There's a rather interesting thread here about 'hillbilly life' in response to a query about whether or not 'hillbillies' still exist in America.
The question seems either naive or disingenuous but there are some interesting responses including a number of links. If you're interested in the traditions of that part of the country, or of the Southeastern U.S. in general, you might like to read the discussion and check out some of the links.
If you're interested in the music, here's a link. And this web page might be of interest.
While bluegrass music as such is a fairly recent development, it definitely derives from traditional old-time country music.
