I think The Mountain is a bluegrass album, albeit a pretty unconventional
one. There's a broad range of things I don't like to hear named as
bluegrass, but I think when you look at the big picture, this isn't one of
them. And, of course, it's good for Del'n'em and for bluegrass to bring it
to new audiences, which this is surely doing; Earle may not be big news as
far as the majors are concerned (though he seems pretty secure in thinking
that he'll be able to get with a major), but his numbers are big compared to
most bluegrass, and the critical attention he more or less automatically
gets is important, too. I don't think some of the pieces Phil's clipped
would have run had it not been for Earle's involvement - and then they talk
about The Family, too, which might not have happened except for the interest
in The Mountain. So the album is A Good Thing.
One question Phil asked that's worth highlighting is this:
>b) do you buy into the fact that the reason bluegrass isn't more popular
and
>widespread is that there is a very narrowly held opinion of what bluegrass
>is and isn't and those that are most vocal about this issue cannot agree
>amongst themselves...
Of course, I find it hard to imagine why people wouldn't like bluegrass <g>,
but I'm not sure that the, um, stringency with which some people offer
pretty narrow "definitions" of bluegrass actually drives many people off.
I'll be interested to see what folks who are more peripherally involved
in/interested in bluegrass - enough to have run into some of the folks
Phil's talking about - have to say on the subject.
Oh, and finally, one thing that's bugging me half to death... Earle's
mentioned a number of times that Del and the guys brought back the use of
one mike, but speaking in terms of national acts, that honor (such as it is)
really belongs to Doyle Lawson.
Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
