Saturday, August 15, 2009

Progressive bluegrass' founding fathers





Back in the early 70s, and even the late 60s for that matter, The Country Gentlemen were the very cutting edge of the bluegrass world. They clipped a few of the rough edges off of bluegrass and combined it with a sort of 60s folk-style of singing. Here they are in the early 70s performing the song they were best known for, Fox on the Run. Every bluegrass band from about 1972 until way into the 80s had to play Fox on the Run, and they had to do it as close to the Gentlemen's version as possible. 

This clip is introduced by the great Mike Seeger, a true legend in the old-time music world. His band The New Lost City Ramblers did for old-time music what the Gentlemen did for bluegrass, helping to introduce it to thousands of new listeners beginning in the 60s. Mike died last week. Here's to him and to all the visionaries who have kept the music alive.


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