A Taste of Bluegrass

I have been down the bluegrass rabbit hole lately, and I wanted to share a couple tunes with the community. I didn't grow up with this as the soundtrack of my youth, and I never even lived in Appalachia. I didn't really discover it until after my family moved out west. Nonetheless, this kind of music speaks to my soul. Much as I love speed metal, alternative rock, and the occasional dose of electronica, folk music resonates in a way that probably can't be articulated. If there is magic in this world, it emanates from live performances on acoustic instruments.

EDIT: if you're unfamiliar with American folk music, bluegrass is named after Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys, a country music band playing dance songs and ballads based on Appalachian tradition. It draws heavily on traditional music from the British isles along with a variety of other influences over the years.

Up first, an old video (apparently filmed on a potato, but with decent audio) of Peter Rowan and Tony Rice (RIP) with Bryn Davies and Sharon Gilchrist. This version differs greatly from the Grateful Dead's Cold Rain And Snow and any other more traditional renditions I have heard.

Sharon Gilchrist is a notable mandolin player in her own right, and besides playing with the Peter Rowan and Tony Rice Quartet, she has also performed with the spectacular old-time band Uncle Earl as well as many other groups. @flemingfarm, if you haven't had a chance to see her playing, you're missing out!

This is another classic tune, and while I really like John Hartford's recording, this group may take the cake. I love the way all these folk music bands tend to rotate around a stage microphone to showcase different members in turn, and everyone seems to be having fun. Here's another neat performance with a different tempo and new improvisation.

Going back before my time, I also recommend Will the Circle Be Unbroken by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band along with some of the best bluegrass musicians of 1971. I recently bought a physical copy of this album on CD because it is still absolutely phenomenal over 50 years later.

What are your favorite kinds of folk music? Do you have a local favorite style from outside the US? I already know @bertrayo has shared some amazing Venezuelan tunes on instruments he even makes himself, so there may be other Hive musicians who need to be discovered, too. Drop some good links in the comments, please!