I had a dream last night • Big Mike D
I had a dream last night… well, actually, I had a dream Monday night, for real. In the dream, I was having a conversation with Del McCoury (for whom I have the greatest admiration). Something sort of like this:
We were talking about how bluegrass has changed. We also talked about how we loved the earlier sounds like Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, The Stanley’s etc., etc.
The gist of his conversation to me (and I remember this part a clearly as the ringing of a bell) was, “I love all that stuff, but people just need to get over Flatt & Scruggs.”
In this dream, he didn’t disrespect them, and had the greatest admiration for them (and he still does), but he was trying to convey to me that music has to evolve. F&S made their big, deep, cut to the bone mark on bluegrass from the late 40′s to the late 60′s. A 20 year run. Monroe did the same thing, partially involving F&S and Carter Stanley in the process, as well.
What they accomplished can’t be reproduced. It was them, their current band members, the current state of affairs going on in the world at that time, the current or recently current other musical influences happening then, just a myriad of information/influences that helped them shape their music into what we remember as representative portions of their musical catalog.
We live in a differing time, with differing influences, both musically and socially, so the music should change, to a certain extent to represent what we face or are exposed to NOW.
That’s not to say that there won’t be music that I won’t like, but there will also be stuff I’ve never heard before, that I WILL like if someone is brave enough to experiment with the formula, to come up with something NEW.
If anyone has an argument with this thinking, then argue with Monroe, F&S, the The Stanley’s, Jim & Jesse, the Country Gents, the Seldom Scene, Al Wood, The Paisleys, the Lundys, Hot Rize, Doyle Lawson, The String Dusters, Del McCoury, Mountain Heart, Alison Krauss and others, because that’s what they did.
They were ALL thinking outside the box of what had happened before. Through the process, they developed their OWN sound and that’s why we discuss their musical efforts and know who they are.
Shew… there. Now I feel better.
Michael Ramsey
aka Big Mike Ramsey of Ramseyland
I had a dream last night…
April 30, 2011 
About Big Mike D • Where does the "big" stuff come from, you ask? Well, I do come in at 6’5" and a bit over 250 lbs (which I’m currently working on). My Aunt Mabel labeled me "Michael D" when I was a kid and I’ve always liked that one. The phonetic spelling of that became my prefix on most of my email addys over the years as "mikeld." Young David Grindstaff of the McDowell County area (pronounced MACdowell) added the "big" part to it and it became Big Mike D, usually finished with "son."
I’m automatic and manual at the same time. Sometimes I accept newer technologies and, at the same time, I like old-timey stuff as well. Mules, log houses, country life, camping and fishing are parts of me. Then, watching the ever changing technologies, with regards to the music industry, intrigues me all the time. It’s hard to keep up.
Over the course of 28 plus years, I’ve been involved in tons of music… including being Aaron Ramsey‘s Dad
…I also get to help produce a 4 day bluegrass festival in Morganton every year, and have been doing so since 2004. It’s called The Red White & Bluegrass Festival, presented each year from July 1st through July 4th, by the Morganton Parks and Recreation Department. The 2009 festival made it to the final round of nominations for the IBMA, International Bluegrass Music Association, Event of the Year. The 2011 event promises to be another stellar bluegrass event. Make your plans now to attend…. and oh yeah, I help out a buddy named Dennis Jones at a radio station around here you may have heard of… WNCW. If you haven’t… well get out from under that rock and get some sunshine SON!!!!!!
LINKS
Red White and Bluegrass Festival • www.facebook.com/RWBF
Red White and Bluegrass Festival • www.redwhiteandbluegrassfestival.com
WNCW • www.facebook.com/pages/WNCW/75290953316
WNCW • www.wncw.org/SupportWNCW.html
SON!!!!!! Essentials• www.bigmikeramsey.com/fr_store.cfm
SON!!!!!! Fashions • www.sonproducts.spreadshirt.com
CD Baby • www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TheLinvilleRidgeBand
iTunes • itunes.apple.com/the-linville-ridge-band/
"Little Sadie"• The Grateful Dead
"Little Sadie" • Crooked Still 
"Little Sadie" • Mountain Heart
Some music researchers have suggested that "Little Sadie" may have been an influence on the 1960s song "Hey Joe"
