of [Will the Circle Be Unbroken](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/002-6716731-1816857) by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, with a host of bluegrass originals. Listen to the album, read the liner notes…you’ll find plenty of leads for further possibilities. Also check out [John Hartford](http://www.johnhartford.com) . He passed away a few years ago, but his body of work is amazing, and many of his recordings feature other bluegrass greats. ---
**Author:** ![mrunlucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@mrunlucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrunlucky)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/10 "2003-12-22T22:52:52Z")
I second the nod to the “High Lonesome” documentary. I suggest a compilation of music by the Carter Family. They are the shining example of the roots of country music. I love the Complete Victor Recordings series. I believe it’s not in print any longer, but there are a number of other compilations of their work which are probably just as decent. The Columbia Country Classics series is a good introduction to a variety of traditional country artists. Each one has a loose theme from “traditional” to the “Nashville sound” and so on. The Heroes of Country Music series put out by Rhino is also a good introduction to styles and artists. These collections showcase quality singers/songwriters/groups, and none of that newer Top 40 pop-country stuff. Also you can learn quite a bit about alt.country as well as traditional from [No Depression](http://www.nodepression.net) magazine. Because there is traditional style country music still being created today – don’t let the pop-country radio stations and award shows fool you into thinking it’s all Shania Twain and Faith Hill. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/11 "2003-12-22T23:22:58Z")
Yeah, if you want to get at the roots of country music, you’ll need a Carter Family compilation and a Jimmie Rodgers compilation. To get at the roots of bluegrass, you’ll need some early works from Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, Flatt and Scruggs. To get even deeper into the roots of bluegrass and country, try the early string band Gid Tanner and the Skillet Likkers, or Fiddlin’ John Carson. (If you can find them.) These 1920s acts give you some idea of the mountain music that was out there before Bill Monroe got hold of it, revved it up, and turned it into bluegrass. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/12 "2003-12-22T23:44:12Z")
And speaking of the roots of the music, can’t forget the (often overlooked) black influence on country music. After all, Jimmie Rodgers was just a white man playing the blues. Then too, the banjo is based on old African instruments, so you have to give a nod to some of the [black banjo pickers](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000001DJP/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_f/002-9049848-6297623) of yore. All of this early stuff is crudely recorded. Historically interesting, but not necessarily easy on the modern ear. ---
**Author:** ![nuthinboutnuthin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/96bed5/32.png) [@nuthinboutnuthin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nuthinboutnuthin)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/13 "2003-12-23T01:36:18Z")
Check out Jon Randall, an exquisite voice, excellent musician, and he just couldnt git eny cuter!!! ---
**Author:** ![Zah\_Kree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ce73a5/32.png) [@Zah\_Kree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zah_Kree)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/14 "2003-12-23T02:34:41Z")
If you like instrumentals get Bela Fleck’s _Tales From The Acoustic Planet II_ GREAT stuff there. ---
**Author:** ![DirkGntly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DirkGntly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirkGntly)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/15 "2003-12-23T03:35:02Z")
For country/bluegrass accomplishment, I find it hard to ignore **Ricky Skaggs**. He’s done significant work in both genres, and crossed over successfully back and forth between the two for years. Saw him live once - amazing work… ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-country-bluegrass-primer/220496/16 "2003-12-23T04:03:39Z")
If you’re coming to bluegrass & country from a jam-rock or classic rock background (as I did) you might like **Jerry Garcia & David Grisman** –yeah, that’s the same Jerry you’re thinking of. Their album “So What” is really stellar. The two of them also performed in a group called **Old & In The Way** who do some great standards as well as interesting covers like the **Grateful Dead** ’s _Friend of the Devil_ and the **Rolling Stones’** _Wild Horses_. **Chet Atkins** isn’t specifically bluegrass, but was instrumental in converting some of bluegrass and country’s stylings into a more radio-friendly rock sound, later called “The Nashville Sound” and familiar to you as modern country. I imagine his early work is probably instructive from a historical perspective, although I wouldn’t know what to recommend. Finally, **The Gourds** do a great cover of **Snoop Doggy Dogg** ’s _Gin and Juice_ in the Appalachian style for those of you who are approaching bluegrass from a rap or hip-hop background, or for any of you who are just morbidly curious.