Been enjoying the exchanges about Steve Earle's "Mountain," and how it's
being received on both sides of the bluegrass divide. Someone wondered if
anybody else had gotten hot-shot bluegrass players to work with them -- so
I've got to mention Dan Fogelberg, who in the 80s got a who's who of
bluegrass knights to back him on a record. Forgettable songs, generic
muzac-ified bluegrass, if I remember correctly. And I'm one of the two or
three living human beings who actually treasured DF's first two
singer-songwriter records.
Another point about bluegrass that someone brought up -- how with a lot
of folks the high, keening vocals are an instant irritant. On the other
hand, however, I remember how the sound of the banjo and fiddle often had
the opposite effect. John Denver didn't make zillions just by the sound of
his voice and his songwriting -- that bluegrass veneer did a lot for that
country boy. There's a sizable segment of the North American population
who are genetically unable to resist a sizzling banjo/fiddle breakdown.
Of course, the mandolin is an acquired taste, which explains why it's
better but... -- Terry Smith
