bluegrass in el salvador!!

So, last night we actually got to go to a real bluegrass concert, just a couple of blocks from our house!! The US Embassy does a pretty good job each year of bringing various jazz artists down here, but this year they brought a real-live bluegrass band (even though they are all from new york, we won't hold that against them...they really knew their southern history and music!!) we went with another southern boy that works at the school with me, and we all agreed that listening to them play fiddle, banjo, bass, spoons, washboard, etc was one of those times that literally brings tears to your eyes because the music transports you back to your childhood. i had visions of the little old ladies from quaker gap flatfootin' after a church gathering, when the bluegrass inevitably broke out. we had a great time talking to the band afterwards, and we thanked them numerous times for bringing us such a tangible piece of home here to us. one of the violin players goes to Mt. Airy every year for the fiddlers convention, and we even knew some of the same musicians from there! small world for sure. im sure it was fun for them also to have us there, since they are on a tour of central america, and im sure only a handful of people have actually heard of this type of music, much less the history and culture that it comes from. they asked in the concert if anyone had ever heard of north carolina, and we stood up and screamed like redneck lunatics! elvis was obviously sporting a UNC t-shirt, which they loved! unfortunately we didnt have our camera with us, but you can check out their website: http://www.myspace.com/hoppinjohnstringband