High Lonesome - sample sequence

[smp156]

who the heck is that black dude who plays the banjo at 6:22?

somebody please Please PLEASE tell me?

[1934chevytruck]

@smp156

uncle john scruggs?

[clarumley]

Such a great video!!!

[Aikenan]

What is the name of the tune that plays at 7:56?

[adamtheham]

does anyone know the name of the fiddle song as the train appears?

[adamtheham]

never mind it's Jerusalem Ridge.

[windasafriend]

Jerusalem's Ridge - so powerful, so moving, so true in it's message. My very favorite piece of music!

[bluegrasssingingman]

I like how everyone tries to give Africans credit for everything. they had a instrument made from a gourde. With a stick for a neck and one string. Which is not really what we call the banjo today.The idea for the banjo may be from their gourde.Which is not one in the same. Slaves did not invent folk, mountain music. They sang songs that their masters sung. So for the people trying to give the Africans the credit. They are really trying to give them credit for Bluegrass.

[jamiblakeley108]

There is a HUGE amount of documentary evidence tying the 5-string banjo to African antecedents, including a painting from 1790 which depicts slaves playing a banjo (complete with short drone string). Joel Sweeney, the "father" of the banjo, claimed to have learned how to play from slaves.

The musical interaction between African Americans and whites is also clear. A good listen to "Black Banjo Songsters" from Smithsonian Folkways makes this readily evident.

[willroy1488]

who cares who came up with it. This great music is close to my people from southeast kentucky to me my family came up with just as did all the other familys from ky wv tn nc did they sang bluegrass cuz that what they knew. Lets just enjoy it!

[perunatic]

Pastor Kemp is an idiot. There are stringed instruments in all cultures. The banjo is no more "African" than sandals are African. The music played by Blacks in America is European. There is no equivalent music in Africa. The slaves sang European hymns, there were no fucking African hymns. If you took your lips from the Black man's ass for a few seconds you might get a glimpse of reality.

[PastorKemp]

Believe it or not, but folk music did originate from African-American slaves in the south. While their Caucasian masters were listening to classical European persuasive music, most slaves sung church hymns and traditional songs as they worked. That's why most bluegrass/folk music has that church feel to it... Now I'm not saying that the African-American slaves made folk music what it is, but it most certainly had roots in the African-American culture.

[redcaddiedaddie]

I saw nothing in this excerpt regarding who "invented" American folk music- folk music is just that- music of "the people", it has no color, and is a blend of many styles and ethnic origins-African chants, religious, Northern European ballads, etc. Most musicologists agree the the forerunner of the banjo was a gourd fitted w neck & gut strings, and traveled from Africa- your comments seem to stem from a political viewpoint-why not just enjoy the music?

[perunatic]

The obligatory total bullshit about blacks "inventing" white American folk music. The banjo was not invented in Africa and there are no precedents for supposedly "black" American music in Africa. Name it please. American Blacks adopted European folk music. Some damn fine black musicians, but it's urban liberal bullshit to invent African origins for what they contributed to.

[PastorKemp]

@perunatic lol clearly you need to do more research because the banjo was not an American instrument but came from Africa.

[kcanova]

@perunatic I do not where you are getting your music history from, but plainly you have no idea what you are talking about. First they are not European hymns, they were all clear written by Protestant/Baptist churches of the south. Secondly the the banjo is/was and African invention, commonly known to come from a gourde that was strung with gut strings to a neck. Thirdly Blue Grass is a marriage between the African-American folk music and the European ballads. Even this video stated as such.

[bpproductions195]

the harmony of the song that Ralph is singing at the beginning sends chills up my spine!

[Hannes87]

Big heart, the man. Big, big heart.

[willburr]

Does anyone know where I can find this version of 'Glory Land' at 1:40? Thanks...

[MosesHightower]

@willburr - it's on the soundtrack CD. you can find it on amazon or itunes: High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass [SOUNDTRACK]

[JuanitoEquis]

God I love it so!

[gnarleymarleyx10]

This music makes my heart soar and my soul smile...I am not a religious person but i try to listen to Ralph every Sunday...bluegrass is my church.

[blugrastooth]

true that. never thought about bluegrass that way but its as close to religion as i have. cheers

[AMILLENNIAL]

LOVE IT!!!!

[LuvsMusic2]

I have seen Dr Ralph Stanley many times and he is such a gentleman.I treasure the photo I took with him.Never will be another one like him.

[lennonlives1980]

the song ralph is singing is i am willing to try,, if you are talking about the benning of the video. the second one is i'll die no more

[imaginethisfilms]

Anyone know the name of the first song Ralph is singing?

[Fretkillr]

Anyone who is interested in Bluegrass music should acquire this great documentary.

[jeanhoel2]

Fantastic document !!!