Country Quizzin’: Bluegrass
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009
Well done, everybody! Top 5 scores:
9/9 – Sam G., Paul Dennis
8.5/9 – pselby
8/9 – Russ, BLL
7.5/9 – Jordan Stacey
7/9 – Michael
And Top 5 cumulative scores so far…
17 – Sam G.
16.5 – pselby
15 – Paul Dennis
14.5 – Jordan Stacey, Mike K.
14 – Russ
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.
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