Bluegrass music

Bluegrass music is considered a form of American roots music with its own roots in the English, Irish and Scottish traditional music of immigrants from the British Isles (particularly the Scots-Irish immigrants of Appalachia), as well as the music of rural African-Americans, jazz, and blues. Like jazz, bluegrass is played with each melody instrument switching off, playing the melody in turn while the others revert to backing; this is in contrast to old-time music, in which all instruments play the melody together or one instrument carried the lead throughout while the others provide accompaniment.

Social and musical impact

Bluegrass in movies

• Cold Mountain
• O Brother, Where Art Thou?
• '
• That High Lonesome Sound
• Deliverance
• Harlan County, USA
• Bonnie and Clyde