Bluegrass and Religion

Ward, Pete

Abstract

Bluegrass and religion are both slippery terms. There are debates around the precise origins and the musical boundaries of bluegrass as a genre, just as there are ongoing debates around exactly what is and is not religion. I suspect that some people reading this book may know a great deal about bluegrass music, while others may be more familiar with the theoretical underpinning of religious studies. This book says something about both areas. While every study of bluegrass talks about the religious elements of the music, there has not been a work that focusses on this aspect in detail.

Similarly, while the study of popular music and religion has grown in recent years, there has not been an academic discussion of the religious significance of this traditional music. ‘Bluegrass and Religion’ charts new territory, in terms of the study of a musical genre, but also in the study of religion and popular culture.

Citation

Ward, P. (in press). Bluegrass and Religion. Bloomsbury

• Book Type: Authored Book
• Deposit Date: Mar 19, 2025
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3715289
• Publisher URL: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/series/bloomsbury-studies-in-religion-and-popular-music/