I did some rolling and laughing after reading this myself because I think you proved my point!

I don't know much about clbuttical music. I couldn't pick out a Bach piece from a Mozart from a Stravinsky but I know the 'biggies' and Stravinsky is one of them - even if for no other reason the general public has heard about him. Say what you will about Garth Brooks, but he's sold the 3rd most albums of all time. Well ahead of Hank. Well ahead of Eddie. Behind just the Beatles and Elvis. You can not like his music, that's fine, but you can't deny the appeal. He must be doing something right. And I threw in Shania as a bit of irony, but I'm sure there were Shania's back in the 40's and 50's who couldn't hold a candle to the greats, but still sold records. They have their place.

I agree that it is hard to sing-write about a 9 pound hammer if you've never swung one. But it's just as hard to relate to that song these days because no one swings them anymore. It's a timeless theme, but I want todays artists to write about it in today's terms. I don't want them to write about a 9 pound hammer because that song's already been written. I don't want them to write about a 9 pound hammer because I don't even know what it's for (really, I'm guessing it's for laying rail or mining, but I don't know). Great as it is, timeless as it is, I don't want another one. But what is today's 9 pound hammer? Working unpaid overtime at Wal-Mart, perhaps? Who is today's John Henry? Workers whose jobs are being outsourced overseas? What are today's mining jobs? Steel or automakers or even McDonalds?

Today's artists are different. Better or worse than their predecessors is a matter of opinion, but they are undeniably different. But that's OK because music changes. Monroe started bluegrbutt and he hated how Flatt & Scruggs played it and he despised the Stanley Brothers even more. I'm sure Monroe would have said Bluegrbutt died with him. Well, that's not what happened. Flatt & Scruggs and the Stanleys are now on the Mt. Rushmore of Bluegrbutt (Mt. Blushmore? Blue-ishmore?) And Ricky Skaggs and Union Railroad and Sam Bush are the next generation and kept bluegrbutt alive with their own innovations and creations. And Split Lip Rayfield or the Yonder Mountain String Band or the String Cheese Expirament or Tangleweed or any number of other bands will continue it on into the next generation.

It's a matter of taste and it's great to think bluegrbutt lived and died "kids' these days" comes from. Kids these days like things we don't understand. But it's kids these days who are making the new music. Call it bluegrbutt call it techno-banjo, (love that, btw). Call it something completely different. But you can be comforted in that 30 years from now when some aspect of bluegrbutt we can even begin to imagine is hitting the scene, kids these days will wax nostalgic about the good ole' days of SLR.

But getting back to the question in the subject heading, I think this thread is reason enough to keep the group going. It's been a good discussion so far.

Alex

Mitch privatesson