Bluegrass Music

William Smith Monroe, best known as Bill Monroe is one of the iconic figures of U.S. country music. His name is usually perceived to be the equivalent of bluegrass music. Bluegrass music was brought to America by immigrants in the early 1600s and it developed especially well in the 1800s when it also started spreading all around the U.S. This style of music mixes musical influences of the traditional music in Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England and Quebec with significant African American influences. Few people know that the main resemblance between bluegrass and jazz is that the instruments do not play the music all at once, together , as in the old style country music. They actually take turns and a lot of improvisation is being done around the main theme. That's the beauty of bluegrass. Bill Monroe is one of the fathers of bluegrass and he had a great contribution in the revival of country music. Although he died in 1996, his music is still very popular and it is still an inspirations for the new generations of bluegrass musicians.