Bluegrass Music from across the pond...

Every now and again, through my job, I get a chance to meet some very nice people and today was one of those days.

Around 11 a.m. this morning, myself and the paper's intern rolled up to the metropolis of Rosine, Kentucky to interview a bluegrass band. Now we have God knows how many bluegrass bands in the county/area/region, but this one was different.

The band's name is the Morris Boys and they are here from England making a pilgrimage to the birthplace of bluegrass music, which everyone knows is Rosine, Kentucky. Population: 50.

So we met up with them at The Barn where they'll be playing tonight and visited with them for a good long while. We were looking at getting in and out in less than an hour to catch up with our editor for lunch, but before we knew it we had been there for over 2 hours discussing music, British politics, soccer and more music.

Dave and Glen Morris formed the band and did a lot of the talking while Jerry the fiddle player rolled his cigarettes in between stories. Their mandolin player stood off to the side and played the entire time so we had a sound track.

Not only were they some really nice guys, but they just love their music. It doesn't seem like they make much money, if any, in playing, but they have a passion for it. It seems like they put all of their efforts into going out and playing. They didn't say that they did much of any recording so they just play for the love of it and that's something that lost in many forms of music these days.

Most people won't stick with music unless they can make a living at it. These guys made their living so that they could have the luxury of playing the music that they love. They spoke about when Bill Monroe was in England playing and how thousands of people would be dead silent during the songs trying to figure out how they played that music like they did.

That's the funny thing about Bluegrass music, there isn't really any sheet music for it and you'd be surprised that probably 3/4's of the people that play it couldn't read sheet music if their lives depended on it. They just figure out how to play, just like the Morris Boys did.

You could tell that they really loved being in Rosine. They said that they liked how it hadn't changed since the last time they were there 4 or 5 years ago. Glen even said he would love to able to move to a place like Rosine. They all love the southern hospitality around here.

I've linked the title of this post to the British Bluegrass Music Association of which Dave Morris is a representative for one of England's southern regions.

It's about 3:15 in the afternoon at the moment and they'll be taking the stage at around 8. If I'm not side tracked I hope to head up that way and hear them play some more. Of course I'll have to get there at 6 be able to get in.

We are talking about "The Barn" in Rosine, Kentucky here. It's the happenin' place to be on Friday night.

**UPDATE**

I did so happen to make it to Rosine for their set. I got there around 7:30 since they were going on at 8 and I had to park a block away. Of course being Rosine that meant I was about 40 yards from the stage.

Anyway, they did not disappoint. They certainly weren't wasting anyone's time when they hit the stage. Everyone tried to get their picture so flashbulbs were going off pretty regularly and they got more applause than most anyone else. They're all wonderful musicians and I hope to see them again while they are on their little vacation here in the county.