Chapter 10: Bluegrass
In the 1930s and early 1940s, Bill Monroe drew from religious hymns, Appalachian folk traditions, blues, and hillbilly string band music to forge a bold new musical style. This sound, rhythmically driving, emotionally charged, and technically demanding, would soon take the name of Monroe’s own group, the Blue Grass Boys. With Earl Scruggs revolutionizing the banjo through his groundbreaking three-finger picking technique and Lester Flatt adding steady rhythm guitar and distinctive lead vocals, the band created the foundational blueprint for what would become known as bluegrass.
The departure of Flatt and Scruggs in the late 1940s marked not an end but a new beginning. Their formation of the Foggy Mountain Boys expanded the genre’s reach, building on Monroe’s innovations while developing a unique identity of their own. Through radio broadcasts, recordings, and relentless touring, they helped bring bluegrass to a broader and more diverse national audience.
Although the genre maintained a strong regional following throughout the 1950s, the folk revival of the 1960s sparked a major resurgence. Younger listeners, especially those seeking authenticity and tradition in an increasingly commercial musical landscape, embraced bluegrass as a vital strand of American roots music. Appearances at folk festivals, college campuses, and major venues helped elevate the genre’s visibility and cultural significance.