Kody Norris is Bluegrass Proud

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Kody Norris sings like dynamite explodes. He’s young and he’s loud, confident and you bet bluegrass proud.
Hear the Mountain City, Tenn., bluegrasser on July 4 at the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Va. Then, wait a spell and see him again on July 17 at Lay’s Hardware in Coeburn, Va. Either place on either night, and it’s the same Norris.
“I’m the black sheep of my genre of music,” Norris said recently while seated within a song’s drive of State Street and Bristol’s deep music history. “I’m sticking to the traditional aspects of bluegrass.”
While others widen the boundaries of bluegrass in terms of sound and appearance, Norris looks to eras past. His bright suits could easily have been plucked from Jimmy Martin’s closet. His music drives hard as if recorded 50 years ago.
He’s called himself Mr. Bluegrass, but Mr. Tradition fits just as well.
“It’s the only thing I know,” Norris said. “There’d be no way I could do it any other way.”
Some musicians such as Vince Gill, Patty Loveless and Dwight Yoakam, can sing most anything. Country, rock, bluegrass, gospel, you name it. Norris isn’t one of them. He’s determined to not bend one bit and said he will not sacrifice his principles of music for the sake of sales.
“I know where I’m headed,” he said. “It might be to the poorhouse, but I’m not a crossover. I want people to say, ‘Now that’s bluegrass.’ ”
Crossover, now that’s a four-letter word in Norris’ world.
“It is, most definitely,” he said.
However, that does not mean that Norris’ world revolves entirely on a bluegrass axis. He likes country and rock music, and maintains an open mind such that he said he can and has learned from even some of the hardest and most distinct of rockers.
That’s the key, distinction.
“Look at that picture,” Norris said, pointing to a large photo of rock’s ZZ Top with their famously long beards. “You can tell who’s who. I went to see Motley Crue last year, and they respect their fans enough to give them a show that they want to see.”
So Norris performs in striking, bright red or blue suit jackets with matching hat, slacks and boots. You’d think he leapt right off one of Martin’s famously colorful album covers.
“Some people call it a retro look, and I love that,” Norris said. “I’m trying to make it belong here today.”
That takes time. Not even Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass, or Earl Scruggs, the father of bluegrass banjo, catapulted to overnight success. For one thing, it takes time to understand how to entertain audiences.
“When you can take them within 45 minutes from laughing and stomping their feet from their seats one second and bawling the next,” Norris said, “you’re done something.”
In other words, it pays to know the crowd.
Then, there’s talent. Whether it was Monroe, Scruggs or anyone else in bluegrass history, talent needs time to sharpen for some and for others to be corralled so as to find an audience.
“This is my fourth year with my own band,” Norris said. “I’m finally starting to make headway.”

TOM NETHERLAND is a freelance writer. He can be reached at features@bristolnews.com.

IF YOU GO
Who: Kody Norris & The Watauga Mountain Boys
When: July 4, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Carter Family Fold, A.P. Carter Highway, Hiltons, Va.
Admission: $7 adults’
Info: (276) 645-0035 and (276) 386-6054
Web and audio: www.myspace.com/kodynorris
Also: www.carterfamilyfold.org

AND

When: July 17, 7 p.m.
Where: Lays Hardware, 409 E. Front St., Coeburn, Va.
Info: (276) 395-5160
Web: www.layshardware.com