Bluegrass music has always been more than just blue. It’s solidly red and white too just like our flag and especially so on this 246th birthday of our great country. Bluegrass fans have to be some of the most patriotic music lovers out there and nothing screams bluegrass more than good three finger banjo picking so let me start you out with a nice medley from Ross Nickerson:
Does clawhammer deserve equal time? I think so unless your doctor has warned you about overdosing on banjo (Check my October 27, 2021 article about the dangers of playing banjo). Here’s the clawhammer medley:
These medleys are banjo for sure but they are mostly banjo versions of American standards. Bill Monroe likely played the Star Spangled Banner at one time or another on stage, (but I’m sure he didn’t play it like Jimi Hendrix).
What songs should we play to honor our country today in proper Bluegrass, Old Time and Gospel Style? Starting with Old Time I would suggest Liberty and Under the Double Eagle. You might try Jefferson and Liberty if you know it.
As far as Bluegrass goes Jim & Jesse did a nice version of Alfred Brumley’s Thank God For the USA:
Thank God for the U.S.A.
Land of the brave and the true
Thank God for the true American way
For the stars and the red, white, and blue
Ralph Stanley’s Sings Michigan Bluegrass, was an album with a classic cast of characters: Roy Lee Centers, Curly Ray Cline, Jack Cooke, Ricky Skaggs, and Keith Whitley. Whitley sings lead on this one which Ralph Stanley co-wrote.
As of citizen of our great country
America- so strong, brave, and true
Look upon Old Glory with pride and with honor
She means freedom and peace for me and you
Let’s keep Old Glory waving
High above our nation’s door
Hold her up like a true American
And let’s keep Old Glory waving evermore
Here’s Jimmy Martin’s best effort, I’d Rather Have America:
I’ve sailed the wide Atlantic to France and Germany
The beauty there in Paris just didn’t mean a thing to me
I made my way to England and on to Italy
‘Cause I’d rather have America, my homeland where I’m free
Keep Old Glory Waving High by the Indiana Boys might be worth a listen today. It’s a great song with exellent harmonies. I can’t include the link to make it easy for you because I am not a Facebook member but you can listen to the song as I did whether you are a Facebook member or not.
The years have gone by, yet she’s standing
A symbol of freedom for mankind
Now when I hear “The Star Spangled Banner”
It still sends a chill up my spine.
Our country is a great country. It’s not perfect by any means but it’s still great. Our celebration today reminds us that we have an independent democracy that we fought for and we can discuss our differences in freedom while trying to make a better world.
Since CBA music includes Bluegrass, Old Time and Gospel music according to our mission statement, I will leave you with the closest thing I could find to a Gospel tune related the the Fourth of July. Paul Williams is a great tenor singer but he does express political ideas on stage at times. You may agree or not (that’s what a democracy is about) but I figured a political opinion is OK in a democracy whether I agree with it or not. (The alternative was a commercial containing clip). Enjoy.
Happy Fourth on July!
