It may look hard, but bluegrass songwriting is not any more different then any other songwriting… and there are lots of books and websites devoted to helping you learn.

One of the best ways is just to start. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with one footstep… often we think we have to tool up and learn and get ready before we can attempt anything… but if you never try, you’ll never do! Take one of your favorite songs and pick it apart… what makes it work, why do you like it…. try and write something similar, but with a different twist or theme.

This song may never see the “light of the day” so to speak, but it’s a great exercise for you to start to learn how songs are crafted and put together… just keep at it. Most songwriters you will talk to, did not go to school for it, or really prep in any many…. they just wrote it… practice makes perfect and most songwriters will tell you that they have a whole notebook or file filled with the “first attempts”.Submitted By: Sherri C.
Visit her site at: www.BluegrassSongwriter.com

If going to a lot of bluegrass festivals seems to be too expensive for your budget… consider volunteering! Many of the festivals, even smaller local ones, if you offer to help out, seriously help out, most will give you comp admission, maybe even reduced or free camping. A few hours of hard labor might help keep bluegrass festivals in your life!! Just ask!

Submitted By: JJ.
Visit his favorite site at: www.thebluegrassjournal.com/blog

If you’re looking for great bluegrass websites to peruse in your spare time, might we make the following suggestions. For all the bluegrass news you can hope to read, check out www.thebluegrassblog.com, and also www.cybergrass.com. These are two of the best bluegrass news sources on the net today. Banjo players will find a load of valuable information and support in www.banjohangout.org; Fiddle Players and mandolin players can find the same at www.fiddlehangout.com, and www.mandolincafe.com.

Submitted By: Dave R.
Visit his site at: www.BluegrassMusicJams.com

Don’t know all the words to your favorite bluegrass song? Check out BluegrassLyrics.com. It’s the BEST place for song lyrics, hand down. They have everything there! And it’s easy to use the site. Even when you’re not sure of the title or who sang it… just a few words will usually get you a handful of options and you can narrow it down easily! Great website!

Submitted By: Maria G.
Visit her favorite site at: www.BluegrassLyrics.com

All the bluegrass news you want can be found at the Bluegrass Blog. It’s so continully updated and has lots of good information. It’s like reading the morning paper of the bluegrass world!!

TheBluegrassBlog

Submitted By: Roy C.
Visit his favorite site at: www.thebluegrassblog.com

If you want to hear some great streaming bluegrass music and it’s FREE… be sure to check out the World Wide Bluegrass website.
www.WorldWideBluegrass.com

Submitted By: Sherri C.
Visit her favorite site at: www.worldwidebluegrass.com

On October 16, 1985, the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) was formed and held its first public meeting.

Also on this day in 1984, the bluegrass world mourned the loss of banjo great, Don Reno. Reno made popular his single string style of playing known as, of course, “Reno Style.”.

Submitted By: Dave R.
Visit his site at: www.HardlineDrive.com

Learning to sing harmony takes time. Don’t rush it. Listen to others sing and ask if you can sing your desired part along with them, to help train your ear. Listen to CDs of the professionals and practice picking out the different parts and sing along with your part. Listen carefully and make sure to sing with solid lead singers. These tips can help you to improve your own harmony singing.

Submitted By: Debbie M.
Visit her favorite site at: www.BuckeyeBluegrass.com

Are you a songwriter? Would you like to be, but not sure how to go about it? Today is your day to get that notebook out, and write down your ideas for songs. Sometimes it’s just as simple as scratching out a theme, or story line that can be put to music, or perhaps it can be a poem you’ve written. The point is that song writing is not as difficult as it seems. You just have to start writing out your thoughts and ideas about a story you’d like to tell. Keep in mind that any song you write, does not have to rhyme on every line. You just have to tell a story that the listener can relate to.

Submitted By: Dave R.
Visit his site at: www.BluegrassSongwriter.com