Re: [Harp-L] First bluegrass harmonica recording

[Glenn Weiser <banjoandguitar100@xxxxxxxxx>]

Rick-

The harmonica was certainly used in old time string band music well before the bluegrass era, and was used in mainstream country music also before BG. Bluegrass per se did not come into existence until 1946 with Bill Monroe and the famous Wise-Flatt-Scruggs-Watts lineup.
Charlie split with Bill in 1939 or so and later formed his own rival BG band, the Kentucky Pardners. The acoustic instrumentation, choice of song, and style of the breaks mark this as bluegrass music. This track does not feature banjo, but photos of the band I've seen show a banjo player. Exhibit A is the Wikipedia entry on him-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Monroe

Exhibit B is a page from a bluegrass discography.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hillwilliam/BGdiscography/?v=fullrecord&albumid=29

The defense rests.

Earlier this year I was touch with the historian at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and well as some bluegrass scholars trying to clear up the question of what the first bluegrass harmonica recording actually was. This was of interest to all of us, and I believe I have finally solved the mystery, for what it's worth.


Glenn Weiser

Email: banjoandguitar100@xxxxxxxxx
Web: www.celticguitarmusic.com


________________________________
 From: Rick Dempster <rickdempster33@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Glenn Weiser <banjoandguitar100@xxxxxxxxx> 
Cc: "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Saturday, September 14, 2013 8:09 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] First bluegrass harmonica recording
 


How is it 'Bluegrass' Glen? apart from the fact that it's accompanying Charlie Monroe.
I can't see that this is 'Bluegrass' anyhow. The harp playing is no different from a lot 
of other stuff from around the same period. Couldn't you just as well call Henry Whitter's efforts from the
20s 'Bluegrass'? Seems people call any south eastern string band music 'Bluegrass' these days.
Then again, what people call 'R & B' today doesn't make any sense to me either.
RD



On 15 September 2013 06:05, Glenn Weiser <banjoandguitar100@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I believe I have a contender for the earliest known bluegrass harmonica recording-"Bringing in the Georgia Mail", by Charlie Monroe and His Kentucky Pardners (1947). Here it is on YouTube.
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>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT3SMgHX-5c&feature=youtu.be
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>Anyone know of an earlier bluegrass harmonica recording?
> 
>Glenn Weiser
>Web: www.celticguitarmusic.com
>
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