[Western Music] Bluegrass masterpieces: recommended popular and signature songs
Bluegrass music is an acoustic genre that developed in the United States based on the traditional music of Scotland and Ireland.
Because the pioneering figure Bill Monroe was from Kentucky, the term “bluegrass,” which is both the name of a pasture grass and the state’s nickname, came into use.
It features ensembles centered on acoustic instruments, with the bright, lively sounds of banjo and fiddle being especially characteristic.
In this article, we present a lineup focused on classic songs in the traditional bluegrass style.
It’s a recommended selection even for beginners, so please take this opportunity to check it out.
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[Western Music] Bluegrass Masterpieces: Recommended Popular and Iconic Songs (1–10)
Tortured, Tangled HeartsDixie Chicks
While rooted in country and bluegrass and achieving record-breaking success in the pop arena, the female group Dixie Chicks has sold over 30 million records worldwide.
Known for speaking out on political and social issues, they released the album Home in 2002, a work notable for its strongly traditional character, which includes the track Tortured, Tangled Hearts.
Although it wasn’t released as a single, it has the feel of upbeat, classic bluegrass and fits perfectly with the theme of this article.
That said, the lyrics are not cheerful; the song is laden with irony.
Considering the controversies the group became embroiled in afterward, it all feels rather suggestive, doesn’t it?
Nine Pound HammerTony Rice
Tony Rice, the American bluegrass musician and guitarist whose passing at age 69 in December 2020 is still fresh in our memories.
A pioneering figure in bluegrass, Tony wielded immense influence with his original style, shaped in part by jazz.
From his monumental discography, the piece I’ve chosen today is Nine Pound Hammer from his first album, Guitar, released in 1973.
It’s a cover of a traditional bluegrass tune associated with Merle Travis—known for his guitar style blending country, jazz, and blues and active from the 1960s to the ’80s—and Rice re-recorded it on his acclaimed 1979 breakout album Manzanita, suggesting it may have been one of his personal favorites.
I’ll Fly AwayGillian Welch & Alison Krauss
The gospel song “I’ll Fly Away,” composed by Albert E.
Brumley in 1929, is frequently performed at worship services and funerals in the United States.
It’s also famous as a bluegrass standard and is often called the most recorded gospel song.
Spanning genres, it has been beloved for decades, with reggae and hip-hop renditions such as “Rastaman Chant” covered by Bob Marley & The Wailers in 1973 and a cover by Kanye West on his 2004 album The College Dropout.
[Western Music] Bluegrass Masterpieces: Recommended Popular and Iconic Songs (11–20)
Orange Blossom SpecialThe Charlie Daniels Band
Orange Blossom Special, themed on the luxury passenger train connecting New York and Miami, was composed in 1938 by Ervin T.
Rouse.
Its freewheeling fiddle sound and the sense of speed reminiscent of a fast-running train make it especially popular within bluegrass.
Johnny Cash even named an album after the song, and it is also known for covers by The Moody Brothers and Electric Light Orchestra.
Dueling BanjosEric Weissberg & Steve Mandell
Dueling Banjos, a fun call-and-response between a 4-string plectrum banjo and a 5-string bluegrass banjo, was composed by Arthur Smith in 1954.
In 1972, it was used at the beginning of the survival thriller film Deliverance, starring Jon Voight.
However, because the composer’s permission had not been obtained, it led to a lawsuit.
Despite that anecdote, the song became a memorable worldwide hit and was even nominated for Best Original Song at the 30th Golden Globe Awards.
Old Mountain DewGrandpa Jones
Composed in 1928 by Bascom Lamar Lunsford, “Good Old Mountain Dew” (also known as “Old Mountain Dew”) is a song that portrays people seeking moonshine.
At the time, Prohibition was in effect in the United States.
Even after Prohibition was repealed, the song continued to be performed and was covered by artists such as Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson, and the Stanley Brothers, as well as the Irish band The Dubliners.
It remains beloved around the world.
Sunny Side Of The MountainJimmy Martin
The 1930 song Sunny Side of the Street (Japanese title: Akarui Omotedori de), with lyrics by Dorothy Fields and music by Jimmy McHugh.
It became a standard after being used in a Broadway musical and has been performed by jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong and Dave Brubeck.
It has also been covered by singers like Frankie Laine—famous for the theme of the 1950s Western Rawhide—and Frank Sinatra.
The song was featured in the 1995 film Father of the Bride Part II and the 2021 NHK morning drama Come Come Everybody.