Bluegrass and Old Time String Band Music

Description

"Look A-Yonder Comin'... Bluegrass and Old-Time String Band Music" This content was contributed by the State Library and Archives, a division of the Florida Department of State. The music on this disc is from performances recorded at the Florida Folk Festival from 1960 to 2003. The selections on this disc are from groups that range from amateurs to seasoned professionals—even the “Father of bluegrass music” himself, Bill Monroe. Old-time string band and bluegrass music have deep roots in Florida. Old-time is based on the centuries-old dance music and songs of people of Anglo-Celtic descent. Bluegrass takes its name from Bill Monroes's Blue Grass Boys, a Kentucky band that combined elements of old-time, big band, blues, and other influences to create a new, high-energy musical style in the 1940s. Florida connections to bluegrass abound. Monroe bought his famed Gibson F-5 mondolin in Miami. Jim and Jesse played for radio broadcasts from Live Oak in the 1960s. Chubby Anthony played a searing version of a composition by the Miami-based Rouse brothers that became one of the most popular fiddle tunes ever: the "Orange Blossom Special." The music continues to evolve through innovative artists such as Mark Johnson, who combines the old-time clawhammer with bluegrass banjo techniques to play a style he calls "clawgrass." Today, old-time and bluegrass remain vibrant as Floridians enjoy dozens of dances, pickin' sessions, and festivals held every weekend from Key West to Pensacola. This compilation was made in cooperation with the Florida Folklife Program and Robert L. Stone.