I'm an old time fiddler.
I prefer "pre-grass," pre-Civil-War tunes up through the 20s.
Clawhammer banjo and fiddle.
Public domain tunes played in the kitchen.
The difference between bluegrass and Old Time is the difference between sheetrock and horsehair plaster.
Bluegrass musicians play too fast for dancing, play in weird keys, go off on improvisation breaks, and generally show off. They're fabulous musicians.
Old timers play the melody line over and over again, all together, at dance speed, with fiddles sometimes retuned to make the playing easy.
Bluegrass musicians use the tunes to showcase their talents.
Old time musicians use their talents to showcase the tunes.
Old time music: better than it sounds, harder than it looks.
Just listen:
http://www.sugarinthegourd.com/