James Bollman's collection of banjos and banjo memorabilia is stunning and this volume may be the only way in which I would ever be able to view it in my home a photograph at a time. The history is a resource for historians and reenactors alike. The vintage photos are mostly ones I've never seen before. This collection has the most vintage photos of lady banjo players I have ever seen. The 1860's photo of a young woman playing the banjo on page 93 has enough detail for a reenactor to duplicate her dress and accessories as well as her banjo. The same is true of an 1895 photograph of a woman playing a Fairbanks Electric. The turn of the century all woman banjo band on page 10 is inspiring. It's great to know that there have always been lady banjo players and these photos give the lady reenactor a place to start when planning a period costume to go with a period banjo. There is a section of breath taking color plates in this book that allow you not only to see detail on some rare banjos, but also depict antique banjo clocks and memorabilia. I never knew such pieces existed until this book. A great book and a must have for anyone interested in vintage instruments and pickers.

At last, another important book has emerged to stand with the few other necessary references on early American 5-string banjos.

Unlike the two fine Tsumura books which are primarily photographic essays of considerable magnitude, Gura and Bollman's treatise combines a highly readable and informed history with a remarkable collection of rare antique photographs and ephemera plus 4 lengthy sections of recent photographs of exquisite instruments and banjo related objects. Any one of these three aspects would be sufficient reason to own the book.

The frequently startling and personal photographs impart a very human feeling as we progress through the story of the evolution of the banjo in American culture. Amazingly, they represent just a minor fraction of Jim Bollman's immense collection.

Special praise is due Peter Szego for his magnificent photographs of the wonderful early banjos from his own collection.

I find it hard to remain objective as I turn the pages and imagine what it must have been like to pose for one of those Dageurreotypes, rudely dressed, banjo in hand, daring the photographer to capture my soul. And again, when I turn to that favorite Boucher or Fairbanks banjo and long to feel and play it.

Well done, gentlemen, and thank you!

As a banjo player of some twenty-five years experience, as well as a historic interpreter/performer of Early American music, all I can say is that this is the book that I've been waiting for! This well-researched, well-written, beautifully illustrated tome doesn't just give us an interesting history of the banjo; it offer us a fascinating view of the instrument's pivotal role in the birth of American "pop" music.

My favorite features of the book are the antique period photographs, as well as the many wonderful illustrations of authentic period instruments and ephemeria, primarily from the extensive personal collection of the book's authors and fellow collectors such as Peter Szego. The majority of the 19th century photos depicted belong to author Jim Bollman, whose home can best be described as a museum and shrine to the banjo. I'm also a collector of vintage photos of musicians and I can tell you there's no one more respected in the field than Jim. His name is constantly invoked with awe and reverence by both dealers and other collectors. I have to admit there were times at photo shows when I've had cause to harbor some unkindly thoughts towards Jim every time it had become that he had scored all the best photos. However, purchasing this book, which contains many of those incredible unattainable photos, more than makes up for that.

My only complaint about "America's Instrument..." is its failure to really explore the banjo's African roots other than to briefly quote Dena Epstein's pioneering work on the subject. Also, the authors are mistaken in their statements that the African ancestors of the banjo, such as the xalam, "lack the shortened string on the top of the fingerboard that is characteristic of later banjos." In fact, the xalam has three "chanterelles" (drone strings) of various lengths above the two long melody strings. A cursory look at the xalam illustrated in the book would reveal that.

Be that as it may, I highly recommend "America's Instrument...!"

Bluegrass music's greatest practitioners have always been plain-as-burlap folks who wouldn't give a hoot about dissecting and intellectualizing the music that pops out of them as naturally as sweat. As an appreciator of real deals, I wouldn't have it any other way. However, I'm glad that folklorist/musical historian Neil V. Rosenberg has been around for several decades now, poking his scholarly nose into the fascinating haystack that is bluegrass and putting the needles into cultural perspective. This sweeping and heartfelt book, Rosenberg's crowning achievement as the planet's foremost bluegrass oracle, will stand as the last word on the subject for a long, long spell.

Unlike rock 'n' roll, whose Big Bang genesis one fateful day in Memphis reverberated like a sonic boom, bluegrass had more fitful beginnings. The music's raw ingredients had been fermenting in Appalachia for untold years in the form of homemade "hillbilly" music before a shy Kentuckian named Bill Monroe began distilling them in the 1930s into a distinctive musical form. Monroe deliberately crafted the sound and personality of bluegrass and, much more round-aboutly, gave it its name. As the central figure in bluegrass, Monroe's patriarchal spirit looms magnificently large over Rosenberg's history, which, after all, is ultimately Monroe's story.

Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, arguably the next most important innovators in bluegrass, also figure prominently. In the 1940s, the two had been underpaid sidemen in Monroe's Blue Grass Boys band before abruptly striking out on their own in 1948 and becoming Monroe's main competition. Heavy turnover was a fact of life with the Blue Grass Boys, but the mercurial Monroe was outraged by the pair's defection and didn't speak to them for over twenty years. Transformed in the Sixties by television ("The Beverly Hillbillies") and movie ("Bonnie and Clyde") exposure into world-wide icons, Flatt & Scruggs achieved fame and commercial viability the likes of which bluegrass - including its inventor - had never known. Rosenberg's delineation of the famous Monroe/Flatt & Scruggs "feud" is one of the best things in the book.

Rosenberg's writing style can be stiff and he tends to exaggerate the significance of certain events, such as the use of a bluegrass soundtrack on an obscure experimental art film called "Football As It Is Played Today." Also, his laborious investigation into how the term "bluegrass" came to be applied specifically to the music is a bit of a yawn. The book is thorough almost to a fault, but it's petty to criticize Rosenberg's leave-no-stone-unturned work ethic. He has written the definitive bluegrass bible and clearly done it from the heart. If you appreciate true country music, of which bluegrass is the truest, this book will both delight and enlighten you, as it did me.

447 pages (including index), extensive notes, bibliography and discography, 40 pages of photos.

If you're interested in the history of bluegrass music, I would recommend that you begin with this book. Rosenberg is an engaging writer and a fine historian. He also performed with Bill Monroe and has continued to maintain a strong presence in bluegrass music. The work rightly focuses on Monroe's early contributions to bluegrass music, and Rosenberg demonstrates how the musical structure and context is linked to major social issues and cultural expressions in American life. The connections that Rosenberg makes between bluegrass and baseball are fascinating and right on the money.

Rosenberg is a practing academic, and it shows in his attention to detail and writing style. However, he is also a former Blue Grass Boy and manager of Bean Blossom, and it shows in his thorough love of the Music. Fascinating details alternate with a comprehensive picture of how Bluegrass fits into the wider context of American popular music. The Big Mon (Bill Monroe) comes out as a true creative genius, yet still very much subject to outside forces, for example, the folk music revival. Rosenberg avoids sensationalism, which sometimes limits the "juicy" stories that can be told about Monroe and many others, and instead focuses on the movement and the social forces around it.

Highly recommended for fans and scholars alike, even if somewhat hard reading for non-academics.

Tottle starts with some musical fundamentals -- general points like reading TAB and musical notation, time signatures, rhythm, etc., as well as mandolin-specific issues like tuning. If you have another instrument under your belt, this makes quick reading and then Tottle immediately starts you on learning simple pieces. Since I already play the guitar, for instance, I opened this book and almost immediately learned my first rag.

After you have half a dozen dance numbers under your belt, Tottle breaks out a small chord dictionary and introduces the idea of the structured bluegrass song, with instrumental breaks in between verses. Starting with "The Banks of the Ohio", he then demonstrates how to construct a mandolin break around a song's melody. As he adds numbers, Tottle increases in complexity, and it pretty quickly adds up to an impressive repertoire.

Tottle's writing is clear and straightforward. All music is presented in standard notation and in tablature. Occasional charming photographs of mandolin greats add a nice touch.

The book I have does not have the CD, but the CD can only add to what is a great instructional book.

I like this book and it helps me play the mandolin.

A Bluegrass Mandolin book is a cool one by the author named Jack Tottle!

This is published by Oak publications.

I got this book from my grade 6 teacher Mr. Dan LeBlanc last year and he gave it to me becuase I liked mandolins.

This is a good book and the songs I like to play on my mandolin is:

Oh Suzanna,
John Hardy,
Cripple Creek &
Banks of the Ohio.

The song I love to play on my mandolin is Banks of the Ohio.

There is a record inside the book and you have to put it on tape.

I like this book because of the F Style Mandolin on the cover.

Bill Monroe is in this book.

This is a great book, A Bluegrass Mandolin book and I love it!

Have fun,
And I hope everybody likes it.

When I started playing mandolin 15 years ago this was the only book I could find. It turned out to be a great investment. Easy to read, easy to follow. The music is timeless and jack has a very unique style. For beginners or experts alike theres a lot here I'd highlt recommend it

Great meals from great pickers

The Bluegrass Music Cookbook is a great book...a must for any fan of Bluegrass Music or curious about the genre.

Actually, I've only tried a couple of the recipes, so that should make you ask "How can he review a cookbook if he hasn't tried out the recipes?"

Good Question...The Bluegrass Cookbook is one of the best books to introduce someone to the significant Bluegrass players of today and yesterday. There are lots of great photos that I saw for the first time in this book, and great biographical notes on each of the featured artists. Its a great book to browse, and even the knowledgeable historian can pick up something new after each browse.

And by the way...given the Southern rural heritage of Bluegrass Music, you know the cookin's great!

This book is aimed at the singer attempting to get to the basics of that "high lonsesome" sound that characterizes traditional bluegrass singing. But even if you can't sing a lick, I find it very useful for the musician who is looking for bluegrass songs to add to his or her repertoire. Plenty of classics with lyrics and chords....great for figuring out play alongs if you're a begininning bluegrass musician. My only regret is that some songs couldn't be licensed for inclusion, but that doesn't keep this from being a great compilation.

This book covers over 140 traditional bluegrass songs. The tablature is non standard but is well explained in the book and is simple to follow.

If the musician learns half the songs in the book (s)he will be welcome at bluegrass jams. This is the book to own and learn from.

The author lists recorded versions of the song of the singer to listen to. There is an section covering how to sing bluegrass harmony, guitar chords, etc.

I wish the author would put out a volume 2 of the book.

This book combines great Kentucky Southern cooking with a healthful twist on each recipe. I call it my California Kentucky cookbook. My dinner party feedback has been quite positive.

This cookbook offers terrific, creative complete menus and easy to follow recipes. It's perfect for planning a family dinner or a dinner party , plus it's easily thrown in a purse to take to the grocery store. Don't miss the cheese grits souffle!

Orrin presents the best of the best here. If you were to incorporate a mere 10% of these licks into your own playing, you'll soon be sounding like a contest champ. Orrin presents not just the "flashy" sounding licks, but he also presents phrases that can be modified slightly to use in many songs. I especially like his "desert island" choices. A real winner, from cover to cover!

This book is not for those who just want to learn tunes.It is a book that will help unlock the mystery of the fretboard and have you in uncharted territory before you know it.Mr. Star shows you how to combine licks together to make sense of improvisation and how to improvise over the melody of a song.Has a great celebrity section featuring 5 of the best flatpickers on the scene.The book contains some really HOT LICKS! If you are a self taught flatpicker like myself,you need this book.

What an excellent book! I am so glad I bought it! Don't be put off like some people I've known by the fact that it is published by Mel Bay. This book most definitely will teach you plenty of banjo picking skills, music theory, techniques, scales, chords, roll patterns etc. When it says "Complete" the author and publisher weren't kidding. Mel Bay also offers an accompanying cassette or CD so you can actually hear the songs in book.

The book starts off explaining both traditional music notation and tablature. Every song and/or exercise throughout the book will have both traditional and tab notation. There are sections on how to tune, pictures explaining how to wear and use the thumb and fingerpicks, key signatures, time values of notes, chords, playing pinch chords and rolls as accompanyment to another instrument or singer, introduction of the various notes per each string on traditional music notation (with it's accompanying tab underneath) and various strum patterns.

The next section introduces the all important roll patterns for Scruggs-style bluegrass picking. So you get forward roll patterns (ex: forward roll during chord changes), backward rolls, thumb-alternating rolls, square rolls, combination rolls, etc. Mr. Griffin also gives tips on daily practice patterns and exercises. He gives advice such as, "I urge you to go over these patterns every time you pick up your banjo for the next six months, no matter what else you are working on. Many students learn one or two rolls really well but still slow down and struggle when others occur in solos. These patterns MUST become 'second-nature' or 'in-the-fingers,' so to speak, if you wish to become a good banjo player."

Later chapters introduce slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs, fills,endings and use of a capo. An entire section is devoted to solos although he advises not to learn this section until you have thoroughly mastered all the roll patterns from the previous chapter.

After this chapter there is a new major section to the book complete with its own introduction which suggests to me that at one time this one book must have been published in 2 smaller volumes. Anyway, Section 2 starts getting into more advanced banjo playing. It opens with various alternate tunings for the banjo then moves to chord studies and music theory such as the I,IV,V and I progression, moveable chord forms, dominant and diminished sevenths, etc. This is the section of the book that also begins teaching how to play higher up on the neck and also to my surprise and delight a detour into banjo playing for Blues,Boogie music and then into "melodic" or "chromatic" (aka fiddle-scale) picking styles . Mr. Griffin admits they are only brief introductions since entire books can and have been written that teach these styles of banjo playing. However he provides enough to broaden your playing skills and give you an idea to see if you like it enough to want to learn more elsewhere.

This second major section also introduces an "Advanced Solo Song Selection". He starts off with the advice, "Be sure to read the next four pages on chord diagrams, circled tab numbers, the choke, and chimes before you start playing the solos. This information will help you understand the solos much better. ..."Many of these songs have both high and low versions [i.e. high on the neck and low on the neck playing positions] with a mixture of "Scruggs" and "Melodic".

I've commented mostly about the lessons packed in this book but I would also like to mention the song selection. This book is chock full of traditional songs. Some I didn't recognize but many I did. Here are some of the songs included: Cripple Creek, Old Time Religion, When the Saints Go Marching In, Yellow Rose of Texas, Wabash Cannonball, She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain, Old Joe Clark, Oh Susanna, Ballad of Jesse James, Home Sweet Home, Battle Hymn of the Republic, Wildwood Flower, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Salty Dog, Londonderry Air, Nuegrass, St. Anne's Reel and Buffalo Gals. As I said, that's only some of the songs included. In short most of them are traditionals that most people will have heard already many times before so they'll know how the songs sound even without the added benefit of the accompanying cassette/CD.

In my opinion those traditional songs sound great with fast banjo picking to back them up! It completely cast them in a new light for me once I started practicing them with the various rolls and chord progressions, solos and fills I learned from this book. Anyone interested in learning how to play the banjo should find this book helpful.

This book starts at the beginning and describes tuning and techniques and is interspersed with advice on what to practice. It explains both tabulature and normal music notation and has a variety of songs progressing from easy to difficult. There are many exercises on various rolls and accompaniment techniques. This is a good first book and will also challenge a banjo player for a long time.

It took me a while to cough up the do, re, mi for this one, but I'm glad I did now it's in my hands. I love this book because it's all about the music. It has enough ethnomusicoligy in it to assure you it's honest. It has a wealth of wonderful tunes both in print and on a CD. The CD gets the underlying rhythm across like notation just can't do. And the stories about the old boys and girls are a bonus. Too many old time fiddle books seem to be a catalogue of old boys. You sometimes wonder if the author ever heard them play. Not this book. This is a university press publication, so if it sells out it probably won't be available again for a long time, if ever. So get it now.

Titon's book is an excellent compilation of fiddle tunes from Kentucky. After introductory material that places his scholarship within the history of research on old-time fiddling, Titon focuses on the transcriptions of 170 tunes that are either unique to Kentucky or else characteristic of Kentucky fiddling styles. The tunes are transcribed in clear, accessible, and accurate musical notation. He includes transcriptions of older recordings made decades ago as well as transcriptions of recent field recordings. The tunes are from the repertoires of numerous players, and the transcriptions should thus be very useful in comparing individual techniques. They also will add to the store of tunes that fiddlers can play. Titon includes discographic and historical information on each tune, thereby adding to the usefulness of his study of Kentucky fiddling. I also appreciated the biographical information and photographs of the various fiddlers, and listening to the accompanying CD warmed the written notes on the cold, printed page. The book has a terrific bibliography for those interested in additional research on fiddling, and I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in folk music, folklorists' scholarship, and Kentucky history. My only critique of the book is that Titon could have included more information about the style of fiddling used in each tune. Simply discussing bowing techniques, tempo, and ornamentation for various tunes within the pages where they were transcribed would have helped round out the excellent treatment of Kentucky fiddling.

This book is a really good read, but must be read twice due to the intracacies involved, i.e. names, places etc. I recommend you keep a pencil and pad nearby and make a chart for convenience sake. However, sadly, this same thing is probably taking place in locations as well, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, etc. I do think some things were obvious at the time and failed, or ignored, to be followed up, but I guess that's the name of the game. I would strongly suggest it as good reading for anyone interested in this sort of thing.

This book tells the detailed story of how a handful of Lexington socialites organized a crime ring that became a (maybe *the*) major smuggler of cocaine and other drugs into the Eastern United States. Complete with cover-up and contract murders, the author pieces together an intricate story that, before it's over, includes state and federal government officials as well as organized-crime syndicates from all over the country. Also recounted in the book is the life of Ralph Ross, the Kentucky State Policeman and electronic-surveillance expert, whose single-minded perseverance finally brought about the end of the smuggling ring.

It's informative as well as it is entertaining, and I recommend it to all true-crime fans, mafia buffs, conspiracy theorists, and Kentuckians.

One of the best books I have read to date. A definite must read for any Kentuckian or just anyone interested in a good true crime story. You'll be suprised at just how much money and violence was being spread around Lexington from the late 70's through the 80's.