Thursday, January 13, 2011

The high lonesome sound

When I get weary of jazz or sick of classical or just plain tired of indie, I sometimes find myself turning to bluegrass and American folk. That's what I've been doing for the last several days anyway, humming 'Blue Moon of Kentucky', considering a second-hand purchase of a guitar and seeking out videos of The Stanley Brothers. Heck, I'm even watching a documentary about the Appalachian mountains. Here's a little taste for you:

I came across this splendid voice while I was still in high school I think. Roscoe Holcomb knows what real music is; it's got nothing to do with record sales or pleasing anyone, it's about sitting on your Kentucky porch, plucking the banjo and washing it down with a jar of moonshine. This is my favourite Holcomb number:




Speaking of moonshine, here's a Stanley Brothers piece. The vocals are so pure and clean - the 'high lonesome sound' which Holcomb possessed - and I've been listen to this song on repeat for a while now. 'I'll hush up my mug if you fill up my jug with that good ole mountain dew!'

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