The GrooveGrass Boyz
Encyclopedia
The GrooveGrass Boyz was an American musical group that played a mix of bluegrass
, funk
, and freestyle music
. The group was founded as a side project by record producer and session musician Scott Rouse in 1987, after he began experimenting with dance mix
es of bluegrass and country songs, eventually applying the term groovegrass to his mix of music. He then moved to Nashville, Tennessee
, and joined several other country musicians and funk bass guitarist Bootsy Collins
, releasing a country version of Los del Río
's "Macarena
" and two albums. The country cover of "Macarena" charted on both the Hot Country Songs
charts and the Bubbling Under Hot 100, and was the group's first chart entry.
from Boston, Massachusetts, first came up with the idea of GrooveGrass in the mid-1980s when he began experimenting with dance mix
es of bluegrass songs such as Alton Delmore's "Deep River Blues". His mixes became popular at local clubs, eventually leading to one disc jockey terming the blend of music "groovegrass".
Rouse then moved to Nashville, Tennessee
, at the request of his friend, musician Doc Watson
. Rouse's first country remix was for Warner Bros.
It was a remix of John Anderson
's 1983 Number One single "Swingin'
." At Anderson's request, Warner never released the cut, although it became a popular bootleg recording
. It was followed by an EP
remix of "Rocky Top
", which was released and went on to sell more than 100,000 copies in the United States. Rouse also produced comedian Jeff Foxworthy
's trademark "You might be a redneck if…" single he named called the "Redneck Stomp", one of several similar musical tracks included on Foxworthy's Crank It Up: The Music Album
.
Soon afterward, Rouse recruited several other musicians, including members of Del McCoury
's band, funk bass guitar
ist Bootsy Collins
, and bluegrass multi-instrumentalist Jerry Douglas
, to perform as the GrooveGrass Boyz. They saw their most successful release in late 1996, when they put out a country version of the "Macarena
", a song made popular earlier that year by Spanish
duo Los del Río
. The GrooveGrass Boyz' version, released on Imprint Records
, peaked at #70 on the Hot Country Songs
charts and #7 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100. The single sold over 100,000 copies. It was followed in 1997 by a self-released album, and in 1998 by another album on Reprise Records
. These included Doc Watson
, Mac Wiseman
, Bernie Leadon
, and other notable artists. Neither album produced any chart single.
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, and freestyle music
Freestyle music
Freestyle or Latin freestyle, sometimes referred to as Latin hip hop, is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in the early 1980s. Mostly popular during the mid 80s to the early 90s...
. The group was founded as a side project by record producer and session musician Scott Rouse in 1987, after he began experimenting with dance mix
Dance mix
Dance mix is a form of music, created by mixing Techno House and Electronica. It reached its peak of popularity in the mid to late 1990s. However, it can also imply manipulating alternative rock and adult contemporary songs that are otherwise not dance songs so that "pop songs" can be more...
es of bluegrass and country songs, eventually applying the term groovegrass to his mix of music. He then moved to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, and joined several other country musicians and funk bass guitarist Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
, releasing a country version of Los del Río
Los del Río
Los Del Rio, also known as "The Del Rios," was a Spanish Latin dance group formed in 1992 and broke up in mid-2007. They were best known by their smash-hit and hot dance single Macarena originally released in early 1994. The song peaked at the Hot Dance Singles and Billboard 200 by mid-1994. The...
's "Macarena
Macarena (song)
"Macarena" is a Spanish dance song by Los del Río about a woman of the same name. Appearing on the 1994 album A mí me gusta, it was an international hit between 1995 and 1996, and continues to have a cult following. It was ranked the "#1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time" by VH1 in 2002.The song...
" and two albums. The country cover of "Macarena" charted on both the Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts and the Bubbling Under Hot 100, and was the group's first chart entry.
History
Rouse, a session musicianSession musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
from Boston, Massachusetts, first came up with the idea of GrooveGrass in the mid-1980s when he began experimenting with dance mix
Dance mix
Dance mix is a form of music, created by mixing Techno House and Electronica. It reached its peak of popularity in the mid to late 1990s. However, it can also imply manipulating alternative rock and adult contemporary songs that are otherwise not dance songs so that "pop songs" can be more...
es of bluegrass songs such as Alton Delmore's "Deep River Blues". His mixes became popular at local clubs, eventually leading to one disc jockey terming the blend of music "groovegrass".
Rouse then moved to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, at the request of his friend, musician Doc Watson
Doc Watson
Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson is an American guitar player, songwriter and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel music. He has won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Watson's flatpicking skills and knowledge of traditional American music are highly regarded...
. Rouse's first country remix was for Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
It was a remix of John Anderson
John Anderson (musician)
John David Anderson is an American country music artist with a successful career that has lasted more than 30 years...
's 1983 Number One single "Swingin'
Swingin'
"Swingin" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer John Anderson. Released in 1983, it was included on his album Wild & Blue. The song was the second of five Number One singles in Anderson's career, spending one week at the top of the Hot Country Songs charts...
." At Anderson's request, Warner never released the cut, although it became a popular bootleg recording
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
. It was followed by an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
remix of "Rocky Top
Rocky Top
"Rocky Top" is an American country and bluegrass song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in 1967 and first recorded by the Osborne Brothers later that same year...
", which was released and went on to sell more than 100,000 copies in the United States. Rouse also produced comedian Jeff Foxworthy
Jeff Foxworthy
Jeffrey Marshall "Jeff" Foxworthy is an American comedian, television and radio personality and author. He is a member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, a comedy troupe which also comprises Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall and Ron White. Known for his "you might be a redneck" one-liners, Foxworthy...
's trademark "You might be a redneck if…" single he named called the "Redneck Stomp", one of several similar musical tracks included on Foxworthy's Crank It Up: The Music Album
Crank It Up: The Music Album
Crank It Up: The Music Album is the first musical album recorded by Jeff Foxworthy. It features many of Foxworthy's skits set to music, primarily with choruses sung by other musicians. Two comedy sketches, "S. I. N. G. L...
.
Soon afterward, Rouse recruited several other musicians, including members of Del McCoury
Del McCoury
Delano Floyd McCoury is an American bluegrass musician. As leader of the Del McCoury Band, he plays guitar and sings lead vocals along with his two sons, Ronnie McCoury and Rob McCoury, who play mandolin and banjo respectively...
's band, funk bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
, and bluegrass multi-instrumentalist Jerry Douglas
Jerry Douglas
Jerry Douglas may refer to:*Jerry Douglas , actor, who was on The Young and the Restless for 25 years*Jerry Douglas, country/bluegrass musician*Jerry Douglas , director and writer of adult films such as, Score...
, to perform as the GrooveGrass Boyz. They saw their most successful release in late 1996, when they put out a country version of the "Macarena
Macarena (song)
"Macarena" is a Spanish dance song by Los del Río about a woman of the same name. Appearing on the 1994 album A mí me gusta, it was an international hit between 1995 and 1996, and continues to have a cult following. It was ranked the "#1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time" by VH1 in 2002.The song...
", a song made popular earlier that year by Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
duo Los del Río
Los del Río
Los Del Rio, also known as "The Del Rios," was a Spanish Latin dance group formed in 1992 and broke up in mid-2007. They were best known by their smash-hit and hot dance single Macarena originally released in early 1994. The song peaked at the Hot Dance Singles and Billboard 200 by mid-1994. The...
. The GrooveGrass Boyz' version, released on Imprint Records
Imprint Records
Imprint Records was an American country music record label established in July 1995. The label has been defunct since 1997.-Artists who have released material on Imprint Records:* Al Anderson* GrooveGrass Boyz* Charlie Major* Gretchen Peters...
, peaked at #70 on the Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts and #7 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100. The single sold over 100,000 copies. It was followed in 1997 by a self-released album, and in 1998 by another album on Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
. These included Doc Watson
Doc Watson
Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson is an American guitar player, songwriter and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel music. He has won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Watson's flatpicking skills and knowledge of traditional American music are highly regarded...
, Mac Wiseman
Mac Wiseman
Malcolm B. Wiseman , better known as Mac Wiseman, is an American bluegrass singer, nicknamed The Voice with a Heart. The bearded singer is one of the cult figures of bluegrass....
, Bernie Leadon
Bernie Leadon
Bernard Mathew "Bernie" Leadon, III is an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Prior to the Eagles, he was a member of two pioneering and highly influential country rock bands, Dillard & Clark and the Flying Burrito Brothers...
, and other notable artists. Neither album produced any chart single.
Albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| The GrooveGrass Boyz |
|
| GrooveGrass® 101 featuring the GrooveGrass Boyz™ |
Reprise Records Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:... |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
||
| 1996 | "Macarena (Country Version)" | 70 | 107 |