Any Progressive Bluegrass (Newgrass) fans

Progressive Bluegrass or 'Newgrass' (a term attributed to New Grass Revival member Ebo Walker), is one of two major subgenres of bluegrass music. Progressive bluegrass came to widespread attention in the late 1960s and 1970s, as some groups began using electric instruments and importing songs from other genres (particularly rock & roll), and important musicians from that period include John Hartford, New Grass Revival, J.D. Crowe and the New South, The Dillards, Boone Creek, Country Gazette, and the Seldom Scene. However, progressive bluegrass can be traced back to one of the earliest bluegrass bands. A brief listen to the banjo and bass duets Earl Scruggs played even in the earliest days of the Foggy Mountain Boys give a hint of wild chord progressions to come. The four key distinguishing elements (not always all present) of progressive bluegrass are instrumentation (frequently including electric instruments, drums, piano, and more), songs imported (or styles imitated) from other genres, non-traditional chord progressions, and lengthy "jam band"-style improvisation.

Currently performing progressive bluegrass bands and musicians include the Czech band Druhá Tráva, the Yonder Mountain String Band, Old Crow Medicine Show, Trampled By Turtles, bassist Missy Raines, and Alison Krauss and her band Union Station. Others who play progressive bluegrass include Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Nickel Creek, and occasionally The String Cheese Incident.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Best,

:)Steve

Steve Sikes-Nova
"the virginiaprograsser"
'Newgrass, Prog & More!' WWWeb Radio & Interviews
Tidewater, Virginia, USA

On The Web since 2002, 'Newgrass, Prog & More!' WWWeb Radio streams the best in cross-genre progressive music from around the world right to your computer! Almost 2,000 fans worldwide enjoy NP&M!'s innovative and unique mix of progressive bluegrass, progressive rock, acoustic, alternative, classic rock, psych folk, jazz, and blues. On top of all that, NP&M! has interviews with the legends that make the music happen. 2006 interviews included (PROG)Ian Anderson, Chris Squire, Carl Palmer, John Hawken, Doane Perry, Les Holroyd (Barclcay James Harfest featuring LH - 2007 interview; (NEWGRASS) Sam Bush, Dr. Pete Wernick, Dr. John Starling (Original Seldom Scene - 2007 interview), John Cowan, Darrell Scott, Jamie Hartford, railroad earth, Tommy Emmanuel,  and many, many others.

though this thread should be moved to non-prog.  Progresssive =/ Prog hahhaha

I would include master violinist (fiddler) Richard Greene's solo material and the group he played with in the late 60s and early 70s Seatrain.  I saw Seatrain at the Fillmore East around 1970 and was thrilled with his playing.  Since the late 90s he's gone back to playing more of a traditional bluegrass sound but he's still a master.  It's a shame he's not more known.

Hello all! I am really pleased to find a few 'prog grass' fans here (my full screen name is 'the virginiaprograsser' but it was cut off by the progarchives ID screen name limiter), For a site dedicated to progressive music, a little corner of it should be devoted to progressive bluegrass and its Americana spinoffs, right?

I totally agree about Seatrain, Richard Green and Peter Rowan.

Anybody hear one of Peter's next projects, Earth Opera?  There a many prog elements connected with that project.  I just replaced my vinyl with an Elektra Classics 2 CD set import  containing both the 1st self-titled CD and 'The Great American Eagle Tragedy'. I will be uploading tracks from both to 'Newgrass, Prog & More!' this coming weekend.

Some of you may be interested in listening to the 50 minute-long phone interview that I recently did with Peter Rowan (early March '07). We touch upon his entire career including Seatrain, Earth Opera, The Rowans, Bill Monroe, and his new CD with acoustic guitar legend Tony Rice.

You can check the date/time of that interview's next webcast by going to my schedule page at:

http://www.live365.com/stations/virginiaprograsser/schedule

and then to listen at:

http://www.live365.com/stations/virginiaprograsser

Any New Grass Revival, John Cowan, or Sam Bush fans here?

:)Steve Sikes-Nova
the virginiaprograsser
Newgrass, Prog & More! WWWeb Radio & Interviews

acoustic Hot Tuna, anyone?