bluegrass

Horses grazing in the ‘Bluegrass State’, Kentucky, USA. Breeding and selling thoroughbred horses is one of the state's largest sources of income. The most intensive area of breeding is around Lexington.

Dense spreading grass, which is blue-tinted and grows in clumps. Various species are known from the northern hemisphere. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), introduced to the USA from Europe, provides pasture for horses. (Genus Poa, family Gramineae.)

bluegrass

US country music of the Appalachian Mountain states, featuring high harmony singing and virtuoso banjo or mandolin playing. Singer and mandolin player Bill Monroe (1911–1996) was the founder of the genre with his band the Blue Grass Boys (formed in 1938), which in 1945–48 included guitarist Lester Flatt (1914–1979) and banjo player Earl Scruggs (1924– ).

Folk songs of European origin and old-time string-band traditions fed into bluegrass. The singing style is called ‘high lonesome’. Scruggs contributed the three-finger five-string banjo technique which became standard. The Dobro (an acoustic guitar with a metal resonator) became another typical bluegrass instrument from 1955. Among other bluegrass musicians are guitarist and singer Jimmy Martin (1927– ) and the Dillards duo (formed 1958).