Day: August 28, 2019

Bluegrass: A regional sound goes global

This was supposed to be regional music, rural music. Then bluegrass spread way beyond that.
“Big Family” — the new PBS film on Friday, Aug. 30 — starts by quoting Bill Monroe, a pioneer of the sound: “Bluegrass has brought more people together and made more friends than any other music in the world.”
Then it shows that impact. We hear Monroe’s “Blue Moon of Kentucky” on his own 1947 record .. and on the flip side of Elvis Presley’s first record in 1954 … and from a modern Japanese group.
Yes, Japan likes bluegrass. “They treated us like the Beatles,” says Jeff Hanna of the Nitty Gritty Dirty Band. Read more…

Wrestling’s ready for its third TV era

As TV began, people imagined a grand concert hall – orchestras and opera stars and such.
Or not. Viewers often prefer o see angry people crashing into each other.
Now we’re sort of re-entering that era. That starts Sept. 7, with Tessa Blanchard (shown here) defending her WOW title; wrestling will be expanding on cable and even returning to the broadcast networks.And yes, we’ve been here before. Flash back 70 years, to the fall of 1949. In primetime, viewers had: Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 30: bluegrass and binging

1) “Big Family: The Story of Bluegrass Music,” 9-11 p.m., PBS. In two weeks, PBS will launch “Country Music,” a brilliant Ken Burns film sprawling over eight nights and 16 hours. Consider this a prequel. It’s not as tightly crafted as a Burns film, but it offers a deep and detailed look at a homemade sound that keeps adding layers. “It’s a huge, powerful sound,” says Darroll Anger, a music professor. It brings “explosive creativity,” says Chris Thile (shown here), a musician. And it’s done by genial, downhome folks. Read more…