Re: BG: Re: Folk Music & Mtn.Bluegrass

[E Bryant Holman]

I am sure that I need more research, and I don't claim to be an authority on anything. I keep saying that these are just my theories, and that I am hoping for more input in order to be better informed. I thank you for giving me that, and I am truly sorry that my words offended you. If you want, I just won't write to this group anymore, and you can run it that way you see fit.   I am aware of the influence of the blues, and I would be happy to include some comments on that, but I have not had reason to write and encyclopedic length discourse. I will leave that to you to do so.   The Ulstermen were the Irish natives, and the lowland Scots were settlers who were sent to populate and make productive the tracts of land which were forcefully taken from the Ulster Irish, and this whole chapter in history has never been resolved, and it is the cause of the violence and civil problems that are still extant on Northern Ireland. That is in answer for your apparantly challenging me to clarify that point. I am very sorry that this discussion, which has been so civil so far, has been turned into a matter of expressing offense where clearly none was intended.   Bryant   ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: bluegrass@drralphstanley.com Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 2:10 PM Subject: Re: BG: Re: Folk Music & Mtn.Bluegrass I'm a little offended that it is being suggested by our good friend in England that traditional Irish music had no influence on our mountain music. Instead he implies that it was merely the Scots and the English when most Americans' hertitage is Irish. I also do not recognize the term Ulster, as it is Northern Ireland. When refering to the "Ulster Scots" you exclude the native Irish that have lived there for generations and who were forced off of their land by the Engish who moved their Scottish brethren into the North of Ireland to "civilize" the Irish colony in the 1600's. If you are planning to speak as an authority in England on Bluegrass music you are misguided not to include the Irish influence as well as the influence of the Blues that has greatly influenced Bluegrass music.  Many of Bill Monroe's mandolin tunes have very bluesy licks as do many modern performers of bluegrass music. Perhaps more research on your part is needed.   J.P. in Kentucky