Distinguished by its syncopated rhythms and tight harmonies, bluegrass music finds comfort not only in its home in the Appalachian regions but around the world, including the Pacific Rim, gradually working into the mass media music scene.
This summer the ETSU Bluegrass Band participated in international bluegrass festivals in Japan, spreading bluegrass throughout the Asian countryside. The band performed at various venues, from the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo to numerous clubs in Japan.
The bluegrass band, consisting of five members, toured the country for 12 days beginning in late July and returning home in early August, bringing to Japan the flavor of Appalachia.
Daniel Boner, Robin Cleavinger, Josh Goforth, Taro Inoue, and J.P. Mathes, the five members of the ETSU Bluegrass Band, performed at a number of bluegrass festivals, including the Chiba Bluegrass Festival, an event at the U.S. Embassy that involved over 40 Japanese country bands.
“ETSU’s band was well received by the Japanese audience. They did a great job and people really liked their music,” said Jack Tottle, director of the bluegrass and country music program of performance at the U.S. Embassy.
According to Tottle, the band was able to interact with many young Japanese musicians and even had the opportunity to participate in music workshops offered at the festival grounds.
“They also got to sign autographs,” Tottle said of popularity of the musicians at the festivals.
Of course many are probably asking, “Why tour Japan?”
For over 30 years, Japan has been the host of thousands of bluegrass festivals. Bluegrass music was brought to Japan after WWII by American soldiers who were stationed throughout the country.
Soldiers taught Japanese many traditional religious songs and those who could play mandolin and fiddle, instruments featured mainly in this genre, taught others how to play with a country and western flair.
Because of the big history of bluegrass and country music in Japan and the development of the music from its strictly string nature to a more jazz and blues persuasion, more and more individuals from around the world are becoming more involved in bluegrass music.
“There are a good number of heavy-duty bluegrass fans who love the music, but it’s certainly not a mass media music,” Tottle said. “Also there are very good Japanese players.”
One of the first Japanese bluegrass bands to tour the United States, The Bluegrass 45, included the father of Taro Inoue, the mandolin player for the ETSU band.
The five musicians had much traveling to do and were very excited and exhausted from the performances, but they were still able to move from spotlight to spotlight, moving audiences all over, not only at large venues but smaller ones as well.
The band played at Takarazuka, another festival that Tottle played in 1993, with over 100 other bands, and hit local music clubs in Japan including the equivalent to Johnson City’s own Down Home. The Shaggy, a club in Kobe, Japan, has featured bluegrass music for many years.
The Bluegrass Band hopes to do more long range tours, but the possibility of touring depends greatly on raising enough funding and finding the best venues to play.
In addition to touring worldwide, two members of the band have also been featured in recent motion pictures.
Ed Snodderly, an adjunct faculty member of ETSU, was featured in O Brother Where Art Thou. He played fiddle in the movie and acted in a few of the group scenes.
Josh Goforth, part of the ETSU Japan tour, played the part of Fiddlin’ Will in the film Songcatcher and showcased his talent on the fiddle.
What can we expect from the ETSU Bluegrass Band this coming fall?
On Friday, Sept. 28, the band will be performing at the Paramount Theater in Bristol along with Blue Highway, a band founded by alumnus Tim Stafford.
The concert will help raise funds for the music department and the bluegrass and country music program.
The show, which starts at 7:30 p.m., will showcase a variety of bluegrass and country music.
For more information, contact the music department at 439-4270.

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