Last week we featured bluegrass songs about actual historical people (and a horse), but this week’s puzzle is even more specific—our theme is bluegrass songs about actual historical bluegrass musicians.
Bluegrass has got to be the most self-referential of all musical genres. Chuck Berry did sing Rock and Roll Music, and Charles Mingus’ Goodbye Pork Pie Hat would qualify as a tribute to Lester Young, but you never heard Beethoven do anything like “When J.S. Bach Played His Clavichord (Elegiac Song in Gm, Op. 181).”
Yet I came up with 22 bluegrass songs that honor other bluegrass musicians without even breaking a sweat, and there are probably at least 22 more. I also managed to work in a William Faulkner character, a civil rights figure, and the New York subway system, so there is a little something for everyone.
Remember, you can use the “Assist” menu (or the light bulb icon, if you’’e on a mobile device) if you need a little help.
Enjoy! And visit Bluegrass Today every Saturday morning for a brand new bluegrass puzzle.
