Did you know that the Egyptians were the inventors of Bluegrass music? This is what I’m told by my friend Andrew Belli!! He sent me a picture to prove it. Well the word is out I do enjoy an eclectic variety of music. Here are just a few of my favourite things. Alison Krause and Union station, Bluegrass, Shape Note Singing (Sacred Harp singing Coal Mountain fame), Michael Card, Andrea Bocelli, Classical music, Baroque. My favourite instrument is the Dobro. Yes and the master of the instrument is also a Graves, Josh Graves who played for many years with Flatt and Shruggs.
So on May 6, 2006 Willie Nelson the legend will be at the Moncton Coliseum and I’m going with another friend from our church who happened to be from the south. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will also be opening for Willie so we can expect a lot of excellent traditional bluegrass instrumental pieces like wildwood flower, Earl’s Breakdown, Wabash Cannonball and more.
I grew up on these as my father had his own country/bluegrass band and played on the Truo Radio Station every Saturday night in the 50’s. Elton Graves and the Foggy River Boys (playing off the Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys). After my fathers death I discovered several of his recordings and had them mastered into a CD. His piece “The Precious old Bible” was recorded on an old 78 record which had begun to deteriorate. Also another piece which I had seen the word for but had never heard him sing was on the flip side. This was a real treasure to find. My dad could also yodel I think better than Wilf Carter (aka Montana Slim, He was born in Nova Scotia like my Dad). My dad could do the “three-in-one” or “echo” yodel that Wilf was famous for.
Well all this to say I come by my love of tight harmony and country music honestly. We did get to the Grand Old Opre in Nashville before my dad dies. My dad was able to speak to Hank Snow who taught him how to play the guitar back in Nova Scotia as a boy. This will be a great concert. Wish my dad was going with me!
3 comments:
That is amazing! But I do think you could be wrong,technically. I beleive that it was the Egyptians that invented "baked-straw" music, which later led to 'bluegrass'!
Happy picking...
Well you may be right as it was originally called papyrus music but they had to change the name because your couldn't pick it!! Instead of sitting in a square for shape note singing they prefered the triangle (Pyramid) style. We owe alot to them Egyptians!!
David: Thank you for your insight. I stand corrected. I thought bluegrass originated with the Greeks; Earlous Scruggous and Lestorious Flattos. You cannot imagine my relief that I did not disseminate my theory. I noted the accordion and may have to rethink my "Origins of the Polka" thesis.
D. Brehaut a.k.a. Anonymous
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