Blue Grass Music Concert in Tucker GA - Tony Salazar, Lead Guitar

Old Tucker Fountain Cafe Owner - Kathryn Dunaway

[ 04 February, 2008 ] • [ Photo ]

What is Blue Grass Music?

Bluegrass music is a form of American folk music. Its roots are stemming from Irish, Scottish and English traditional music. Bluegrass was inspired by the music of the Scots-Irish immigrants in Appalachian Mountains and blues. Bluegrass is acoustic music style, rarely using any electrical instruments. While bluegrass is not folk music in the strict sense, there is much interplay between bluegrass music and american folk music.



Bluegrass performers use stringed instruments to create a unique sound. Unlike mainstream country music, bluegrass relies mostly on acoustic stringed instruments. The fiddle, five string banjo, acoustic guitar, mandolin, and upright bass are often joined by the resonator guitar also known by the Dobro brand name. Since the term bluegrass came from Bill Monroe's band, The Blue Grass Boys, many consider the instruments used in his band the traditional template for bluegrass instruments. These were the mandolin (played by Monroe), the fiddle, guitar, banjo and upright bass. At times the musicians may perform gospel songs, singing four-part harmony. Bluegrass bands have included instruments as diverse as the resonator guitar (Dobro), accordion, harmonica, jaw harp, piano, drums, washboard, electric guitar, and electric versions of all other common bluegrass instruments.



Besides instrumentation, a peculiar characteristic of blue-grass is vocal harmony featuring two, three, or four parts, often featuring a dissonant or modal sound in the highest voice. This vocal style has been characterized as the "high lonesome sound." The "High Lonesome" sound can be credited to Shape-Note music where a high-pitched harmony, that can generally be characterized as having a nasal timbre, is sung over the main melody.



Bluegrass as a folk-music style developed during the mid 1940s. Bill Monroe is referred to as the "founding father" of bluegrass music; the bluegrass style was named for his band, the Blue Grass Boys, formed in 1939. The 1945 addition of banjo player Earl Scruggs, who played with a three-finger roll originally developed by Snuffy Jenkins but now almost universally known as "Scruggs style", is considered the key moment in the development of this genre. Monroe's 1945 to 1948 band, which featured Scruggs, singer-guitarist Lester Flatt, fiddler Chubby Wise and bassist Howard Watts, also known as "Cedric Rainwater," created the standard sound and instrumental configuration.

Blue-Grass Musicians and Performers

First generation bluegrass musicians were playing during the "Golden Age" in the 1950s, including Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys, the Stanley Brothers, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs with the Foggy Mountain Boys, Reno and Smiley, Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, Jim & Jesse, Jimmy Martin and the Osborne Brothers, Mac Wiseman, Mac Martin and the Dixie Travelers, Carl Story and his Rambling Mountaineers, Buzz Busby, The Lilly Brothers, Jim Eanes and Earl Taylor.

In the mid- to late-1960s came so-called second generation of blue-grass musicians. Among the most notable of them all are The Dillards, J. D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Sam Bush, John Hartford, Norman Blake, Frank Wakefield, Harley "Red" Allen, Bill Keith, Del McCoury and Tony Rice. With the second generation came a growth in progressive bluegrass, as exemplified by second generation bands such as the New Grass Revival, Seldom Scene, The Kentucky Colonels. In that vein, first-generation bluegrass fiddler Vassar Clements, mandolin virtuoso David Grisman, Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia (on banjo) and Peter Rowan as lead vocalist collaborated on the album Old and in the Way; the Garcia connection helped to expose progressive and traditional bluegrass to a rock music audience.

The third generation in bluegrass came in the mid-80s. Increased availability of high-quality sound equipment led to each band member being miked independently, and a "wall of sound" style developed (like IIIrd Tyme Out and Lonesome River Band). An electric bass became a generally accepted alternative to the traditional acoustic bass, though electrification of other instruments continued to meet resistance outside progressive circles. The Johnson Mountain Boys were one of the decade's most popular touring groups, and played strictly traditional bluegrass.

[Information based on Wikipedia sources]




[ 27 January, 2008 ] • [ Photo ] • [ Leave comment - 0 ]

The 5th Annual Cliff Valley Bluegrass Festival will take place in August 2008 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta. The Cliff Valley Music Conspiracy is a civic mind group of volunteers who believe music brings people together and builds community.

Blue Grass Music Concert in Tucker GA

The Cliff Valley Bluegrass Festival benefits the Interfaith Children's Movement an ecumenical group of faith communities focused on the well-being of children/youth. Since 2001 multi-denominational (Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, AME, and Unitarian Universalist) congregations have worked together on issues that effect the quality of life of Atlanta children.

address: 1911 Cliff Valley Way, N.E. Atlanta, GA. 30329
directions: from I-85 going north take the North Druid Hills exit. Cross N.Druid Hills Road following north on access road until you come to Cliff Valley Way
phone: 404 634-5134
email: Tony Salazar
doors open: 5:00pm

Blue Grass Jamming in Tucker GA

[ 27 January, 2008 ] • [ Photo ]

Tucker Station String Band Jammin Again

The String Band is back in Tucker on Sunday Feb. 3, 2008 at the Old Tucker Fountain 2329 Main Street, Tucker, GA.

The owner of the place, Kathryn Dunaway invites everyone in for bluegrass and barbeque. No cover charge. Doors open at 5:30 PM. The string band is on stage at 6 PM. At 7 PM friends from the South-Eastern Bluegrass Association will join them on stage for an oldtime style bluegrass jam.

For more info call 770 493 8880 or email oldtuckerfountain@yahoo.com or visit http://www.sebabluegrass.org/members/detail.php?id=1664

More Blue-Grass Events Timetable - Where and When

• Sunday Feb. 10, Nancy Creek


• Feb. 17 Facing South


• Feb. 24 A Steel String Session

[ 27 January, 2008 ] • [ Photo ] • [ Leave comment - 0 ]

The greatest blue-grass band in Tucker GA is that of Tony Salazar. I've been enjoying their great music for years! They are always ready to perform at your event - celebration, grand-opening or fund-raising, and they always donate most of their proceeds to local charities. Visit them, listen to their music, enjoy it. You'll be glad you did it!

[ 20 January, 2008 ] • [ Photo ] • [ Leave comment - 0 ]

Tucker Station String Band's popularity spread mostly by their fans starting with invitations to play at parties, birthday celebrations, house-warming parties, church socials, school gym openings, local coffee houses, a six month stand at the Ole Tucker Fountain, and various bluegrass festivals.

They appeared four times at Cliff Valley UUCA with the proceeds distributed to local charities. Their trademark is an upbeat treatment of old time favorites, gospel tunes, bluegrass and original songs on the five traditional bluegrass instruments, a washboard, and occasional train whistle.

[ 20 January, 2008 ] • [ Photo ] • [ Leave comment - 0 ]