Help with bluegrass music...

Some good ideas already. A few more thoughts:

The Allison Kraus live sacd/cd is great and features a nice little mini-set by Jerry Douglas. "Popgrass", but awfully good, anyway. Very nice sound, as well.

The soundtrack to the broadway show "Fool Moon" features the Red Clay Ramblers with the wonderful (and wonderfully named) songwriter Bland Simpson. It was also nicely recorded.

Good Luck

Marty

I don't think that Krauss, Fleck, Grisman, O'Conner, et al are "old school" bluegrass by any stretch of the imagination. Even on Audiogon. As already suggested, you might try the Del McCoury Band and Bill Monroe. Ralph Stanley, of course, as well. When bluegrass was born they were in the operating room. And pretty much anyone on the Rebel label. The first album by the Seldom Scene "Act 1" pretty much plumbs traditional forms. Norman Blake is probably one of the most notable contemporary artists playing traditional bluegrass music. And I can recommend some compilations mastered by the great Steve Hoffman on the Rural Rhythm label, my favorite being "Front Porch Pickin'". Good luck!

Ralph Stanley plays requests. Ralph at his peak. Able to throw his voice at will and make that banjo ring.Clean xlnt recording with Roy Lee Centers, Keith whitley doing the vocals. Songs include "little maggie, clinch mtn backstep and man of constant sorrow". Heck just buy the "rebel" box set.

nitty gritty dirt band, definatly buy "will the circle be unbroken vol 2". the "pickin' on clapton,zepplin,buffet" record series is good too!

Although David Grisman is not "Old School", he has a great respect for it and showcases many of those artists on his Acoustic Disc label. His website lists and describes them all.