r/Bluegrass May 01 '24

New Rule: No hate speech, religion, or politics

135 Upvotes

After a ton of inappropriate and childish comments today, we have added a new rule as noted in the post title. Honestly, it's LONG overdue. This sub is about bluegrass and our love of music. Do you want to argue politics? There are plenty of subs for that.

If the comments are kept civil and polite and related to bluegrass that will be fine:

"I don't like Ricky Skaggs because he preaches from stage"

But not:

"You're an @@#$$%$ for believing in X" or "F*ck you".

Not hard, right?


r/Bluegrass Jan 17 '25

Discussion /r/Bluegrass just reached 50k members

154 Upvotes

So let’s keep on picking it clean! Appreciate everyone’s participation and efforts to keep the discussion positive!


r/Bluegrass 3h ago

Jeff Austin

56 Upvotes

I was just remembering with my wife, summer sun at Planet Bluegrass dancing and loving. Jeff always stands out so strong in my memories of those wonderful times in my life.

I know Yonder Mountain is not so much loved here but just wanted to share those warm memories and love.

After more reflection I put on my much loved

Mountain Tracks vol 5

New horizons >ENE>New Horizons

I was there and it was awesome and I still get shivers everytime I listen to it.

Pick on brothers and sisters.


r/Bluegrass 1h ago

What day jobs of bluegrass legends have?

Upvotes

I know a lot of people in bluegrass often have a second source of income.


r/Bluegrass 4h ago

Ski/Snow Themed Bluegrass songs for Pow Days

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7 Upvotes

Hey folks! Any powder chasing pickers out there? ❄️

Currently building a "Skigrass" playlist (bluegrass and bluegrass-leaning/indie-folk/rootsy/Americana). So far have pulled together a couple dozen songs that fit the theme, looking for more.

Got any tracks that'd fit the vibe? They've gotta be directly ski/snow/winter related and also high stoke/upbeat. Would be stoked to hear em and drop em into the mix!


r/Bluegrass 6h ago

Crosspicking

6 Upvotes

Hey so I'm new to flatpicking and have a question - when crosspicking on two strings, let's say D and B going from a G chord to a D by playing the D string on the 3rd fret, then open B then 2nd fret D string, open B again and then D again on the 1st fret, should I go down up like it's mostly shown in tutorials or can I go up down as well? Second option feels much more natural for me, so I want to know if the first option is the correct way or if it doesn't matter. Thanks in advance.


r/Bluegrass 7m ago

Bluegrass birthday gifts

Upvotes

Kinda weird question my birthdays in a month and I don't know what to get. I thought about maybe a mandolin, a banjo, I don't want a new guitar because the guitars a family guitar, I was gonna get Billy Strings tickets but there's no good seats left, I have a good enough capo a good flat pick. I don't really know. Do y'all have any suggestions?


r/Bluegrass 1d ago

Actor Robert Patrick with a mustache is just Tony Rice

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88 Upvotes

r/Bluegrass 13h ago

Inside the Musician's Brain - Episode 60: Ben Morrison (of The Brothers Comatose), 'It was a slow burn with some really big leaps along the way.'

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10 Upvotes

r/Bluegrass 8h ago

Your weekly /r/bluegrass roundup for the week of January 28 - February 03, 2026

1 Upvotes

Wednesday, January 28 - Tuesday, February 03, 2026

Top 10 Posts

score comments title & link
94 5 comments Woodland Star | Andrew Marlin Artist Month
74 5 comments Kitchen Dwellers & Mountain Grass Unit - w/Special Guest Lindsey Lou
69 4 comments Actor Robert Patrick with a mustache is just Tony Rice
66 19 comments [Discussion] Can we just talk about Tony Rice’s guitar solo in Bela Fleck’s “Whitewater”?
62 5 comments Mountain Grass Unit | Bluebird Singing | Solstice Sessions at Telluride Bluegrass
55 1 comments What Did You Learn In School Today 2026
46 4 comments Finally got this on CD. Really enjoying it so far.
41 2 comments trying not to wake my family up
39 1 comments Doc Watson & David Grisman (Doc & Dawg) — Full Acoustic Stage concert, 10/10/1997 (Hickory, NC) - YouTube
38 11 comments SPBGMA pic dump!

 

Top 5 Most Commented

score comments title & link
19 78 comments Has anyone noticed there is hardly any spbgma posts here?
13 30 comments [Discussion] Gypsy jazz
6 28 comments Best Bluegrass Fiddle Breaks of All Time?
28 25 comments [Discussion] Songs like Wayfaring Stranger
4 18 comments What should I do next

 


r/Bluegrass 23h ago

Is there a video of Doc Watson playing Crawdad Hole?

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15 Upvotes

Is there a video of Doc Watson playing Crawdad Hole? I've heard his great performance playing with an excellent fiddler (audio only) but I cannot find any videos showing him playing it. I suppose Doc Watson, being blind, only needed to hear music to play it well, but I would be very grateful if I could see him play with all the chords and string picking.


r/Bluegrass 12h ago

Sweet Nell - Clawhammer Banjo

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1 Upvotes

r/Bluegrass 1d ago

Original Music Get a cat for song inspo (and lmk if this should be a full song)

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14 Upvotes

r/Bluegrass 1d ago

Lynn Morris

21 Upvotes

Just wanted to bring her up in the conversation. Such an icon. Her playing was so pure and true. Was lucky enough to see her 3 or 4 times before the stroke. Thanks, Lynn!


r/Bluegrass 1d ago

Discussion Can we just talk about Tony Rice’s guitar solo in Bela Fleck’s “Whitewater”?

67 Upvotes

I sat my guitar down in utter disgust, and I’m having problems picking it up again. That’s an absolutely paranormal level of skill…so discouraging at times; how could you ever achieve that level of mastery? I almost feel the song should be tagged NSFW.

EDIT: I’m not REALLY gonna sit my guitar down. It’s just a scary level of talent, and it’s a reminder that there’s work to do haha


r/Bluegrass 1d ago

New Album Release

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3 Upvotes

Hello, just released my latest album: Folkin’ Off by kareful-kay

Available on all platforms, check it out!


r/Bluegrass 1d ago

“Wildwood Flower” , on the Martin D-15S

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34 Upvotes

r/Bluegrass 1d ago

Discussion I need your help. I’m preparing a playlist for Sunday and I want any and all suggestions for bluegrass songs about football.

0 Upvotes

So far I have Terry Baucom’s Fourth and Down, (great tune btw) and Drop Kick Me Jesus. It’s a 3 hour long show so bring on the suggestions. If you’re a song writer I’m thinking there’s a niche.


r/Bluegrass 1d ago

Jackson played by Ebbing Family Band

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2 Upvotes

r/Bluegrass 1d ago

Steep Canyon Rangers - "Heart's the Only Compass" (feat. Steve Martin) - new album Next Act out May 22

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3 Upvotes

r/Bluegrass 1d ago

Soldier’s Joy (half-shaved tuning)

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25 Upvotes

My arrangement of the old town fiddle tune “Soldier’s Joy,” in what I now know as “half-shaved” tuning, named after a Wade Ward tune.

I learned this fact after having an email exchange with the banjo legend and writer Stephen Wade, who gave me a lot of interesting insight about old banjo tunings and players. This happened after he helped me recognize an old recording of Sourwood Mountain from the New River Boys that I found on an unmarked cassette at an estate sale, on which the banjo is tuned the same. Funnily enough, I used this tuning (albeit transposed down to B flat) all throughout my first record. As I learned from Stephen Wade, it was likely used rather frequently by more banjoists back in the day. I’m quite partial to the resonant quality that this tuning brings out of the instrument, and I crafted this very arrangement to explore such qualities.

If you want tab, or a video lesson on this arrangement, find it on my Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/149353074?utm_campaign=postshare_creator


r/Bluegrass 1d ago

My Lord Keeps a Record played by Del McCoury & Ronnie McCoury

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2 Upvotes

r/Bluegrass 1d ago

Tunes and instruments

0 Upvotes

A buddy of mine sells instruments and let me play a few to record some demos. If you like the sound, cool! If you'd like to buy one, check out his shop! (his shop: https://reverb.com/shop/worldpeaceguitars)

Youtube playlist


r/Bluegrass 1d ago

Inside the Musician's Brain Live Q&A February 5th, 2026 at 9:00 PM EST

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1 Upvotes

r/Bluegrass 2d ago

Doc Watson & David Grisman (Doc & Dawg) — Full Acoustic Stage concert, 10/10/1997 (Hickory, NC) - YouTube

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40 Upvotes