What's your favorite Blugrass band?

[miles_archer]

The Flatt and Scruggs thread made me curious what is everybody's favorite Bluegrass band or artist? All time and or performing. For me I'd have to say all time would be Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass boys and currently performing would be one of his disciples, The Del McCoury band. Also a big fan of Ralph Stanley for both catagories.

 

[KY Gentleman]

You are speaking my language friend!
Bill Monroe has got to be #1 in my book. I absolutely love The Stanley Bros. and The Osborne Bros., too.
Currently I'm a huge Rhonda Vincent and the Rage fan as well.
I just caught a show of theirs in Lebannon, KY and they were really, really good.:eusa_clap

 

[Esme]

I used to love Tom T. Hall.
I really, really like Alison Krauss. She is THE sweetest person ever, too. I took my twins to see her and a friend of theirs, the girls were about 12. They idolized her and waited and waited after the concert to get an autograph. She came out after the worst of the crowds were gone and spoke personally with every single person, hugging everyone and saying something personal to each and every one. What a sweetheart and real lady! So tiny, too, you would never guess. I am small myself but taller than her, lol! She smelled so good, too.
Voice and disposition of an angel without being corny and she can play that fiddle!!!

 

[JohnnyGringo]

Mr. Monroe will always be my #1 favorite, yet I do enjoy Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder a great deal as well.

 

[carouselvic]

All of the above mentioned groups are great. I'll add The Byron Berline Band.

 

[carter]

Old & In the Way,

Vassar Clements (1928 - 2005) - fiddle, Jerry Garcia (1942-1995) - banjo & vocals, David Grisman (1945 - ) - mandolin & vocals, John Kahn (1947-1996) - acoustic bass, and Peter Rowan (1942 - ) - guitar & vocals, met in 1972-73 in San Francisco and active as a group from 1973-74.

All the material on their 1st three albums, Old and in the Way (1975), That High Lonesome Sound (1996), and Breakdown (1997), was recorded during live sets at the Boarding House in San Francisco on two nights in October 1973.

Their fourth album, Old and in the Gray (2002), was recorded by David Grisman - mandolin and vocals, Peter Rowan - guitar and vocals, Vassar Clements -fiddle, Herb Pedersen - banjo, guitar and vocals, and Bryn Bright - acoustic bass.

 

[Doctor Strange]

While never my primary interest (classical and jazz rank higher), I have always loved bluegrass for its improvisation, virtuosity, and reality - it is not a pretentious style of music. I've seen Alison Krauss a couple of times, David Grisman several times, and lots of folkies who include a strong bluegrass influence (e.g., David Bromberg, Doc Watson). I've got a smattering of albums by everybody from Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs to New Grass Revival, Tony Rice, and Mark O'Connor... and MANY by Krauss and Grisman.

Confession: I was a serious Deadhead for many years (though I stopped going to concerts even before Jerry Garcia died), and I'm one of those people for whom Old & In The Way acted as a gateway drug to bluegrass.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Carter, I see we're on the same page!

 

[Rick Blaine]

Doc (& Merle) Watson.

Roscoe Holcomb.

Dolly.

Stanley Brothers.

Ricky Skaggs.

Gid Tanner the Skillet Lickers.

Hazel Dickens.

slightly fftopic: ...if ya'll are not yet, please do not miss wdvx live streaming feed on their website. It has been voted best bluegrass station several times. Say what you will about Knox-patch, the radio here kicks!

 

[vitanola]

Carolina Tar-Heels
Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers
Floyd Mung and his Pep-Steppers (would that they had recorded more!)

For vocals, Shortbuckle Roark & Family

 

[carter]

Carter, I see we're on the same page!

I grew up with bluegrass, discovered the Grateful Dead in college, and rediscovered bluegrass via Old & In the Way.
I really like Alison Krauss & Union Station. Jerry Douglas is a great dobro player.
Tony Rice falls into the favorite category as well.
I've heard some of the Carolina Tar-Heels stuff and really liked what I heard.

 

[carouselvic]

You all should come to Kansas, the 3rd weekend in September, Winfield AKA the Walnut Valley Festival. It's the granddaddy of'em all.

 

[Dinerman]

Folk music is a great thing, especially live, and I've been fortunate enough to see a lot of it.

The 71st National Folk Festival is July 10-12 in Butte Montana. I should be working it again.
There's also the
Richmond Folk Festival, October 9th through 11th, 2009 which I worked for three years
The American Folk Festval is in Bangor, Maine, August 28-30, 2009.
and there's the Lowell Folk Festival, July 24-26, 2009.

 

[shortbow]

Back in the mid-70's I met Bill Monroe and got to play with Lester Flatt's backup band at the same festival. Favourite band - Mike Duffy and the Country Gentlemen.

 

[carter]

You all should come to Kansas, the 3rd weekend in September, Winfield AKA the Walnut Valley Festival. It's the granddaddy of'em all.

Vic, That sounds like fun. Kansas isn't too far away. Hmmm...maybe next September. Can you post a link?

I was at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in 1983 (before Telluride had an airport) and it was a good time. Their preliminary lineup for 2009 is shown here
http://www.bluegrass.com/telluride/lineup.html

Reminds me that I left Bela Fleck and the Flecktones off my short list.

Anyone up for bluegrass in Colorado come June?

 

[carouselvic]

http://www.wvfest.com/

The last time I saw Bela was at Winfield, 1989 with New Grass Revival.

 

[KY Gentleman]

Lets not forget Jimmy Martin.
Or John Hartford. Both guys were great.

 

[dhermann1]

I will never ever ever forget hearing Vassar Clements at the Mayville, NY Bluegrass Festival in 2004. He played and played and played.

 

[Caity Lynn]

I grew up on Bluegrass, every Sunday morning, but rarely knew the names of the band, one that comes to mind is the Country Gentleman they're great!

 

[Lillemor]

I can't name a favorite or favorites because many times I have to check artists and groups names with my dad because I recognize the music but not the artist. Of course I really like the ones already mentioned if we're strictly talking vintage bluegrass. Whenever my dad took me up to the Foothills bluegrass festival, CA? I heard lots of great groups both on stage and at jams. Many relatively unknown. One of them recently died and had a "going away party.