~ Family Reunions ~
~*~
Whenever there was a family reunion in the old
days, the clan would come from miles
around; friends would show up too! And they'd sit
and talk, and catch up on each
other's news. They'd share some of the finest home
cookin' since the glory days back
in Kentucky, and they'd have themselves a good
'ole time tellin' stories, and playing
games. And then, one thing you could always count
on, there was gonna be some
serious gitpickin', banjo strummin', bow bendin'
fiddle playin', and harmonica
blowin' because that's what the Shepherd clan loves
to do at their Family Reunions.
Bluegrass music is a uniquely
American genre, often lumped in with country music
but also having characteristics
of folk music. It took its name from Bill Monroe (see
center of collage) and His
Blue Grass Boys, a group which originated this sound in
the 1940's. They in turn
took their name from a type of grass that grows in Kentucky
and other parts of the South.
Among
the family's finest blue grass musicians north of
Kentucky were "Git" Shepherd, and his nephew, Alonzo.
Many of the clan loved to
play their guitars, banjos, and harmonicas. Mabry,
Woody, Steve, Dennis, Rosie, Leota
Faye, and David Minnix, plus numerous others, especially
from Alonzo's branch of the
tree. His sons Robert, Richard, and Alonzo Jr.,
all pick some mean strings, and
grandsons George Shepherd, Sean Tolson, and Brian
Tolson have joined the mix. And
other great great great's of our forefathers are
now following in their gitpickin'
footsteps too - just check out young Jonathan below;
it won't be long before he's
dueling his way through one family reunion after
another. On this page, we thought
we'd offer an opportunity for the family
to enjoy some of that gitpickin' right in the
comfort of their own home, so, below we've lined
up a few tunes that "Git", Alonzo,
and others enjoyed playin' over the years and we're
pleased to be able to present them
to you here on ShepherdWeb for your listening pleasure.
~*~
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