For classic bluegrass, find any Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys when he had Flatt and Scruggs. That's when the bluegrass sound really gelled. And was before studios started adding a lot of reverb (mostly a 50 and 60's trend).
Some old favorites include :
Flatt and Scruggs - The Complete Mercury Sessions
Bill Monroe and the BBG - Live Recordings 1956-1969 Vol 1
The Stanley Brothers - The Complete Mercury Recordings
(The classic for the gentler "duet" sound)
Any live bluegrass releases from the Newport Folk Festival on Vanguard
Some newer ones with the traditional sound :
Ricky Skaggs - Bluegrass Rules ! (Highly recommended)
Dolly Parton - The Grass is Greener (Her best BG release)
Patty Loveless - Mountain Soul
Anything by Del McCoury
Some favorites that stretch the boundaries a bit :
Any live Kentucky Colonels
Seldom Scene - Live at the Cellar Door
Tony Rice - Manzanita
One that's gotten well reviewed for sound quality is the recent live one by Hot Rize called "So Long of a Journey".
Some old favorites include :
Flatt and Scruggs - The Complete Mercury Sessions
Bill Monroe and the BBG - Live Recordings 1956-1969 Vol 1
The Stanley Brothers - The Complete Mercury Recordings
(The classic for the gentler "duet" sound)
Any live bluegrass releases from the Newport Folk Festival on Vanguard
Some newer ones with the traditional sound :
Ricky Skaggs - Bluegrass Rules ! (Highly recommended)
Dolly Parton - The Grass is Greener (Her best BG release)
Patty Loveless - Mountain Soul
Anything by Del McCoury
Some favorites that stretch the boundaries a bit :
Any live Kentucky Colonels
Seldom Scene - Live at the Cellar Door
Tony Rice - Manzanita
One that's gotten well reviewed for sound quality is the recent live one by Hot Rize called "So Long of a Journey".