Bluegrass vs Rockabilly

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

LOL!!!

Our bluegrass band played at my son's wedding. A very Scottish affair up on Loch Lomond. As the evening got late we had a Scottish Country dance caller on one mic' calling the dances while we hammered out bluegrass songs. The callers (there were a few at the event) clapped the rhythm and speed they wanted and I picked an appropriate bluegrass tune to fit. Then we had 60 or 70 folks charging up and down the dance floor as only the well lubricated Highlander can! It was one hell of a night!!!

Robin, I wish I'd have been there!

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by JonPR

Good point. Rockabilly mostly swings, while bluegrass rarely does.

And you're quite right about the antecedents of bluegrass (and all American "country") being mostly from British folk music - including Scots and Irish as well as English. But naturally influenced by African-American traditions too - cross-fertilization went both ways.

While I agree with you to a large degree, the OP has a point. The difference between a bluegrass, rockabilly, polka, punk, and double time R&B beat is often in the nuances... and at times they can be pretty subtle.

Beyond the tendancys of the beat, bluegrass runs tend to be pure melody, while rockabilly tends to use more dissonant intervals, often getting into a more surf/ Hispanic sound.

I do think that with a subtle shift in rhythm and fudging around a few half steps a good bluegrass player could easily get into rockabilly territory.

[Bushleague]

You could play Dueling Banjos to this pretty easy.

[12barBill]