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76-494: The GrooveGrass Boyz were an American musical group that played a mix of bluegrass , funk , and freestyle music . The group was founded as a side project by record producer and session musician Scott Rouse in 1987, after he began experimenting with dance mixes of bluegrass and country songs, eventually applying the term groovegrass to his mix of music. He then moved to Nashville, Tennessee , and joined several other country musicians and funk bass guitarist Bootsy Collins , releasing

152-414: A backup band or rhythm section could be instructed by a bandleader to play the chord progression in any key. For example, if the bandleader asked the band to play this chord progression in the key of B ♭ major, the chords would be B ♭ -B ♭ -B ♭ -B ♭ , E ♭ -E ♭ -B ♭ -B ♭ , F-E ♭ -B ♭ -B ♭ . The complexity of

228-514: A major chord is built on this "E ♭ " note. In rock and blues, musicians also often refer to chord progressions using Roman numerals , as this facilitates transposing a song to a new key. For example, rock and blues musicians often think of the 12-bar blues as consisting of I, IV, and V chords. Thus, a simple version of the 12-bar blues might be expressed as I–I–I–I, IV–IV–I–I, V–IV–I–I. By thinking of this blues progression in Roman numerals,

304-564: A musical composition , a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes , used as a plural ) is a succession of chords . Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the common practice era of Classical music to the 21st century. Chord progressions are the foundation of popular music styles (e.g., pop music , rock music ), traditional music , as well as genres such as blues and jazz . In these genres, chord progressions are

380-408: A resolution back to the original key later on, so that the entire sequence of chords helps create an extended musical form and a sense of movement. Although there are many possible progressions, in practice, progressions are often limited to a few bars' lengths and certain progressions are favored above others. There is also a certain amount of fashion in which a chord progression is defined (e.g.,

456-407: A chord progression varies from genre to genre and over different historical periods. Some pop and rock songs from the 1980s to the 2010s have fairly simple chord progressions. Funk emphasizes the groove and rhythm as the key element, so entire funk songs may be based on one chord. Some jazz-funk songs are based on a two-, three-, or four-chord vamp . Some punk and hardcore punk songs use only

532-668: A country version of Los del Río 's " Macarena " and two albums. The country cover of "Macarena" charted on both the Hot Country Songs charts and the Bubbling Under Hot 100 , and was the group's only chart entry. Rouse, a session musician from Boston, Massachusetts , first came up with the idea of GrooveGrass in the mid-1980s when he began experimenting with dance mixes of bluegrass songs such as Alton Delmore 's "Deep River Blues". His mixes became popular at local clubs, eventually leading to one disc jockey terming

608-457: A descending minor chord progression is the four-chord Andalusian cadence , i–VII–VI–V. Folk and blues tunes frequently use the Mixolydian scale, which has a flat seventh degree, altering the position of the three major chords to I– VII–IV. For example, if the major scale of C, which gives the three chords C, F and G on the first, fourth and fifth degrees, is played with G as the tonic, then

684-553: A distinct musical form developed from elements of old-time music and traditional music in the Appalachian region of the United States . The Appalachian region was where many Scottish American immigrants settled, bringing with them the musical traditions of their homelands. Hence the sounds of jigs and reels , especially as played on the fiddle, were innate to the developing style. Black musicians, meanwhile, brought

760-425: A few chords. On the other hand, bebop jazz songs may have 32-bar song forms with one or two chord changes every bar. A chord may be built upon any note of a musical scale . Therefore, a seven-note diatonic scale allows seven basic diatonic triads , each degree of the scale becoming the root of its own chord. A chord built upon the note E is an E chord of some type (major, minor, diminished, etc.) Chords in

836-647: A fiddle. Many older bluegrass songs come directly from the British Isles . Several Appalachian bluegrass ballads, such as " Pretty Saro ", " Pretty Polly ", " Cuckoo Bird ", and " House Carpenter ", come from England and preserve the English ballad tradition both melodically and lyrically. Some bluegrass fiddle songs popular in Appalachia, such as "Leather Britches" and "Soldier's Joy", have Scottish roots. The dance tune " Cumberland Gap " may be derived from

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912-413: A genre within the post-war country/western-music industry, a period of time characterized now as the golden era or wellspring of "traditional bluegrass". From its earliest days, bluegrass has been recorded and performed by professional and amateur musicians alike. Although amateur bluegrass musicians and trends such as "parking-lot picking" are too important to be ignored, it is touring musicians who have set

988-472: A progression may also have more than three notes, such as in the case of a seventh chord (V is particularly common, as it resolves to I) or an extended chord . The harmonic function of any particular chord depends on the context of the particular chord progression in which it is found. The diatonic harmonization of any major scale results in three major triads , which are based on the first, fourth, and fifth scale degrees . The triads are referred to as

1064-461: A simple binary or ternary form such as that of the popular 32-bar form (see musical form ). The 12-bar blues and its many variants use an elongated, three-line form of the I–IV–V progression that has also generated countless hit records, including the most significant output of rock and rollers such as Chuck Berry and Little Richard . In its most elementary form (and there are many variants),

1140-485: A solo on top of the guitar during breaks , guitarists may also provide these solos on occasion. The instrument originates from eighteenth century Spain, but there were no American-made models until the C.F. Martin Company started to manufacture them in the 1830s. The guitar is now most commonly played with a style referred to as flatpicking , unlike the style of early bluegrass guitarists such as Lester Flatt , who used

1216-412: A thumb pick and finger pick . Bassists almost always play pizzicato , occasionally adopting the "slap-style" to accentuate the beat. A bluegrass bass line is generally a rhythmic alternation between the root and fifth of each chord , with occasional walking bass excursions. Instrumentation has been a continuing topic of debate. Traditional bluegrass performers believe the "correct" instrumentation

1292-466: A worldwide audience as a result of its frequent use in the movie "Bonnie and Clyde". But the functionally similar old-time music genre was long-established and widely recorded in the period of the film's events and later CD was released. Ralph Stanley commented about the origins of the genre and its name. Oh, (Monroe) was the first. But it wasn't called bluegrass back then. It was just called old-time mountain hillbilly music. When they started doing

1368-662: Is a common name given in America for the grass of the Poa genus, the most famous being Kentucky bluegrass . A large region in central Kentucky is sometimes called the Bluegrass region (although this region is west of the hills of Kentucky). Exactly when the word "bluegrass" was adopted is not certain, but is believed to be in the late 1950s. It was derived from the name of the seminal Blue Grass Boys band, formed in 1939 with Bill Monroe as its leader. Due to this lineage, Bill Monroe

1444-706: Is frequently referred to as the "father of bluegrass". The bluegrass style of music dates from the mid-1940s. In 1948, the Stanley Brothers recorded the traditional song " Molly and Tenbrooks " in the Blue Grass Boys' style, arguably the point in time that bluegrass emerged as a distinct musical form. Monroe's 1946 to 1948 band, which featured guitarist Lester Flatt , banjoist Earl Scruggs , fiddler Chubby Wise and bassist Howard Watts (also known as "Cedric Rainwater") – sometimes called "the original bluegrass band" – created

1520-451: Is in contrast to old-time music , where all instrumentalists play the melody together, or one instrument carries the lead throughout while the others provide accompaniment. Breakdowns are often characterized by rapid tempos and unusual instrumental dexterity, and sometimes by complex chord changes . The violin (also known as the fiddle ), five-string banjo , guitar , mandolin , and upright bass ( string bass ) are often joined by

1596-467: Is that used by Bill Monroe's band, the Blue Grass Boys (guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, and bass). Departures from the traditional instrumentation have included dobro, accordion , harmonica , piano , autoharp , drums , electric guitar , and electric versions of other common bluegrass instruments, resulting in what has been referred to as "new grass." Despite this debate, even Monroe himself

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1672-416: Is the sequence i–III–IV (or iv)–VI. According to Tom Sutcliffe: ... during 1960s some pop groups started to experiment with modal chord progressions as an alternative way of harmonizing blues melodies. ... This created a new system of harmony that has influenced subsequent popular music. This came about partly from the similarity of the blues scale to modal scales and partly from the characteristics of

1748-417: The 12-bar blues progression) and may even help in defining an entire genre . In western classical notation, chords are numbered with Roman numerals. Other types of chord notation have been devised, from figured bass to the chord chart . These usually allow or even require a certain amount of improvisation . Diatonic scales such as the major and minor scales lend themselves particularly well to

1824-933: The Telluride Bluegrass Festival , RockyGrass in Lyons, Colorado, and MerleFest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina began to attract acts from outside the bluegrass tradition, merging the bluegrass community with other popular music scenes across America. Following the death of Jerry Garcia , who began his career playing bluegrass, and the dissolution of the Grateful Dead , the blossoming " jam band " scene that followed in their wake embraced and included many groups that performed progressive bluegrass styles that included extended, exploratory musical improvisation , often called "jamgrass." This style began to define many such acts whose popularity has grown into

1900-408: The ii chord , is also used cadentially in a common chord progression of jazz harmony , the so-called ii–V–I turnaround . Three-chord progressions provide the harmonic foundation of much African and American popular music, and they occur sectionally in many pieces of classical music (such as the opening bars of Beethoven 's Pastoral Symphony ). Where such a simple sequence does not represent

1976-426: The key of G , and a I-IV-V chord pattern is common. In traditional bluegrass, instrumental breaks are typically short and played between sections of a song, conventionally originating as a variation on the song's melody. Also common are breakdowns, an instrumental form that features a series of breaks, each played by a different instrument. Particularly since the 1990s, a number of younger groups have attempted to revive

2052-418: The ragtime progression and the stomp progression . All such progressions may be found used sectionally, as for example in the much-used " rhythm changes " of George Gershwin 's " I Got Rhythm ". As well as the cyclical underpinning of chords, the ear tends to respond well to a linear thread; chords following the scale upwards or downwards. These are often referred to as step progressions because they follow

2128-541: The resonator guitar (also referred to as a Dobro ) and (occasionally) harmonica or Jew's harp . This instrumentation originated in rural dance bands and is the basis on which the earliest bluegrass bands were formed. The fiddle, made by Italians and first used in sixteenth century Europe, was one of the first instruments to be brought into America. It became popular due to its small size and versatility. Fiddles are also used in country , classical , cajun , and old time music. Banjos were brought to America through

2204-401: The supertonic chord (ii), mediant chord (iii), and submediant chord (vi), respectively. These chords stand in the same relationship to one another (in the relative minor key ) as do the three major chords, so that they may be viewed as the first (i), fourth (iv) and fifth (v) degrees of the relative minor key. For example, the relative minor of C major is A minor, and in the key of A minor,

2280-506: The tonic chord (in Roman numeral analysis , symbolized by "I"), the subdominant chord (IV), and the dominant chord , (V), respectively. These three triads include, and therefore can harmonize , every note of that scale. Many simple traditional music , folk music and rock and roll songs use only these three chord types (e.g. The Troggs ' " Wild Thing ", which uses I, IV and V chords). The same major scale also has three minor chords ,

2356-484: The 1930s and mid-1940s. However, the term "bluegrass" did not appear formally to describe the music until the late 1950s and did not appear in Music Index until 1965. The first entry in Music Index mentioning "bluegrass music" directed the reader to "see Country Music; Hillbilly Music". Music Index maintained this listing for bluegrass music until 1986. The first time bluegrass music had its own entries in Music Index

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2432-748: The 21st century, such as Leftover Salmon , The String Cheese Incident , Yonder Mountain String Band , The Infamous Stringdusters , Railroad Earth , Greensky Bluegrass and Billy Strings . In recent years, groups like the Punch Brothers , the Jon Stickley Trio and Nickel Creek have developed a new form of progressive bluegrass which includes highly arranged pieces resembling contemporary classical music played on bluegrass instruments. These bands feature complicated rhythms, chord schemes, and harmonics combined with improvised solos. At

2508-544: The African slave trade. They began receiving attention from white Americans when minstrel shows incorporated the banjo as part of their acts. The " clawhammer ", or two finger style playing, was popular before the Civil War. Now, however, banjo players use mainly the three-finger picking style made popular by banjoists such as Earl Scruggs . Guitars are used primarily for rhythmic purposes. Other instruments may provide

2584-473: The GrooveGrass Boyz. They saw their most successful release in late 1996, when they put out a country version of the " Macarena ", a song made popular earlier that year by Spanish duo Los del Río . The GrooveGrass Boyz' version, released on Imprint Records , peaked at No. 70 on the Hot Country Songs charts and No. 7 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 . The single sold over 100,000 copies. It

2660-410: The I–IV–V progression is by adding the chord of the sixth scale degree, giving the sequence I–vi–IV–V or I–vi–ii–V , sometimes called the 50s progression or doo-wop progression. This progression had been in use from the earliest days of classical music and then generated popular hits such as Rodgers and Hart 's " Blue Moon " (1934) and Hoagy Carmichael 's " Heart and Soul " (1938). Taken up into

2736-523: The baritone part sung in the normal range of that voice; E.P. Tullock [aka Cousin Jake] normally providing the part, though at times it was handled by Curly Seckler). Bluegrass tunes often take the form of narratives on the everyday lives of the people whence the music came. Aside from laments about loves lost, interpersonal tensions and unwanted changes to the region (e.g., the visible effects of mountaintop coal mining ), bluegrass vocals frequently reference

2812-417: The blend of music "groovegrass". Rouse then moved to Nashville, Tennessee , at the request of his friend, musician Doc Watson . Rouse's first country remix was for Warner Bros. It was a remix of John Anderson 's 1983 Number One single " Swingin' ." At Anderson's request, Warner never released the cut, although it became a popular bootleg recording . It was followed by an EP remix of " Rocky Top ", which

2888-412: The bluegrass festivals in 1965, everybody got together and wanted to know what to call the show, y'know. It was decided that since Bill was the oldest man, and was from the bluegrass state of Kentucky and he had the Blue Grass Boys, it would be called 'bluegrass.' Traditional bluegrass emphasizes the traditional elements and form of the genre as laid out by Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys band in

2964-587: The borders of the United States and become an internationally appreciated art form. Bluegrass associations now exist worldwide. One such association, the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) was formed in 1985 and presents annual awards. In 2012, the critically acclaimed Dutch -language Belgian film, The Broken Circle Breakdown , featured Flemish musicians performing Bluegrass music central to

3040-465: The chord progression is Blues progressions have also been subjected to densely chromatic elaboration, as in the Bird blues . Steedman (1984) proposed that a set of recursive rewrite rules generate all well-formed transformations of jazz, both basic blues chord changes and slightly modified sequences (such as the " rhythm changes "). Important transformations include: Another common way of extending

3116-426: The construction of common chords because they contain many perfect fifths . Such scales predominate in those regions where harmony is an essential part of music, as, for example, in the common practice period of western classical music. In considering Arab and Indian music, where diatonic scales are used, there are also available a number of non-diatonic scales, the music has no chord changes, remaining always upon

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3192-555: The defining feature on which melody and rhythm are built. In tonal music, chord progressions have the function of either establishing or otherwise contradicting a tonality , the technical name for what is commonly understood as the " key " of a song or piece. Chord progressions, such as the extremely common chord progression I-V-vi-IV, are usually expressed by Roman numerals in Classical music theory. In many styles of popular and traditional music, chord progressions are expressed using

3268-460: The definitive sound and instrumental configuration that remains a model to this day. By some arguments, while the Blue Grass Boys were the only band playing this music, it was just their unique sound; it could not be considered a musical style until other bands began performing in a similar fashion. In 1967, the banjo instrumental " Foggy Mountain Breakdown " by Flatt and Scruggs was introduced to

3344-403: The diatonic scale. Perhaps the most basic chromatic alteration in simple folk songs is the raised fourth degree ( ♯ [REDACTED] ) that results when the third of the ii chord is raised one semitone . Such a chord typically functions as the secondary dominant of the V chord (V/V). In some instances, chromatic notes are introduced to modulate to a new key. This in turn may lead to

3420-549: The direction of the style. Radio stations dedicated to bluegrass have also proved influential in advancing the evolution of the style into distinctive subgenres. Bluegrass was initially included in the category of folk music and later changed to hillbilly . In 1948, bluegrass was placed under the country and western heading for radio airplay charting. All four of the seminal bluegrass authors - Artis, Price, Cantwell, and Rosenberg - described bluegrass music in detail as originating in style and form, in one form or another, between

3496-403: The entire harmonic structure of a piece, it may readily be extended for greater variety. Frequently, an opening phrase has the progression I–IV–V–V, which ends on an unresolved dominant , may be " answered " by a similar phrase that resolves back onto the tonic chord , giving a structure of double the length: Additionally, such a passage may be alternated with a different progression to give

3572-659: The exposure traditional bluegrass received alongside mainstream country music on radio and televised programs such as the Grand Ole Opry , a wave of young and not exclusively Southern musicians began replicating the genre's format on college campuses and in coffeehouses amidst the American folk music revival of the early 1960s. These artists often incorporated songs, elements and instruments from other popular genres, particularly rock and roll. Banjoist Earl Scruggs of Flatt and Scruggs had shown progressive tendencies since

3648-534: The four chords are the same. Often the chords may be selected to fit a pre-conceived melody , but just as often it is the progression itself that gives rise to the melody. Similar progressions abound in African popular music . They may be varied by the addition of sevenths (or other scale degrees ) to any chord or by substitution of the relative minor of the IV chord to give, for example, I–ii–V. This sequence, using

3724-401: The group's breakup in 1969. New Grass Revival began utilizing electric instrumentation alongside songs imported from other genres to great popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, and the term "newgrass" became synonymous with "progressive bluegrass". It continued to evolve though the '80s and '90s, moving closer to folk and rock in some quarters and closer to jazz in others, while festivals such as

3800-432: The group's earliest days, incorporating jazz-inspired banjo and bass duets and complex chord progressions that extended the genre's original rigid, conservative structure. In the late 1960s, Scruggs experimented on duets with saxophonist King Curtis and added songs by the likes of counterculture icon Bob Dylan to the group's repertoire, while bandmate Lester Flatt , a traditionalist , opposed these changes, resulting in

3876-522: The hardscrabble existence of living in Appalachia and other rural areas with modest financial resources. Some protest music has been composed in the bluegrass style, especially concerning the vicissitudes of the Appalachian coal mining industry . Railroading has also been a popular theme, with ballads such as " Wreck of the Old 97 " and "Nine Pound Hammer" (from the legend of John Henry ). Bluegrass as

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3952-519: The harmonization of the seventh degree , and so of the bass line I–VII–VI.... The finale measures of the first movement of Ravel 's Piano Concerto in G feature the harmonization of a descending hybrid scale ( phrygo-major ). In this special case, Ravel used a parallel series of major triads (G F ♯ E D C B ♭ A ♭ G). Similar strategies to all the above, work equally well in minor modes : there have been one-, two-, and three-minor-chord songs, minor blues . A notable example of

4028-480: The high baritone above Ralph Stanley's tenor, both parts above Carter's lead vocal. This trio vocal arrangement was variously used by other groups as well; even Bill Monroe employed it in his 1950 recording of "When the Golden Leaves Begin to Fall'. In the 1960s, Flatt and Scruggs often added a fifth part to the traditional quartet parts on gospel songs, the extra part being a high baritone (doubling

4104-416: The i, iv and v chords are A minor, D minor and E minor. In practice, in a minor key, the third of the dominant chord is often raised by one semitone to form a major chord (or a dominant seventh chord if the seventh is added). In addition, the seventh degree of the major scale (i.e. the leading tone ) forms a diminished chord (vii ). A chord may also have chromatic notes, that is, notes outside of

4180-563: The iconic banjo to Appalachia. Much later, in 1945, Earl Scruggs would develop a three-finger roll on the instrument which allowed a rapid-fire cascade of notes that could keep up with the driving tempo of the new bluegrass sound. Settlers from Britain and Ireland arrived in Appalachia during the 18th century and brought with them the musical traditions of their homelands. These traditions consisted primarily of English and Scottish ballads —which were essentially unaccompanied narrative—and dance music, such as reels , which were accompanied by

4256-432: The key-chord, an attribute which has also been observed in hard rock , hip hop , funk , disco , jazz , etc. Alternation between two chords may be thought of as the most basic chord progression. Many well-known pieces are built harmonically upon the mere repetition of two chords of the same scale. For example, many of the more straightforward melodies in classical music consist entirely or mostly of alternation between

4332-475: The late 1940s. Traditional bluegrass musicians play folk songs, tunes with simple traditional chord progressions, exclusively on acoustic instruments , though it is common practice to amplify acoustic instruments during stage performances before larger audiences. In most traditional bluegrass bands, the guitar rarely takes the lead, instead acting as a rhythm instrument, one notable exception being gospel-based songs . Melodies and lyrics tend to be simple, often in

4408-411: The name and " quality " of the chords. For example, the previously mentioned chord progression, in the key of E ♭ major, would be written as E ♭ major–B ♭ major–C minor–A ♭ major in a fake book or lead sheet . In the first chord, E ♭ major, the "E ♭ " indicates that the chord is built on the root note "E ♭ " and the word "major" indicates that

4484-418: The ordering and layering of vocal harmony is called the "stack". A standard stack has a baritone voice at the bottom, the lead in the middle (singing the main melody) and a tenor at the top, although stacks can be altered, especially where a female voice is included. Alison Krauss and Union Station provide a good example of a different harmony stack with a baritone and tenor with a high lead, an octave above

4560-399: The pop mainstream, it continued to be used sectionally, as in the last part of The Beatles' " Happiness Is a Warm Gun ". Introducing the ii chord into these progressions emphasises their appeal as constituting elementary forms of circle progression . These, named for the circle of fifths , consist of "adjacent roots in ascending fourth or descending fifth relationship"—for instance,

4636-405: The previous bass note). Notes are anticipated, in contrast to laid-back blues where notes are behind the beat; this creates the higher energy characteristic of bluegrass. In bluegrass, as in most forms of jazz, one or more instrumentalists take a turn playing the melody and improvising around it, while the others perform accompaniment ; this is especially typified in tunes called breakdowns . This

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4712-404: The same chords will now appear on the first, fourth, and seventh degrees. A common chord progression with these chords is I- ♭ VII–IV-I, which also can be played as I-I- ♭ VII–IV or ♭ VII–IV-I-I. The minor-third step from a minor key up to the relative major encouraged ascending scale progressions, particularly based on an ascending pentatonic scale . Typical of the type

4788-518: The same time, several popular indie folk and folk rock bands such as the Avett Brothers , Mumford & Sons and Trampled by Turtles have incorporated rhythmic elements and instrumentation from the bluegrass tradition into their popular music arrangements, as has the Branson -based band The Petersens . While originating in the United States, Bluegrass as a genre has expanded beyond

4864-446: The sequence vi–ii–V–I ascends with each successive chord to one a fourth above the previous. Such a motion, based upon close harmonic relations, offers "undoubtedly the most common and the strongest of all harmonic progressions". Short cyclical progressions may be derived by selecting a sequence of chords from the series completing a circle from the tonic through all seven diatonic chords: I–IV–vii –iii–vi–ii–V–I This type of progression

4940-515: The sound and structure of traditional bluegrass, a trend that has been dubbed neo-traditional bluegrass. The group The Country Gentlemen is credited with starting the progressive bluegrass movement with their 1960 album Country Songs, Old and New , combining traditional ballads such as "The Little Sparrow," "Weeping Willow" and "Ellen Smith" with traditional bluegrass instrumentation and "bouncy" mandolin and banjo parts distinct from those of traditional players such as Monroe and Scruggs. Due to

5016-524: The standard melody line, sung by the female vocalist. However, by employing variants to the standard trio vocal arrangement, they were simply following a pattern existing since the early days of the genre. Both the Stanley Brothers and the Osborne Brothers employed the use of a high lead with the tenor and baritone below it. The Stanleys used this technique numerous times in their recordings for both Mercury and King records. This particular stack

5092-467: The steps of the scale, making the scale itself a bassline . In the 17th century, descending bass lines found favour for "divisions on the ground", so that Pachelbel's canon contains very similar harmonizations of the descending major scale. At its simplest, this descending sequence may simply introduce an extra chord, either III or V, into the I–vi–IV–V type of sequence described above. This chord allows

5168-640: The story. International bluegrass groups include Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra and Ila Auto from Norway ; Rautakoura and Steve 'n' Seagulls from Finland ; Druhá Tráva and Poutníci from the Czech Republic (home of the subgenre, Czech bluegrass ); Hutong Yellow Weasels and The Randy Abel Stable from China ; Heartbreak Hill and Foggy Hogtown Boys from Canada ; the U.K. 's The Beef Seeds , Southern Tenant Folk Union , and Police Dog Hogan ; and Australia 's Flying Emus , Mustered Courage , and Rank Strangers . Chord change In

5244-413: The tonic (I) and the dominant (V, sometimes with an added seventh ), as do popular songs such as " Achy Breaky Heart ". The Isley Brothers ' " Shout " uses I–vi throughout. Three-chord progressions are more common since a melody may then dwell on any note of the scale. They are often presented as successions of four chords (as shown below), in order to produce a binary harmonic rhythm , but then two of

5320-475: The tune that accompanies the Scottish ballad " Bonnie George Campbell ". The music now known as bluegrass was frequently used to accompany a rural dancing style known as buckdancing , flatfooting , or clogging . As the bluegrass sound spread to urban areas, listening to it for its own sake increased, especially after the advent of audio recording . In 1948, what would come to be known as bluegrass emerged as

5396-436: Was followed in 1997 by a self-released album, and in 1998 by another album on Reprise Records . These included Doc Watson , Mac Wiseman , Bernie Leadon , and other notable artists. Neither album produced any chart single. Bluegrass music Bluegrass features acoustic stringed instruments and emphasizes the off-beat . The off-beat can be "driven" (played close to the previous bass note) or "swung" (played farther from

5472-604: Was in 1987. The topical and narrative themes of many bluegrass songs are highly reminiscent of folk music. Many songs that are widely considered to be bluegrass are in reality older works legitimately classified as folk or old-time music that are performed in the bluegrass style. The interplay between bluegrass and folk forms has been academically studied. Folklorist Neil Rosenberg, for example, shows that most devoted bluegrass fans and musicians are familiar with traditional folk songs and old-time music and that these songs are often played at shows, festivals, and jams . "Bluegrass"

5548-407: Was known to experiment with instrumentation; he once even used a string orchestra, choir, and pre-recorded bird-song track. Apart from specific instrumentation, a distinguishing characteristic of bluegrass is vocal harmony featuring two, three, or four parts, often with a dissonant or modal sound in the highest voice (see modal frame ), a style described as the "high, lonesome sound." Commonly,

5624-682: Was most famously employed by the Osborne Brothers who first employed it during their time with MGM records in the latter half of the 1950s. This vocal arrangement would become the trademark of the Osbornes' sound with Bobby's high, clear voice at the top of the vocal stack. Additionally, the Stanley Brothers also utilized a high baritone part on several of their trios recorded for Columbia records during their time with that label (1949–1952). Mandolin player Pee Wee Lambert sang

5700-427: Was much used by classical composers, who introduced increasingly subtle inflections. Particularly, substitution of major for minor chords giving, for example, I–VI–II–V allowed a more sophisticated chromaticism as well as the possibility of modulation . These harmonic conventions were taken up by American popular entertainers, giving rise to many variations on those harmonic staples of early jazz that have been dubbed

5776-513: Was released and went on to sell more than 100,000 copies in the United States. Rouse also produced comedian Jeff Foxworthy 's trademark "You might be a redneck if…" single he named called the "Redneck Stomp", one of several similar musical tracks included on Foxworthy's Crank It Up: The Music Album . Soon afterward, Rouse recruited several other musicians, including members of Del McCoury 's band, funk bass guitarist Bootsy Collins , and bluegrass multi-instrumentalist Jerry Douglas , to perform as

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