From Sound to Style: The Emergence of Bluegrass — The Journal of American Folklore

Claims

1. oral-tradition
   High turnover of personnel among a limited number of bluegrass bands led to a constant exchange of repertory and musical techniques, which Rosenberg describes as a kind of oral tradition within the style. This need for exchange conflicts with the commercial need for original material.

   "But more than rivalry is involved, for the turnover in band personnel has led to constant recombination of musicians in a limited number of bands. With this exchange of personnel comes an exchange of repertory and musical techniques which constitutes a kind of oral tradition within the style. The enjoyment of and need for exchange with other musicians conflict with the need for original material for commercial success"

   Locator: page: 147 · Quote language: en
2. revival
   Rock 'n' roll hurt bluegrass's commercial fortunes between about 1954 and 1960. In the late 1950s the folksong revival accepted bluegrass as folk music because it avoided electric instruments, recorded many traditional or tradition-based songs, and had instrumental styles, especially Earl Scruggs's banjo, seen as exciting innovations on folk styles; from 1959 many bands played folk festivals, colleges and coffee houses.

   "During these years the music's popularity and economic success were at an ebb. In the late 1950's the folksong revival discovered and accepted Bluegrass as folk music, for three reasons: it did not use the electric instruments then identified with the mass culture "pap" of rock 'n' roll and popular Country-Western music; Bluegrass recordings included a large number of traditional or tradition-based songs; and its instrumental styles, especially that of Earl Scruggs on the five-string banjo, were seen as exciting innovations based on folk styles which appealed to the revivalists. From 1959 on, many bands played at folk festivals, colleges, and coffee houses to a new and enthusiastic audience."

   Locator: page: 148-149 · Quote language: en
3. sound-to-style
   Bill Monroe's 1945–1948 band with Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Chubby Wise and Cedric Rainwater (the "original" band) developed a new sound in which instrumentalists took turns at solos while the rest of the band provided rhythmic and melodic background. The Stanley Brothers' 1948 recording of "Molly and Tenbrooks", learned from Monroe's live performances, is the first direct evidence of other bands imitating that sound, marking the transition from the sound of one band to a style. By 1949 three bands playing the style were on major labels; the name bluegrass presumably derives from Monroe's band, the Blue Grass Boys.

   "the instrumentalists in the band took solos at various times, while the rest of the band provided rhythmic and melodic background. ... The Stanley Brothers' "Molly and Tenbrooks" record is the first direct evidence that the "sound" of Monroe's band was being imitated by other bands. ... This imitation, whenever it did occur, is important because it marks the transition from the sound of Monroe's band to the style known as Bluegrass. ... For the first time, three bands playing the style which would later be named Bluegrass (a name presumably deriving from the title of Monroe's band, although a careful study of the term's precise etymology is needed) were heard on major labels"

   Locator: page: 145-146 · Quote language: en
4. stanley-three-finger
   On the Stanley Brothers' 1948 recording of "Little Maggie", Ralph Stanley played banjo in a traditional two-finger style; before their next session he learned the smooth three-finger style used by Earl Scruggs. Some musicians say he learned directly from Scruggs, while Stanley insisted he learned from Snuffy Jenkins, who was responsible for much of Scruggs's style. On "Molly and Tenbrooks" the mandolinist sang so that the banjoist could play a complex melodic backing similar to Scruggs's.

   "On this recording Ralph Stanley played the banjo in a traditional two-finger style. Between the time "Little Maggie" was recorded and the next Stanley Brothers recording session, Ralph Stanley learned to play banjo in the smooth three-finger style used by Earl Scruggs. There is some confusion about the way in which Stanley learned the style. Some musicians assert that he learned directly from Scruggs during their joint tenure at WCYB. Ralph Stanley, however, insists that he learned directly from the playing of Snuffy Jenkins, the North Carolina banjoist who was responsible for much of Scruggs' style. ... This was almost certainly done to allow the banjoist to play a complex melodic backing-similar to Scruggs'-while Lambert was singing"

   Locator: page: 146 · Quote language: en
5. tradition-innovation
   Through conservative audiences and imitative newer bands, bluegrass came to stand for tradition, although the words "old-time" and "traditional" also describe a constantly changing commercial music. A successful bluegrass performance of a standard song keeps its traditional text and tune but adds a stylistic innovation; for example, the Osborne Brothers added a slow introduction in three-part harmony to the fast dance tune "Cripple Creek". Rosenberg calls this tension between conservatism and innovation a modern version of the folk performer's struggle to wed tradition and creativity, and a good example of tradition in mass culture, since the style was defined by its performers rather than its students.

   "Through the conservatism of audiences and the imitativeness of the neophyte bands, Bluegrass has come to stand for tradition-the authentic, old-time, country way. ... A successful Bluegrass performance of a standard song or folksong not only maintains a traditional text and tune of the song; it contains a stylistic innovation attractive to the audience. ... To the fast-paced instrumental they added a slow introduction sung in three part harmony, an innovation which contrasted with and emphasized the speed and brilliance of the instrumental section. ... Both musicians and audience are caught between the conservatism which gives the style unity and the innovation which makes it exciting. This tension is, in some ways, a modern version of the folk performer's eternal struggle to wed tradition and creativity. Because the style has been defined by its creators and performers rather than its students, it is a good example of the ways of tradition in mass culture."

   Locator: page: 148 · Quote language: en