The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashioned by African-Americans in the United States, adapted from African instruments of similar design. The banjo is frequently associated with folk and country music, and has also been used in some rock songs. Several rock bands, such as the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, and The Allman Brothers, have used the five-string banjo in some of their songs. Historically, the banjo occupied a central place in African-American traditional music and the folk culture of rural whites before entering the mainstream via the minstrel shows of the 19th century. Along with the fiddle, the banjo is a mainstay of American styles of music, such as Bluegrass and old-time music. It is also very frequently used in traditional ("trad") jazz.
William Smith Monroe was an American mandolinist, singer, and songwriter, who created the bluegrass music genre. Because of this, he is often called the "Father of Bluegrass".
Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the United States Appalachian region. The genre derives its name from the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. Unlike mainstream country music, bluegrass is traditionally played on acoustic stringed instruments. Bluegrass has roots in traditional English, Scottish and Irish ballads and dance tunes, and in traditional African-American blues and jazz. Bluegrass was further developed by musicians who played with Monroe, including 5-string banjo player Earl Scruggs and guitarist Lester Flatt. Monroe characterized the genre as: "Scottish bagpipes and ole-time fiddlin'. It's Methodist and Holiness and Baptist. It's blues and jazz, and it has a high lonesome sound."
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, clogging, and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combination of fiddle and plucked string instruments, most often the banjo, guitar, and mandolin.
Bruce Randall Hornsby is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. He draws from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motown, gospel, rock, blues, and jam band musical traditions.
David Grisman is an American mandolinist. His music combines bluegrass, folk, and jazz in a genre he calls "Dawg music". He founded the record label Acoustic Disc, which issues his recordings and those of other acoustic musicians.
Mark O'Connor is an American violinist and composer whose music combines bluegrass, country, jazz and classical.
Old & In the Way was a bluegrass group formed in 1973. It was composed of Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements (fiddle), Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, and John Kahn. When the group was forming, it was intended that John Hartford would be the fiddle player. Based on Hartford's engagements, and Clements' reputational stature in the bluegrass community, Clements became the group's fiddler.
Appalachian music is the music of the region of Appalachia in the Eastern United States. It is derived from various European and African influences, including English ballads, Irish and Scottish traditional music, hymns, and African-American blues. First recorded in the 1920s, Appalachian musicians were a key influence on the early development of Old-time music, country music, and bluegrass, and were an important part of the American folk music revival of the 1960s. Instruments typically used to perform Appalachian music include the banjo, American fiddle, fretted dulcimer, and guitar.
Czech Bluegrass is Czech interpretations of bluegrass music that emerged during the middle of the twentieth century in the southeastern United States.
Jim & Jesse were an American bluegrass music duo composed of brothers Jim McReynolds and Jesse McReynolds. The two were born and raised in Carfax, a community near Coeburn, Virginia. Their grandfather, Charles McReynolds, had led the band "The Bull Mountain Moonshiners" who recorded at the famous Bristol Sessions in 1927.
Almost Acoustic is a live album by the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band. Held in high esteem by fans for superb sound quality and fine musical selection, it contains songs that were recorded from late November to early December 1987 at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco and the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. It was released on December 6, 1988.
Not for Kids Only is an album of children's songs released by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. Most of the songs come from the Southeast region of the United States. It was released by Acoustic Disc.
Jerry Garcia / David Grisman is an album of folk music by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. It was the second album released under Grisman's record label Acoustic Disc.
Simple Gifts is a folk trio from Central Pennsylvania founded in 1989. Since 1995, it has consisted of Linda Littleton, Karen Hirshon, and Rachel Hall. The band plays primarily traditional instrumental tunes from Appalachia; Israel and other Middle Eastern countries; and many European countries, including Ireland, Scotland, Romania, Finland, and Sweden.
Dawgwood is a 1993 all-instrumental album by American musician David Grisman, recorded with his group David Grisman Quintet. It is the second album recorded under Grisman's own label, Acoustic Disc. Grisman's self-named "Dawg" music was well established when this album was recorded — it is influenced by traditional bluegrass, jazz, gypsy music, Latin and more. Most of the songs are composed by Grisman, the two covers being Django Reinhardt's "Bolero de Django" — a gypsy song which Matt Eakle's flute gives a more modern flavour and "Asanhado" by Jacob do Bandolim. The last piece on the album, "New Dawg´s Rag" is a song previously released on album The David Grisman Quintet, but with "updated" arrangement.
DGQ-20 is a 1996 compilation album by American musician David Grisman, recorded with his group David Grisman Quintet. Spanning the period from 1976 to 1996, this triple-CD set offers 39 songs, 18 of which were not released by Grisman before. Musicians include Tony Rice, Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, Mark O'Connor, Stephane Grappelli and others.
Bluegrass mandolin is a style of mandolin playing most commonly heard in bluegrass bands.
David Michael Richey, known professionally as Slim Richey, was an American jazz guitarist, fiddle player, bandleader, and publisher.
Tony Williamson is an American internationally renowned mandolin player from Chatham County, North Carolina, whose compositions integrate everything from traditional Piedmont string band tunes to classical music and jazz.
