Re: Bluegrass Harp was Walter 'Red' Parham

[Pat Missin <pat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tim Bennett wrote:
>
>That's a very interesting response. I consider Walter Parham, DeFord Bailey,
>and Doc Watson to be icons of bluegrass harmonica playing. They often played
>bluegrass music. They certainly weren't limited to it... all of them could
>play many different styles.
>
>Since 'pure' bluegrass contains guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and upright
>bass, harmonica players have always been somewhat on the fringe. Heros are
>hard to find.
>
>IMO anyone who gets up and plays 'Wreck of the Old 97' is playing bluegrass.
>Even if they also play great blues, jazz, and country.

I think you are using a wider definition of bluegrass than most
bluegrass aficionados would use. 

It is certainly true that Doc Watson could pick bluegrass guitar with
the best of them, but the harmonica styles of Watson, Bailey and
Parham predate the invention of bluegrass by a couple of decades or
more.  I don't think harp-l is really the place to argue the
definition of bluegrass, but this page might be a useful reference
point:

http://www.angelfire.com/ky/bluegrassplace/

 -- Pat.