Public Media from Michigan State University

Big Family: The Story Of Bluegrass Music | Special

Bela Fleck
Steve Shaffer

Fri. Aug. 30, 9pm on WKAR-HD 23.1 | Examine the history of bluegrass music, from its orgins to its pioneers to its eventual worldwide popularity.

Hear dozens of musicians explain the ways bluegrass music transcends generational, cultural, and geographic boundaries. Big Family: The Story Of Bluegrass Music traces the genre’s history — outlining how Scots-Irish and African-American influences led Bill Monroe to develop the distinct musical genre to its foothold in popular culture through television and movies.

At the heart of the two-hour film is the music itself, as recordings and performance footage showcase and celebrate its unique sound. More than 50 musicians appear in the film, including Alison Brown, Dale Ann Bradley, Sam Bush, JD Crowe, Bela Fleck, Laurie Lewis, Del McCoury, Bobby Osborne, Ricky Skaggs, Chris Thile, and many more.

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