Pinecastle Preserving the sound of Bluegrass

When I first contacted Pinecastle about setting up an interview with owner Tom Riggs I was particularly interested in learning more about the genre of music they produce. My own experience with music has pulled me toward traditional jazz which seems to be a different branch of the American music family tree. I was eager to have the chance to learn more about another branch of the tree from someone who has followed it’s development.

Based on the “Tribute to Bluegrass” album I heard, you focus on Bluegrass?
Yes.

How did you get started with bluegrass?
I have always been a fan of country, not modern, but of the 40’s and 50’s. Bluegrass is a part of that same genre, though they have separated now. I was drawn to it as a fan and then through radio. When I sold my last business I decided to start a record company.

What did you do in Radio?
I was on the peripheral of the music world working in the restaurant & food industry. As a sort of hobby on the side I did a local radio show in Orlando. Eventually that turned into a syndicated show on 150 stations.

What was that called?
American Acoustic Country. It ran for eight years, and there was a six year show on TV through a local cable company in Orlando. After getting into the label and distribution, the radio work dropped by the wayside. I’ve also acted as Master of Ceremonies at many bluegrass festivals. These festivals are one of the primary venues for this style of music.

How did the genre of bluegrass develop?
As country became more blended with rock in the 70’s and 80’s, bluegrass became more of its own genre because it did not change dramatically, but stayed true to the founding fathers. Now it has been separated into its own category on Billboard charts and for the Grammys. However, Grand Ole Opry includes bluegrass with country music.
Now we’re seeing more of an interest from younger artists and listeners. Any number of local young players in their teens and twenties are playing bluegrass and adding their own influences to it. The mountain music, hillbilly, or rural music is now mixed with some influences of rock sounds that you wouldn’t hear from Ralph Stanley.
There’s still quite a bit of interchange between bluegrass and country. We’re actually working on an album called “Tribute to Country” which will have country songs played by bluegrass artists.
Like Elvis Presley took Bill Monroe’s Blue Moon of Kentucky and changed its sound, bluegrass has often taken old country tunes and sped up the tempo. Recently, bluegrass artists have been working with pop artists to create some of the best selling albums on the market. Ricky Skaggs recorded with Bruce Hornsby, and the surprising combination of Allison Krauss and Robert Plant is selling extremely well. These combos help attract new listeners to this style of music. Even “Oh Brother” with its mountain music which was a major influence on the bluegrass sound has drawn listeners to bluegrass.
College groups that have started out playing this music for their peers also increase the listener base by reaching younger listeners who wouldn’t have heard it otherwise.

What are the basics of bluegrass that haven’t changed?
The line up of musicians remains fiddle, often mandolin, five string banjo, bass (mostly upright), and guitar. Sometimes a second resophonic guitar is included to add fullness to the sound.
The original sound came from Bill Monroe playing mandolin with singer/guitarist Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs on banjo, and fiddler Chubby Wise known as the Blue Grass Boys. The style they played was named after the band and is sometimes called “folk music in overdrive.” Monroe had a distinctive mandolin “chop” style to create the beat. That group of musicians created more of a driven sound. Also, while there are still soloists, most feature multiple voices singing quartets, especially with the religious and gospel music. The choruses have harmonies that are more distinctive and not just backup. Sometimes it’s simple the subtlety of style from the fiddle or banjo player.
Before Scruggs there was what is referred to as “frailing banjo” style, afterward people imitated his three finger picking style. The earlier type was more of a comedian like Bill Monroe’s first banjo player, “Stringbean.” My own playing is closer to “Stringbean” than Scruggs. One of the stars of the old style, Uncle Dave Macon known as “the Dixie Dewdrop,” when asked what he thought about Scruggs’ playing replied, “When’s he gonna tell a joke?”
Later Flatt & Scruggs split off to record on their own and performed with groups in “package shows” from the Grand Ole Opry touring to places like Greenville and Charlotte. Bluegrass groups like the Stanley Brothers and others were on the bill for these shows with the country artists. Eventually, festivals developed with exclusively bluegrass line-ups and groups formed such as the International Bluegrass Music Association and the Society for Preservation of Bluegrass music.

How does your relationship with the artists work as their label?
The artist is our number one customer. Our contract with them gives us limited control over what they do. We produce the album and so the sales pay royalties to the song writers first as well as recoup our expense. After that the performing artists are paid.

Where are your artists located?
Most are primarily located in the Southeast, but they are spread as far as Nashville and up to Chicago. In some cases the band members themselves are spread out. For instance, Grasstowne members live in Tennessee and North Carolina.

Where do they do the recording?
They record many different places. Often it’s where the band is located. A city like Nashville has many studios, but one of the groups will be using a little studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee that is very professional.

What groups do you represent?
Right now we are rebuilding after losing three major, some would say “legendary,” artists. Charlie Waller of the Country Gentleman passed recently, as did Jim of Jim & Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys. As for the Osborne brothers, Sonny retired from recording banjo (though he’s still better than I ever was, he’s not up to his own standards) and his brother Bobby chose another label. We still have and sell their albums, but they’re not making any new ones.

Is there a gap between the “legends” and the younger players?
Bill Monroe only died six years ago and “legends” like him created a financial ceiling for younger musicians. Someone like Larry Stevens who has been hanging around in the “second tier” has moved up to Opry Shows now that Monroe and Osborne are no longer playing.
Grasstowne is made up of three “second tier” musicians who by working together now have the opportunity to become “top drawer.”

Tell me about some of the new artists recording now.
The Dixie Bee-Liners with lead vocals by Brandi Hart have multiple influences of folk and rock while playing classic bluegrass instruments and writing their own material. On their new album ten of the twelve songs are original. Monroe and Stanley wrote thousands of songs, and later bands mostly covered their songs, but now groups are writing again.
Central Virginia’s “The Nothing Fancy Band” is working on their fourth album. They sell very well at performances because they put on a very entertaining show. Their shows include comedy, religious and secular music. They have a fabulous draw for their live shows.
Grasstowne’s first album has just reached number one on the bluegrass charts. This group was formed by three successful band leaders coming together with guitar, mandolin, and resophonic guitar and adding a fabulous 21 year old banjo player (who has recorded a solo album), and a bass player. The buzz and excitement of their music grabbed the attention of disc jockeys. You also might say they have “better than average” live shows.


You might say that Pinecastle has its finger on the pulse of the new bluegrass sound. Not only has Grasstowne hit number one on the charts but they have been nominated in eleven different categories for the upcoming Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America’s 43rd Annual Bluegrass Music Awards including Bluegrass Band of the Year.