Gems of Bluegrass

Series produced by Philip Nusbaum

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short modules about bluegrass music

Each under 5-minutes, highly produced "Gems of Bluegrass" module discusses a key element of bluegrass music. Some Gems of Bluegrass relate to a particular bluegrass style or sub style, repertoire, commonplace bluegrass themes, playing techniques or study the work of a particular artist.

Each Gem of Bluegrass contains snips of music taken from CD, along with Phil Nusbaum's commentary. Phil is an experienced radio producer, bluegrass scholar and bluegrass performer.

Each Gem of Bluegrass also appears on the Bluegrass Review broadcast with the same number. (The Bluegrass Review is a one-hour bluegrass show available free of charge from PRX, or from Phil Nusbaum. For information on the show, see the Bluegrass Review listing on Phil Nusbaum's section of the PRX website or go to www.bluegrassreview.com.

Gems of Bluegrass fit well on established Bluegrass or folk shows, and can be used to forward promote the Bluegrass Review. Hide full description

Each under 5-minutes, highly produced "Gems of Bluegrass" module discusses a key element of bluegrass music. Some Gems of Bluegrass relate to a particular bluegrass style or sub style, repertoire, commonplace bluegrass themes, playing techniques or study the work of a particular artist. Each Gem of Bluegrass contains snips of music taken from CD, along with Phil Nusbaum's commentary. Phil is an experienced radio producer, bluegrass scholar and bluegrass performer. Each Gem of Bluegrass also appears on the Bluegrass Review broadcast with the same number. (The Bluegrass Review is a one-hour bluegrass show available free of charge from PRX, or from Phil Nusbaum. For information on the show, see the Bluegrass Review listing on Phil Nusbaum's section of the PRX website or go to... Show full description


363 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: Phil w/2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Though it is a music that frequently looks to the past for inspiration, bluegrass has a modern edge. There is plenty of innovation going on in the ...

  • Added: Dec 29, 2012
  • Length: 07:12
Caption: Phil w/2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Back in the 1930s, Roy Acuff was known as the king of the hillbillies, and then as the king of country music. He led a string band that others emul...

  • Added: Dec 26, 2012
  • Length: 06:29
Caption: Phil w/ 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
One of the earliest types of performing entities in old time music was the brother duet. Rooting in family music, this type of unit had a show-busi...

  • Added: Dec 17, 2012
  • Length: 07:38
Caption: Phil w/2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Follow bluegrass and old time music for a while, and you realize that fans and players are tuned into the evolution of the music. The evolution has...

  • Added: Dec 01, 2012
  • Length: 06:23
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In Bluegrass, Earl Scruggs’ name is synonymous with the banjo. But if you talk to resophonic guitar players, they all talk about Josh Graves. It wa...

  • Added: Dec 01, 2012
  • Length: 06:04
Caption: Phil w/ 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van norman
They played only a short time till the act ended in 1930. They recorded only about 40 songs, but so many of them have become standards that on a pe...

Bought by Sun Radio - KDRP Radio


  • Added: Nov 14, 2012
  • Length: 08:01
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Phil w/ 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Follow bluegrass and old time music for a while, and you realize that fans and players are tuned into the evolution of the music. The evolution has...

  • Added: Dec 29, 2012
  • Length: 06:23
Caption: Phil w. 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Grayson and Whitter played only a short time till the act ended in 1930. They recorded only about 40 songs, but so many of them have become standar...

  • Added: Nov 03, 2012
  • Length: 08:01
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In the 1940’s Flatt and Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys recorded an original song called Down the Road. It was just one of many recordings that...

  • Added: Oct 25, 2012
  • Length: 04:16
Caption: Phil w/ 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Through the 1950’s the Flatt and Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys act was building momentum. Not only was the act good for bluegrass, it was goo...

Bought by Robin Hood Radio/ WHDD AM 1020/FM 91.9-WLHV FM 88.1 /WGHQ AM 920


  • Added: Oct 21, 2012
  • Length: 06:20
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Phil w/ 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Bluegrass music evolves. It changes because of the great ides of players, current events, and with the changes in other musical genres. You can rea...

  • Added: Oct 11, 2012
  • Length: 07:10
Caption: Phil w/ 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Today when you see a bluegrass band, it almost always features a guitarist who plays with a flat pick. Holding the pick with the thumb and first tw...

  • Added: Oct 05, 2012
  • Length: 07:28
Caption: Phil w/ 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
In this idiom, there are raucus rounder, gunslingers, broken hearts. But aside from all that, the downtrodden are treated with a great deal of resp...

  • Added: Oct 01, 2012
  • Length: 05:10
Caption: Phil w/2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
When bluegrass singers sing about their sweethearts, what exactly do they sing about? Frequently its their eyes, but why is that?

  • Added: Sep 19, 2012
  • Length: 07:52
Caption: Phil w/2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Bluegrass was pretty radical stuff in the 1940’s when it was introduced. It offered a combination of ingredients that seemed new: the mandolin and ...

  • Added: Sep 14, 2012
  • Length: 06:57
Caption: Phil w/ 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van norman
Not all songs are set in specific places. But when they are, they contribute to songs’ moods. Like those old murder ballads that take place in remo...

  • Added: Sep 02, 2012
  • Length: 05:26
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Every song is created to express something. But does the expression come from the lyrics or from the singer? Well, it can be both but not in equal ...

  • Added: Aug 30, 2012
  • Length: 04:37
Caption: Phil w/2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van norman
American ethos is that we’re all equal. We’re all middle class. But we know that there’s them’s that’s got. And them’s that not. In the old folk mu...

  • Added: Aug 07, 2012
  • Length: 07:33
Caption: Phil w/ 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
When you think of California and the west coast, you often think of the new or the cutting edge. But bluegrass in the west coast began its run with...

  • Added: Aug 03, 2012
  • Length: 05:37
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Bluegrass has evolved greatly over time. Perhaps the greatest change is in how the voice sounds. It’s more like pop music toady, and the reason mig...

  • Added: Jul 27, 2012
  • Length: 07:25