by: Rick Rouse
One of the Appalachian Mountain region's greatest contributions to the world is Bluegrass music. Born in hills and hollows, Bluegrass is simply mountain folk music with heavy Celtic influences.
Today, you can hear the sweet harmonies of Bluegrass instruments and smooth vocals throughout the United States, and indeed the world. Bluegrass festivals abound, featuring performers from all over the globe. But the heart and soul of Bluegrass remains securely in the Appalachian region.
During the warmer months the tight rhythms of the banjo, mandolin, fiddle, flat-top guitar, upright bass, and dobro echo off the hills and buildings of many small towns and cities. You'll often find Bluegrass being played at festivals, fairs, street corners, and front porches at most any time of the day.
The future of Bluegrass looks bright as well because many of the performers in the region are youngsters who started playing an instrument at a very young age. It is quite common to find families spanning several generations playing Bluegrass together just for fun.
If you have never had the opportunity to experience a live Bluegrass show, you owe it to yourself to do so. You'll hear this traditional Appalachian sound and most likely be hooked!