The Grascals – Get Down and “Dooley”

You know, I really enjoy watching great guitarists do their thing,

really, no matter what style.

But when it comes to a music form, there’s something about Traditional Bluegrass music that can overtake me… and it doesn’t have to be fancy, clean or perfect either.

It’s often debatable if Bill Monroe single handily put the banjo, mandolin, guitar, fiddle and bass together himself, but there’s no doubt that a great bluegrass band and the roles each instrument plays create a sound like no other on the planet.

Call it a well oiled machine- a team effort to create a single rhythmic sound.. I thought this video by the Grascals as a perfect example of what I’m talking about.

And if you think about it, a bluegrass band is really a musical drum kit with the bass being the kick, the mandolin being the snare, the guitar filling out both sides of those beats, and the banjo acting as a hi hat or a shaker. You will notice the fiddle can act as a mandolin with off beat chops and also sustain like a keyboard. And you know what? Since this is created, there’s really no need for any type of percussion because the whole band is playing it.

So if you don’t like bluegrass, at least listen again with my comments in mind…

but if you love bluegrass, ain’t this a great video!