And there’s still a lot of room for change. Study up for rockabilly week!
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This month’s investigations into various sub-genres and musical relatives of country music continues today with a quiz on important matters in bluegrass.
The usual fare:
1. No cheating.
2. You have until 10 pm EST to answer.
3. Everyone’s comments but yours will be invisible until 10:30, at which time the comments, answers and quiz results will be revealed.
4. If you do not know an answer, you may earn partial credit for whatever you do know or for amusing me with a funny non-answer (and I find almost anything funny, so sky’s the limit).
I hope you’ve studied up!
Now:
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For each prompt, identify the artist in question and any other information requested.
1. Let’s get the big one out of the way. This artist is widely regarded as the father of bluegrass – he’s so important, in fact, that the genre was named after his band, the Blue Grass Boys. Who is he, and what instrument did he mainly play in that band?
Bill Monroe, mandolin
2. Speaking of the Blue Grass Boys, this artist got his start playing rhythm guitar in the group. He’s still going strong today, having just contributed to a well-accepted compilation work addressing wealth, poverty and greed.
Del McCoury (compilation is Moneyland, check it out)
3. When Sam Bush and company first formed this group, they were criticized for their apparent lack 70of reverence for tradition. However, the group would go on to become the premiere outfit in progressive bluegrass and even score a few chart entries, the highest of which later went onto become an even bigger hit as a cover.
New Grass Revival (song is “Callin’ Baton Rouge”)
4. In recent years, these two female mainstream country stars have won massive critical acclaim and tasteful fan love by re-exploring their upbringings in old-time Appalachian music.
I accepted any combination of Dolly Parton, Kathy Mattea and Patty Loveless
5. The legendary artist, who also got his start in the Blue Grass Boys, is the one most commonly associated with the signature three-finger rolling style of banjo in bluegrass, although he would be the fist to admit the inspiration came from others even further before him.
Earl Scruggs
6. This artist got his start as a member of the Clinch Mountain Boys, conceived and played all the mandolin arrangements on Emmylou Harris’ essential Roses in the Snow, and is credited with kick-starting the neo-tradtionalist movement of the 80′s with #1 country hits like “Cryin’ My Heart Out Over You” and “I Don’t Care” before returning to bluegrass alongside his/her awesomely-named band.
Ricky Skaggs
7. This one’s a definite toughie. This solo artist was of the first generation of major bluegrass players, and he composed everyone’s favorite song to cover: “Orange Blossom Special.”
I accepted either alleged author: Chubby Wise or Erwin Rouse
8. This piovtal 70′s album paired a huge ensemble of bluegrass and traditional country legends with a young, hippie-ish country rock outfit, bringing the magic of roots music to a whole new generation. I’ve mentioned it in a quiz before.
Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (I gave full credit if you mentioned either)
9. The O Brother,Where Art Thou sountrack constitutes one of the biggest commercial victories in history for bluegrass / old-time folk music, as it singlehandedly spurred an interest in such music among people who may have never heard it otherwise. Name 5 artists who contributed to this hugely important compilation.
Any combination of Dan Tyminski, Ralph Stanley, The Peasalls, Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, John Hartford, Norman Blake, The Cox Family, The Whites, etc.
Well, I have to assume this one was way too hard. I wonder whether it would be alright for y’all to offer some honest feedback on Country Quizzin’ as a recurring feature, since we’re starting a new month next week – should I keep it going? Take a month off? Come up with fresher quiz ideas? Don’t worry none about hurting my feelings!
Anyhoo, here are this week’s top 3 scores:
8/10 – pselby
7/10 – Jordan Stacey
3.5/10 – Scott
And please join me in congratulating this month’s winner:
The following article is by guest contributor and Country Universe commenter, Craig R.
My Start in Country Music
By Craig Ross
My memories only started collecting at age four. That year, 1969, my uncle was shot and seriously wounded in Vietnam. I had just started eating hamburgers for the first time. During the summer I saw Neil Armstrong walk on the moon on my parent’s bedroom black and white television set. And I knew the entire lyrics to only two songs, which I sang over and over again: “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” by B.J Thomas and “King of the Road” by the great Roger Miller. But growing up in a Baltimore suburb in a middle class, college educated black American home placed me in a rare position. My cousins listened to Motown, R&B, and some pop. The adults listened mainly to jazz. My parents were open to all types of music, and the one I fell in love with was country music.
In 1969 they still called it country-western music. And at that point in time it seemed to be everywhere. On the radio they played Roger Miller, Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, and Eddy Arnold on pop stations. On television country music was coming into its own. In 1969 alone we watched Hee-Haw, The Porter Waggoner Show, The Johnny Cash Show and The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. The first time I ever saw the great Louis Armstrong was on Cash’s show.
And of course, every sitcom seemed to be about the country living in 1969: Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, The Beverly Hillbillies and Mayberry RFD. It may have been the perfect time to fall for country music. At four I liked the finger snapping of “King of the Road”, the cowboy hats, and the pretty lady singers in their wigs and gowns on television. I wasn’t dreaming of being a bull rider, a farmer or honky- tonk singer. But music defines you in some way. And at forty-four I realize now that I was being converted to a sound that would anchor the rest of my life. Country spoke to me in way no other music of my youth did. The very nature of the raw storytelling was addictive. Truth undiluted, unfiltered, uncalculated – can be a drug like no other.
With their eponymous debut, The Steeldrivers have delivered a stirring symphony of haunting rhythms and clever stories that are classified as bluegrass. But the five-piece band, a collection of veteran musicians based in Nashville, isn’t constricted by that genre’s time-tested strategies. In the spirit of bluegrass legend, Bill Monroe, their work transcends labels, borrowing liberally from Americana, blues and country in an mix that alters the direction of contemporary bluegrass.
The band’s central figure is Chris Stapleton, one of Music Row’s finest songwriters and a gripping vocal talent. He’s an imposing figure on record with a bluesy howl that uncovers the brilliance in every murder ballad and forlorn love song that it meets. Joined with these stringband stylings, his voice is free to roam. The Steeldrivers is filled with pessimism, drenched in the rich, resonant harmonies of Stapleton and his bandmates.
Dolly Parton Week kicks off today with the first of two Favorite Songs by Favorite Artists entries. Mine will follow later in the week, along with Classic Country Singles, Retro Album Reviews, Six Packs, and an Ultimate Buyer’s Guide, all focusing on the legendary Hall of Famer. – Kevin
There really isn’t anything that Dolly Parton can’t do. She has a voice like an angel, but is also capable of showboating with the best of them. She plays several instruments, has written more than her share of classic songs, is an actor, owns a popular amusement park and, most importantly, is involved in many philanthropic efforts.
Starting with traditional annual viewings of A Smokey Mountain Christmas on the Disney Channel, Dolly Parton is one of those people that I loved before I even knew what music genres were, let alone country music in particular. So, while I was nervous about whittling down my favorite Dolly songs to a mere 25, I couldn’t resist the chance to participate in Dolly Parton week at Country Universe.
While this is a list of my favorite Dolly songs, I fully realize that I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of her deep catalog with the songs that I’ve chosen.
#25
“Joshua” Joshua, 1971
This is a strange little story, but Dolly proves that she’s a great storyteller. There’s talking, singing and even a little yodeling. What more can you ask for in a song?
#24
“Jolene” Jolene, 1974
While it’s true that whenever I think of this song, I am reminded of The White Stripes’ intensely insane version that makes Parton’s version sound considerably tame, “Jolene” is still one of my favorite Dolly songs. She sings with her own quiet intensity that makes us appropriately feel for the jilted woman.
#23
“Shinola” Backwoods Barbie, 2008
I just think this song is fun. She’s calling this guy out on all of his crap and I suspect that nobody can give a dressing down quite as effectively as Dolly can.
#22
“More Where That Came From” Slow Dancing With The Moon, 1993
I was actually aware of this song before and liked it despite it being featured on recent Target commercials. She’s trying to convince her experienced man that she’s the one with whom he should settle down. After she gives him a list of things she can do to keep him happy, one can only imagine what she means by “There’s more where that came from.”
#21
“Cry, Cry, Darlin’” Sing The Songs Of Bill Monroe, 2002
For the record, this tribute album to Bill Monroe, spearheaded by Ricky Skaggs, is no doubt worth purchasing. Dolly’s contribution is one of the clear highlights on an all around stellar record.
Well done, everybody! Top 5 scores:
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