“What is mountain music?”
Old-time traditional mountain music, the source spring of bluegrass, is uniquely American. Late 19th century isolation in Appalachia provided an opportunity for vigorous Anglo-American pioneer music to fuse with the syncopated rhythms found in Afro-American gospel music. This integration of intensity and ease results in a musical swing, where tension and relaxation alternate rhythmically. It is this synthesis of black, white, sacred and secular music that gives it universal appeal. It is the simplicity of its basic structure that makes it doable by anyone with a yearning to sing and play.
Not long ago, common folks played such 'people music' by ear, spontaneously picking it up from the community around them. Alas, the upheaval of modern times has broken this tradition. Our purpose here is to help restore this, the simplest of all approaches to music.
“What are the songs like?”
The old-time musical tradition presented here generally dates from the 1600's through the 1800's. Its songs are largely anonymous expressions of the human condition. You undoubtably know some of these traditional tunes. Here are a few titles that may ring a bell…
- Down in the Valley
- East Virginia Blues
- John Henry
- On Top of Old Smokey
- She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain
- Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
- Tom Dooley
- Will the Circle Be Unbroken
- Worried Man Blues
It's the blend of melody and harmony singing, instrumental 'picking', and a driving rhythm that captivates all those who play this music.