TRADITIONAL MUSIC
In general, most folks have an idea of what is meant by bluegrass....the banjos, fiddles, mandolins..... But the other music mentioned, the seemingly endless repertoire of traditional music, is less familiar...
Listen to a sample to while you read: a tune called Frosty Morning, recorded and played by yours truly.
By traditional, I am referring to the primarily instrumental music that crossed the Atlantic from the British Isles, and the like music born in North America that grew out of that same dance tune tradition.
These tunes I refer to were played primarily on the fiddle and other melodic instruments such as the flute or accordion, the guitar being the backup and rhythm.
But guitar is my main instrument and so I like work out these old melodies, which I will play sometimes in combination with chords, if I’m playing solo. However, a big part of this music is the communal nature - you meet folks or have a circle of friends and acquaintances who have learned or are familiar with many of the same tunes, and you just sit down and play. It’s a blast.
