Gems of Bluegrass

Series produced by Philip Nusbaum

Series image

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/ 2013 Zeitfunk  , Credit: Karen Van Norman
Tunes inspire other tunes. How so? It’s well-known that you can take an already existing piece, make some changes to it, and then you have a new pi...

  • Added: Apr 12, 2014
  • Length: 06:24
Caption: Phil w/ 2013 Zeitfunk  , Credit: Karen Van Norman
The old rockabilly cats were fans of Bill Monroe. Well, Elvis Presley, the original rock and roll icon recorded Bill’s Blue Moon of Kentucky early ...

  • Added: Mar 08, 2014
  • Length: 07:29
Caption: Phil w/ 2013 Zeitfunk  , Credit: Karen Van Norman
Blue Moon of Kentucky was Bill Monroe’s greatest hit. He first recorded it in 1946, and then recorded it later in his career. The song has had stay...

  • Added: Mar 04, 2014
  • Length: 09:03
Caption: Phil w/ 2013 Zeitfunk  , Credit: Karen Van Norman
Back in the 1950s, the music world was becoming aware that musicians and fans now had easy access to many styles of music. Today, the internet is d...

  • Added: Feb 20, 2014
  • Length: 05:42
Caption: Phil at work, Credit: Sejan Yun
Bluegrass is part of the oral tradition. As a result, a popular song like Molly and Tenbrooks is the subject of a lot of variations.

  • Added: Feb 09, 2014
  • Length: 05:19
Caption: Phil w/ 2013 Zeitfunk  , Credit: Karen Van Norman
In the early twenties, there emerged a sizeable big market for old time. But then the great depression put an end to the fun, at least for a while....

  • Added: Jan 31, 2014
  • Length: 07:58
Caption: Phil w/ 2013 Zeitfunk  , Credit: Karen Van Norman
Where does the musical organization of a bluegrass band come from? Some might find it a little surprising how large a role was played by pop music.

Bought by WVRU


  • Added: Jan 26, 2014
  • Length: 07:34
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Phil w/ 2013 Zeitfunk  , Credit: Karen Van Norman
Breakups are tough. That’s why there are so many breakup songs in bluegrass. But when you think about it, bluegrass deals with other kinds of parti...

  • Added: Jan 20, 2014
  • Length: 06:13
Caption: Phil w/ 2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
The nautical tragedy of the Titanic is perhaps the most sung about disaster in the history of old time music and bluegrass. But what do the singers...

  • Added: Nov 24, 2013
  • Length: 08:44
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeutfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
One of the best loved tunes around is Bonaparte’s Retreat. But why? Is it the title? The melody? Lyle Lofgren and Phil Nusbaum seek a solution to t...

  • Added: Nov 24, 2013
  • Length: 12:00
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
The nautical tragedy of the Titanic is perhaps the most sung about disaster in the history of old time music and bluegrass. But what do the singers...

  • Added: Nov 19, 2013
  • Length: 08:44
Caption: Phil w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
One of the best loved tunes around is Bonaparte’s Retreat. But why? Is it the title? The melody? Lyle Lofgren and Phil Nusbaum seek a solution to t...

  • Added: Nov 19, 2013
  • Length: 12:00
Caption: Phil w/ 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
The piece recounts great things about bluegrass music and the bluegrass community

  • Added: Nov 15, 2013
  • Length: 10:19
Caption: Phil w/2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
To some self-appointed music experts, bluegrass is simple. You know, even though songs can have more than 3 chords, people say that all they ever h...

  • Added: Oct 30, 2013
  • Length: 07:22
Caption: Phil w/2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Noaman
Historian Charles Wolfe tells us that 1920s country music grew organically. It took a while for recording companies to learn that rural southerners...

Bought by KRZA and WVRU


  • Added: Oct 23, 2013
  • Length: 06:48
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Phil w/ 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
The old bluegrass songs about work suggest that work defines a person. And maybe that was true with work that was 24/7. But today it seems to be mo...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer


  • Added: Oct 04, 2013
  • Length: 05:43
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Phil w/ 2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Certain people, including me say that Bill Monroe’s greatest innovation was weaving the blues into all of his playing. The way and his followers do...

  • Added: Sep 17, 2013
  • Length: 06:47
Caption: Phil w/2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
You can view the rise of bluegrass in the 1940s as an evolution, or as the result of musical innovations by Bill Monroe. One of Bill’s great innova...

  • Added: Sep 12, 2013
  • Length: 08:14
Caption: Phil w/2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van norman
Jimmie Brown the Newsboy. The song has been done many times. On the surface, it’s a charming story of a young boy who helps out his mother by selli...

  • Added: Sep 06, 2013
  • Length: 02:52
Caption: Phil w/2012 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Today, recorded musical textures are getting denser and denser. Why? Because we can make them that way, I guess. But turn back the clock and textur...

Bought by Sun Radio - KDRP Radio and WXXI Rochester


  • Added: Apr 28, 2013
  • Length: 05:46
  • Purchases: 2