Mandolins in North America
[5][7] The imitators' use of mandolins helped to generate enormous public interest in an instrument previously relatively unknown in the United States.
They weren't Spanish, and Zerega was the stage name of Indiana-born Edgar E. Hill who played with his wife May, both Americans, who had eloped to London, but toured America in 1887.
[11][22] Another pioneering African American musician and director who made his start with a mandolin orchestra was composer James Reese Europe.
[23][24] Other names include Valentine Abt, Samuel Adelstein, William Place, Jr., Bernardo De Pace, and Aubrey Stauffer.
The famous Lloyd Loar Master Model from Gibson (1923) was designed to boost the flagging interest in mandolin ensembles, with little success.
Prominent modern mandolinists and composers for mandolin in the classical music tradition include Samuel Firstman, Howard Fry, Rudy Cipolla, Dave Apollon, Neil Gladd, Evan Marshall, Marilynn Mair and Mark Davis (the Mair-Davis Duo), Brian Israel, David Evans, Emanuil Shynkman, Radim Zenkl, David Del Tredici and Ernst Krenek.
He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1939 and its powerful clear-channel broadcast signal on WSM-AM spread his style throughout the South, directly inspiring many musicians to take up the mandolin.
He also perfected a sparse, percussive blues style, especially up the neck in keys that had not been used much in country music, notably B and E. He emphasized a powerful, syncopated right hand at the expense of left-hand virtuosity.
Monroe's most influential follower of the second generation is Frank Wakefield and nowadays Mike Compton of the Nashville Bluegrass Band and David Long, who often tour as a duet.
Tiny Moore of the Texas Playboys developed an electric five-string mandolin and helped popularize the instrument in Western swing music.
Highly respected and influential modern bluegrass players include Herschel Sizemore, Doyle Lawson, and the multi-genre Sam Bush, who is equally at home with old-time fiddle tunes, rock, reggae, and jazz.
John Duffey of the original Country Gentlemen and later the Seldom Scene did much to popularize the bluegrass mandolin among folk and urban audiences, especially on the east coast and in the Washington, D.C. area.
Modern players David Grisman, Sam Bush, and Mike Marshall, among others, have worked since the early 1970s to demonstrate the mandolin's versatility for all styles of music.
Chris Thile of California is a well-known player, and has accomplished many feats of traditional bluegrass, classical, contemporary pop and rock; the band Nickel Creek featured his playing in its blend of traditional and pop styles, and he now plays in his band Punch Brothers.
It saw some use in jug band music, since that craze began as the mandolin fad was waning, and there were plenty of instruments available at relatively low cost.
Mandolin has also been used in blues music performed by Ry Cooder, Yank Rachell, Johnny "Man" Young, Carl Martin, and Gerry Hundt.
Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull played mandolin on "Fat Man", from their second album, Stand Up, and occasionally on later releases.
David Grisman played mandolin on two Grateful Dead songs on the American Beauty album, "Friend of the Devil" and "Ripple", which became instant favorites among amateur pickers at jam sessions and campground gatherings.
In addition to electric guitar, bass, and drums, the band uses several instruments associated with traditional Celtic music, including mandolin, tin whistle, and Great Highland bagpipes.
Frontman Colin Meloy and guitarist Chris Funk of the Decemberists regularly employ the mandolin in the band's music.
"Show Me Heaven" by Maria McKee, the theme song to the film Days of Thunder, prominently features a mandolin.
Other mandolin inclusive folk punk acts include Blackbird Raum, and Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains.
