https://youtu.be/qo9TpTnF4sA Bill Monroe original hit, sung naturally Bluegrass Style, high lonesome
https://youtu.be/hHuBr8nGktk John Fogerty version. He actually had a better one with Ricky Skaggs; no drums, couldn't find it. But noticed that nasty blues style with attitude.
https://youtu.be/BnxRXIO3QT4 Avett Brothers version. Raw, unique. This gave me the idea for my bands version.
https://youtu.be/VpXe5ZyYICg Doc Watson version. Kind of Americana, Folk, definitely not Bluegrass, still very good though.
https://youtu.be/a3QxAYItsZM From 1926, prior to Bluegrass, kind of Appalachia sounding but a barbershop quartet sound at the same time, interesting.
https://youtu.be/_sdchej8SYs a western type version. I kind of like the vocals, but not high Lonesome Bluegrass sound.
I hope through these versions you can see a definite difference in a "Bluegrass" sound. Since Traditional Bluegrass is mainly played using three chords, it relies heavily on vocals, the high lonesome sound with good harmony. Hopefully you all were paying attention when I spoke about the notes that make up a major chord, the Root, the Third and the Fifth. That's Harmony. If you sing a Song in G and use three part harmony, the other vocalist would be singing a Third apart and perhaps the other a Fifth or even an Octave apart. More on this at a later Workshop, it's really a talent all it's own. For now work on your new found Key and Range. Most of all, have fun and listen to lots of Bluegrass; get that Bluegrass feel and style in your head.
All of the Masters of bluegrass are good to listen to; Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, Jimmy Martin... but some Modern day groups I would suggest are, Lonesome River Band, Bankesters (for aspiring female singers), Steeldrivers, Blue Highway, Boxcars... just to name a few. Also listen to different styles and form your own unique style from these, don't be a copy cat, its been done before.
Jeff
