Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2003 09:46:26 -0700
From: Rick Wingerter <wingerter@montana.net>
Subject: Re: Bluegrass Gospel

Hi,

My name is Rick Wingerter, I write Bluegrass Gospel music.
I've had songs in the top 50 charts in the U.S. Gospel News
magazine and even a # 1 song by The Marksmen.

If you're going to be doing any recording soon or know of anyone
who will be and need some good Bluegrass Gospel songs,
please let me know and I'll be glad to send a demo CD.

Thanks and God Bless,

Rick

Rick Wingerter
Wingerter Music BMI
416 Hillview Lane
Billings, MT 59101406-259-1291

---

Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2001 23:27:22 -0600
Subject: Bluegrass vs. Appalachian FAQs

I do not know the difference between Bluegrass and Appalachian? Further, what is clawhapper vs. frailing. This is really confusing for a New York boy (at 68).
CH

--

Greetings CH,

We're glad to assist...

Bluegrass: Was essentially founded by Bill Monroe...he put the sound together when forming the first all-string band that included the banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin as the mainstay of the ensemble. To this day, the bluegrass genre encompasses the same combination of instruments...I really believe the combination of these instruments, and how they were played, sets the criteria. The main character of bluegrass is denoted by the "high lonesome sound" through a fast cascade of notes and rhythm. Bill Monroe is considered the Father of Bluegrass.

Appalachian: This usually denotes Mountain music as originally played by the early settlers of the Appalachian...these settlers brought with them their own traditions from both their heritage and rural influences. Even though the Appalachian settlers utilized the same instruments found in a bluegrass ensemble, their approach to these instruments defined the tradition. For instance, banjo playing in the Appalachian fashion was done with more of a strum style (frailing/clawhammer)...whereas, in bluegrass, the banjo is played in a fingerpicking fashion with fast rolls. This brings us to what differentiates clawhammer from frailing. Most of what I've seen within this folk tradition is that anytime a banjo is played in a frailing style, it's considered also a clawhammer approach...so through the years, clawhammer and frailing are becoming synonymous. I believe that originally they were two different mediums...clawhammer was probably more melodic oriented and frailing was more of a banjo back-up utilized effectively for filling in behind fiddle solos.

Hope this helps...Mickey

---

---