Bluegrass Music

Bluegrass music is a sub-genre of country music which developed in the U.S in the 1800s. It was mainly composed by musical influences brought by immigrants from their countries of origin, especially by Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English immigrants. African American influences were added to this style of music as well. The typical instruments in bluegrass are the banjo, the acoustic guitar, the fiddle, the resonator guitar . This kind of music is different from the regular country music because it is played on acoustic stringed instruments. Also, as opposed to the old-time music, where instruments are played all together and at the same time, thus creating the melody, in bluegrass music each instrument takes its own turn at tackling the theme and improvising around it. This is what bluegrass music has in common with jazz and it is due to the African American music influences. Actually, what many people don’t know is that the idea of “banjo”, the design for this instrument actually came from Africa.

This type of music spread around really early because the early settlers who lived in Jamestown spread to Kentucky, the two states of Virginia, to Tennessee and to North Carolina and South Carolina. The popular name for this kind of music was mountain music or country. Today it is generally considered that country music is very vast and that bluegrass is only a sub-genre. The 20th century brought the invention of the phonograph and the radio, which caused bluegrass to spread out even faster and wider. It was now a most popular genre all over the U.S. In the 1920s and ‘30s the Munroe Brothers were extremely popular: Bill and Charlie. They are now considered iconic figures and their music is still highly appreciated. Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless and many other country music artists have recorded bluegrass albums. And bluegrass was used as soundtrack in several reputable movies, such as “Oh Brother Where Art Thou?”