Written by Austin Krieger
Photo courtesy of Heidi Matthews
Halloween flew by this year, and there was no better place to celebrate it than at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall with the Sweaty Already String Band at “Listen Locally Downstairs: An Evening of Spooky Bluegrass & Murder Ballads!”
The origin of bluegrass traces back to the 1600s, when citizens from Ireland, Scotland, and England settled into America. Many of these people lived in remote lands, writing songs that reflected their new daily lives on the farm or in the hills. This music was frequently referred to as country, hillbilly, or mountain music, blending gospel and blues music that was popular among people of African origin from the Mississippi Delta region.
Bill Monroe, born on September 13, 1911, in Rosine, Kentucky, is widely considered as the “father of bluegrass music.” He started exploring new ways of string-band music and formed a band with his brothers, Birch and Charlie, known as the Monroe Brothers, in 1934. After the group broke apart in 1938, he went to form his own band, Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys, establishing a new genre of “traditional” country music. Bluegrass started to emerge within the years of 1945-1948. By the late 1940s, bands across the country started playing bluegrass, with many of the most successful groups led by musicians who had, at one time or another, played with the Blue Grass Boys.
Today, bluegrass is performed across the world and continues to be one of the most popular genres of music. Bluegrass comes in many different forms, including traditional, progressive, jamgrass, and more. One of the most popular styles of bluegrass comes in the form of murder ballads. Murder ballads have become a key part of American folk music, and their history is intertwined with bluegrass music. Murder ballads are a distinct sub-genre of bluegrass. These ballads were often composed and told from various perspectives, typically revolving around the tragic homicide of innocent women by their lovers. They range from killers expressing their remorse (“Banks of the Ohio”), to victims singing from the grave (The Twa Sisters”). Many of these songs were inspired by real life events and served as cautionary tales for young women of the time to avoid dangerous paths. The men in these pieces were often portrayed in an oddly sympathetic light, appearing not to hold themselves accountable for their actions, but rather as co-victims in these “crimes of passion.”
With it being Halloween season, we thought it would be a perfect opportunity to invite the Sweaty Already String Band to perform at our historic library on October 24. The band focuses on traditional and modern bluegrass, along with some surprise covers and original tunes deep within the tradition of the Appalachian region. The band consists of Patick Vairne on guitar/vocals, Trish Imbrogno on double bass/vocals, Pete Flynn on guitar/banjo/vocals, and Jim Kuzemka on mandolin/vocals. The theme of the performance was SPOOKY-DOOKY-OOKY, with songs such as “The Ghost of Eli Renfro,” “Cold Blooded Murder,” “Banks of the Ohio,” and plenty of other Halloween tunes. We would like to thank the Sweaty Already String Band and to all of our guests for making it one “frightful” night to remember!
From the Carnegie Carnegie and the Sweaty Already String Band, “Thanks to everyone who came out for a romantic evening of ghosts, bloodshed, and murder (ballads)!” Happy Halloween!
Works cited:
Hogg, Karen. “The History of Murder Ballads and the Women Who Flipped the Script.” She Shreds Media, 29 May 2020, sheshreds.com/the-history-of-murder-ballads/.
“Sweaty Already String Band: About.” The Sweaty Already String Band, www.sweatyalreadystringband.com/bluegrass. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.
“Bluegrass.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 9 Oct. 2024, www.britannica.com/art/bluegrass-music.
“A Brief History of Bluegrass Music.” History of Bluegrass Music, Bluegrass Heritage Foundation, bluegrassheritage.org/history-of-bluegrass-music/. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.
Published on October 31, 2024.