Tony Rice - Church Street Blues

a good standard to start with is wildwood flower, atleast thats what got me into it...

you know what's awesome? type in "church street blues cover" and you seriously will not come up with one single video that is 1/100th as good as this one. some cover artists have the tempo, some have the notes, none have the correct emphasis on the correct notes. it is truly a testament to tony's unbelievable skill. youtube guitarists are great for the most part- yet not one single person can reproduce this tune with any degree of accuracy.

Wrong... Bill Monroe was a collecting performer... He travelled around learning music from people who ALREADY PLAYED BLUEGRASS and then played it better and so it goes right up until Tony Rice with his mad pickin' Bill got bluegrass from other players... that's how it works... you learn by ear and play your impression... Irish settlers taught their kids to produce the sound of a SESSION and gradually the sound was polluted through the generations. Bill was at the END of an era Not the Start!

what tuning is this?

standard

I want to start playing some serious bluegrass. I've been playing rock and country for almost 5 years now, anyone have any tips?

buy a metronome. run scales with it. practice songs with it. learn to love it. become obsessed with it. its the only way you learn to pick like Tony. yes, it's hard- i've tried it, and already given up! best of luck.

Ever heard the song 'Mr. McKinley'? That might be a good place to start.

wonderful rolling flow to his playing. his phrases run like water.