Richard D. Smith (1) (1949–)

Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass, was man with a rich and full life, for nearly every day of his 85 years. Richard D. Smith tells his story well, from his early years in Kentucky and the complicated relationships of his family, through early and middle adulthood, when the complexities only seemed to intensify, through to his later years, when like a well-aged whiskey, there was both mellowness and bite. As a musician he made a mark that was unlike any other. He wasn't the only person who show more contributed to the Bluegrass sound, but he was clearly the driving and dominant force within the genre. He could be both hard to work with and generous to a fault. He held grudges for years but when those relationships healed the new bonds were unbreakable. I enjoyed this book of an American original, and I hope that you will too. show less

This is a decent introduction to bluegrass, but it's badly dated. Specifically, it discusses bands you're unlikely to actually see, while (at best) mentioning the bands which currently dominate festivals and radio play without telling you much about them. Most current bands were formed long after this book was written.

More: The farther you get into this book, the less readable it becomes. That's mostly, but not entirely, because the last third of the book mainly consists of lists, with very show more light explanations.

Despite my complaints, it's a worthwhile read; the first chapters, about the key early bands, are quite fine. But if you're just getting into bluegrass you'll need some updated information. show less