Marco

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__TITLE:__ Foggy Mountain Breakdown __COMPOSER:__ Earl Scruggs __GROUP NAME:__ Flatt & Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys __TIME PERIOD:__ 20th Century (Post War)

__INFORMATION ON THE PIECE:__ Foggy Mountain Breakdown is the most well-known bluegrass song, and is considered a classic of the genre. It is an especially prevalent song in the repertoire of banjo pickers, as the song is almost always played at concerts and jam sessions. Foggy Mountain Breakdown is the quintessential hillbilly car chase song, and has been used in numerous movies and television shows for that purpose. The song has won a Grammy, and peaked at #55 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968, which is a remarkable achievement for a bluegrass/country song.

__INFORMATION ON THE COMPOSER:__ Born in Flint Hill, North Carolina in 1924, Earl Scruggs is credited with creating, mastering, and popularizing the 3-finger style of banjo picking. He is one of the most important innovators of the country/western genre, as before him banjos were used primarily as rhythm keeping instruments. In 1948, Scruggs and guitarist Lester Flatt would form the Foggy Mountain Boys, after leaving Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (the first ever bluegrass band). Together, Flatt and Scruggs would rise to stardom, performing at the Grand Ole Opry on numerous occasions. Earl Scruggs is also well-known for being one of the only country or bluegrass artists to speak out against the war in Vietnam, and performed along with all the folk and rock groups at protests.

__ANALYSIS:__ I chose this piece partly to bother Mr. Leong, but mostly because it is an excellent example of a unique sub-genre of country, which is bluegrass. Traditional bluegrass consists of banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and __bass.__ But in this piece, the mandolin is replaced by a Dobro guitar and a harmonica. This gives the piece a sound that is not present in most bluegrass music, which is important in a genre with fairly limited arrangement options. The banjo performance is one for the ages, as Scruggs plays in perfect time, no small achievement when picking in the 3-finger syncopated style at that speed. The fiddle, Dobro, and harmonica all get solos, giving the piece a nice variety of tones and sounds. The sounds are indicative of the by-gone era of America they come from. The banjo sounds like rain falling on a makeshift tin roof, the fiddle sounds like a freight train speeding by, the Dobro makes one think of cows and tractors at a farm, and the harmonica sounds like a mother yelling for her boys to come inside for dinner. The guitar and __bass__ provide the rhythm for all the other musicians.

__OTHER WORKS:__

-A traditional Appalachian folk song, adapted to the new (at the time) bluegrass style. media type="youtube" key="B4sqishGuYw" height="315" width="420"
 * Cripple Creek**

-A different arrangement of the same song, done as a banjo quintet, and includes a piano solo, something almost never seen in this style. And that is actor/comedian Steve Martin, who just happens to be a great banjo picker. media type="youtube" key="rrlqQ1_vZVE" height="315" width="420"
 * Foggy Mountain Breakdown**

- Another piece by Flatt and Scruggs, what makes this one special is that Scruggs tunes the banjo as he plays in order to create a sound effect. media type="youtube" key="BZ5SzHd8-gY" height="315" width="420"
 * Flint Hill Special**