[Harp-L] Harp in bluegrass

["Glenn Weiser" <celticguitar1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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Message: 8
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 16:52:22 EDT
From: Captron100@xxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] Harp in bluegrass
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Evidently,  Mike Stevens sometimes tours with Ralph Stanley, so apparently
Ralph thinks  harp can be a BG instrument.

________________

I think that's to Ralph's credit. And I also recall reading that one of Bill 
Monroe's early lineups included an accordion, speaking of free reed axes in 
bluegrass.
But other than Mike, who can certainly play this music on harp (at the cost 
of something like five hernia repair surgeries, if memory serves), and 
Charlie McCoy,. who else can deliver serious bluegrass on harmonica? Who 
else ever has?
Given the harmonica's role in country music and old-time string band music, 
I always thought it odd that the harp has had such a minor role in 
bluegrass.

But all this leads to the real question, which is: do you all think the 
harmonica is adaptable to any kind of music? Or are there some genres where 
the harp (let's say the diatonic for now) can't, or shouldn't try to go?

-Glenn Weiser