Comments on: UNC to Celebrate Alan Lomax; Bonnaroo Lineup Announced; Stream New Edie Brickell & Steve Martin Song

By: Jon

Jon — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 19:39:04 +0000

““…Bill Monroe is quoted often on the influence of African-American gospel influence on his music…””

In the first place, that isn’t exactly true, but more to the point, only someone who had neither the desire nor the capacity to think in any meaningful way about music would reduce that statement’s content to obnoxious drivel about “singing black.”

By: Barry Mazor

Barry Mazor — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 15:08:26 +0000

Of course, Luckol. And many artists in country and pop really were influenced by or, sometimes, just plain ripped off black artists. But as Jon’s saying– that still, in fact, has nothing to do with the subject that was on the table, which was WHO created bluegrass as a genre. And they were, in historic fact, basically young white Southern guys. They knew some things, including blues and older African-American and white Southern picking styles, and they may even have made the acquaintance of a few women, but they were young white (not necessarily cranky) Southern guys.

By: Luckyoldsun

Luckyoldsun — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 06:42:30 +0000

“…Bill Monroe is quoted often on the influence of African-American gospel influence on his music…”

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:42:21 +0000

What does any of this discussion have to do with “singing black?”

By: Luckyoldsun

Luckyoldsun — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 02:41:13 +0000

Stating that a musician was influenced by black artists –or even “sings black”–seems to be the thing–probably going at least as far back as Al Jolson–who performed in blackface. Sinatra and Bennett both claimed to have been treatly influenced by Billie Holiday; Frankie Laine,by Louis Armstrong. Jimmie Rodgers, of course had a black sound, and the influence of Tee Tot on Hank Williams is now celebrated.

I guess “singing black” conveys authenticity or cred that “singing white” doesn’t.

By: Barry Mazor

Barry Mazor — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:41:02 +0000

But Jon, Bill Monroe was an over 400 year old Celt who spoke pure Shakespearean English, exactly the way everyone in the Appalachia hills and hollers did originally, and played all the ancient songs…

No?

By: Jon

Jon — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:54:54 +0000

“The person who wrote “by cranky, withered, and sometimes mean-spirited white men” definitely voted for Obama! I’d wager money on that…”

I’ll bet that not many people find that amusing, and even fewer care.

“So Ed Helms has literally bought himself a stage gig at the Bonnaroo Festival!”

Nope.

Ken, the piece referred not to early influencers, but to the originators of bluegrass, all of whom were white men. That, like their ages, is just a fact.

By: Luckyoldsun

Luckyoldsun — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:06:18 +0000

The Steve and Edie track is mangificent–without a doubt, the best work they’ve done since “Our Love Is Here to Stay.”

By: Rick

Rick — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:45:12 +0000

The person who wrote “by cranky, withered, and sometimes mean-spirited white men” definitely voted for Obama! I’d wager money on that…

Music City Roots Alert! Tonight’s show features the zany Aussie Henry Wagons, Samantha Crain (who resembles America Ferrera), Shawn Byrne (any relation to David Byrne?), Ed Snodderly (who should cover “If My Nose Was Running Money”), and The Banditos (who prefer Fritos 2 to 1!)
Link: http://musiccityroots.com/

So Ed Helms has literally bought himself a stage gig at the Bonnaroo Festival! It must be nice to have that kind of money to blow…

It’s nice to read about Mike Curb getting kicked to well, the curb! Score a win for Timbo!

A new “Prime Cuts” over at Country California eh? Looks like my pocketbook is about to take a hit here.

By: Ken Morton, Jr.

Ken Morton, Jr. — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:46:46 +0000

Tacking on to Jon’s comment, an argument could easily be made that it wasn’t even “white men” that were the earliest influencers on bluegrass music. Bill Monroe is quoted often on the influence of African-American gospel influence on his music and the banjo itself was the central instrument of African-influenced music in early Colonial America.