Sunday, May 29, 2016

Bill Monroe in the 60's

DOWNLOAD/LISTEN - Bill Monroe in the 60's - Part 1
DOWNLOAD/LISTEN - Bill Monroe in the 60's - Part 2
DOWNLOAD/LISTEN - Bill Monroe in the 60's - Part 3 

PART1-
        INTRO-
1)       Traveling Down this Lonesome Road/BMBB w Don Reno & Mac Wiseman – 8/14/60 – Watermelon Park/Berryville, VA
2)      Can’t You Hear Me Callin’/ BMBB w Don Reno & Mac Wiseman – 8/14/60
3)      When You Are Lonely/ BMBB w Don Reno & Mac Wiseman – 8/14/60
4)      Sugar Coated Love/BMBB w Carter Stanley – 7/4/61 – Luray, VA
5)      Walkin’ the Dog/BMBB – 10/28/62 – Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN
6)      John Hardy (instrumental) /BMBB – 10/28/62 – Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN
7)       Cotton Fields/BMBB 10/28/62 – Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN
8)      Ida Red/BMBB – 10/28/62 – Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN
9)      Dance Around Molly/BMBB – 10/28/62 – Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN
10)  You’ll Find Her Name Written There/BMBB – 2/8/63 – NYU/NYC
11)    Big Sandy River/BMBB – 4/21/63 – Bean Blossom Park/Bean Blossom, IN
12)   Feast Here Tonight/Bill Monroe & Doc Watson – 5/17/63 – Ashegrove/LACA
13)   Cheap Love Affair/BMBB – 8/18/63 – American Legion/Culpepper, VA
14)   Dark Hollow/BMBB – 8/18/63 – American Legion/Culpepper, VA
        BREAK>
15)   A Pretty Fair Maiden/BMBB – 10/13/63 – Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN
16)   Brand New Pair of Shoes/BMBB – 10/13/63 – Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN
17)   Tomorrow I’ll Be Gone BMBB – 10/13/63 – Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN
18)  John Henry/BMBB – 10/25/63 – Bowden, GA
19)   Bluegrass Breakdown/BMBB – 10/25/63 – Bowden, GA
20) Chicken Reel/BMBB – 10/25/63 – Bowden, GA
21)   Devil’s Dream/BMBB – 10/27/63 – East Point, GA
22)  Darlin’ Cory/BMBB – 5/24/64 – Bean Blossom Park/Bean Blossom, IN
23)  Sally Joe/BMBB – 5/24/64 – Bean Blossom Park/Bean Blossom, IN
24)  Wheel Hoss/BMBB – 5/24/64 – Bean Blossom Park/Bean Blossom, IN
25)  On My Way Back to the Old Home/BMBB – 5/24/64 – Bean Blossom Park/Bean Blossom 

PART2-
INTRO> 
1)  Last Old Dollar/BMBB – Spring of ‘64/Ann Arbor, MI 
2)  Bluegrass Ramble/BMBB – Spring of ‘64/Ann Arbor 
3)  Old Joe Clark/BMBB – Spring of ‘64/Ann Arbor, MI 
4)  I Wonder Where You Are Tonight/BMBB – 8/23/64 – Sunset Park/West Grove, PA 
5)  What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul/Bill Monroe & Doc Watson – 8/23/64 – Sunset Park/West Grove, PA 
6)  New River Train/Bill Monroe & Doc Watson – 9/10/64 – Philly Folk Fest/Schwenksville, PA 
7)  The Hills of Roane County/BMBB – 9/10/64 – Philly Folk Fest/Schwenksville, PA 
8)   Molly & Tenbrooks/BMBB – 9/10/64 – Philly Folk Fest/Schwenksville 
9)   Muleskinner Blues/BMBB – 9/10/64 – Philly Folk Fest/Schwenksville, PA 
10) Little Joe/BMBB – 9/27/64 – Bean Blossom Park/Bean Blossom, IN 
11) Shenandoah Breakdown/BMBB – 9/27/64 – Bean Blossom Park/Bean Blossom, IN 
12)  The Old, Old House/BMBB – 9/27/64 – Bean Blossom Park/Bean Blossom, IN
BREAK> 
13)  On & On/BMBB – 10/64 – Barre, VT 
14)  Panhandle Country/BMBB – 10/64 – Barre, VT 
15)  Mary at the Homeplace/BMBB – 10/64 – Barre, VT 
16)  A Tiny Broken Heart/BMBB – 4/18/65– Bean Blossom Park 
17)  Careless Love/BMBB – 4/18/65– Bean Blossom Park/Bean Blossom, IN
 18)  Billy in the Lowground/BMBB – 4/18/65– Bean Blossom Park 
19)  Stoney Lonesome/BMBB – 4/18/65– Bean Blossom Park/Bean Blossom, IN 
20) Roane County Prison/BMBB – 4/18/65– Bean Blossom Park 
21) Walk On Boy/BMBB – 4/18/65– Bean Blossom Park 
22) White House Blues/BMBB 4/18/65– Bean Blossom Park
OUTRO

PART3-
INTRO- 
1)     Keep on the Sunny Side/BMBB w Tex Logan, Mike Seeger & Alice Gerrard – 6/17/65 – Tex Logan’s House/Madison, NJ 
2)     Who’s That Knockin’ on my Window/BMBB w Tex Logan, Mike Seeger & Alice Gerrard – 6/17/65 
3)     Poor Ellen Smith/BMBB w Mike Seeger – 6/17/65 
4)      Paddy Won’t You Drink/BMBB w Tex Logan – 6/17/65 
5)     Tennessee Waggoner/BMBB w Tex Logan – 6/17/65 
6)     New Camptown Races/BMBB w Frank Wakefield – 6/17/65 
7)      Arkansas Traveler/BMBB w Frank Wakefield – 6/17/65 
8)     Golden Slippers/BMBB w Frank Wakefield – 6/17/65 
9)     Sally Goodin/BMBB w Frank Wakefield – 6/17/65 
10)  Wabash Cannonball/BMBB – 6/17/65 
11)   Memories of Mother & Dad/BMBB – 6/17/65 
12)  I Wish I Had a Nickel/BMBB – 6/17/65 
13)  Traveling Blues/BMBB – 6/17/65 
BREAK- 
14)  Soldiers Joy/Bill Monroe & Peter Rowan – 9/3/65 – Carlton Haney Bluegrass Festival/Roanoke, VA 
15)  The Grey Eagle/Bill Monroe & Peter Rowan – 9/3/65 
16)  Two Little Boys/BMBB – 11/7/65 – Bean Blossom Park 
17)  Carroll County Blues/BMBB – 11/7/65 – Bean Blossom Park 
18)  O’er the Way/BMBB – 11/7/65 – Bean Blossom Park 
19)  Brown County Breakdown/BMBB – 11/7/65 – Bean Blossom Park 
20) Little Green Pill/Bill Monroe & Tut Taylor – 1965-66 – DJ Convention/Nashville, TN 
-OUTRO

LINKS:

The Music of Bill Monroe - Part 6 (Duets & Sit-ins)

Bill Monroe - Part 6 - Duets & Sit-ins
DOWNLOAD/LISTEN

1)   Introductions by Bill Monroe & President Carter> Watson’s Blues/Bill Monroe & Doc Watson – Whitehouse – 8/7/80 
2)      You Won’t Be Satisfied that Way/Bill Monroe & Doc Watson – Ashegrove/LA, CA – 5/17/63 
3)      This World is Not My Home/Bill & Charlie Monroe – New River Ranch/Rising Sun, MD - 5/8/55  (2nd show) 
4)      The Banks of the Ohio/Bill Monroe & Doc Watson – Ashegrove/LA, CA – 5/17/63 
5)      The One I Love is Gone/Bill Monroe w Hazel & Alice – Tex Logan’s House/Madison, NJ – 6/20/66 
6)      The Dusty Miller/Bill Monroe & Tut Taylor – TT Reel #38/DJ Convention/Nashville, TN – 1965 
7)       Feast Here Tonight/Bill Monroe & Doc Watson – Sunset Park/West Grove, PA – 8/23/64 
8)      Get Up John/Bill Monroe & Peter Rowan – Carleton Haney Bluegrass Festival/Fincastle, VA– 9/3/65 
9)      Darlin’ Cory/Bill & Charlie Monroe – New River Ranch/Rising Sun, MD - 5/8/55 
10)  Bill’s intro>What Does the Deep Sea Say?/Bill Monroe & Doc Watson – Sunset Park/West Grove, PA – 8/23/64 
11)    Little Cabin Home on the Hill/Bill Monroe & the Seldom Scene – Smithsonian Institute/Washington, DC – 2/6/82 
12)   Paddy on the Turnpike/Bill Monroe & Doc Watson – the Whitehouse – 8/7/80 
13)   Stoney Point/Bill Monroe & Tut Taylor – TT Reel #38/DJ Convention/Nashville, TN – 1965 
14)   Watermelon Hangin’ on the Vine/Bill & Charlie Monroe – 78 vinyl transfer 
15)   Blackberry Blossom/Bill Monroe & Peter Rowan – Carleton Haney Bluegrass Festival/Fincastle, VA – 9/3/65 
16)   Midnight on the Stormy Deep/Bill Monroe & Doc Watson – Bean Blossom - 6/21/69 
17)   Turkey in the Straw/Bill & Charlie Monroe – Town Hall Party/Compton, CA – 12/24/55 
18)  I Know You Rider/Bill Monroe & the Seldom Scene – Smithsonian Institute/Washington, DC – 2/6/82



The Music of Bill Monroe - Part 5 (1980-94)

Bill Monroe - Part 5
DOWNLOAD/LISTEN

1) Introductions by President Jimmy Carter & Bill Monroe - the White House/Washington DC – 8/7/80
2)
Georgia Rose - the White House/Washington DC – 8/7/80

3)
Rawhide - the White House/Washington DC – 8/7/80

4)
My Last Days on Earth – Smithsonian Institute/Washington, DC – 2/6/82

5)
Baltimore BreakdownArtscape/Baltimore, MD – 7/21/85

6)
Wolf Trap BluesArtscape/Baltimore, MD – 7/21/85

7)
Brown County Jamboree Barn – Berkshire Mountain Festival/Duanesburg, PA – 7/26/85

8)
One Finger Blues – Great American Music Hall/San Francisco, CA – 8/21/89

9)
Come Hither to Go Yonder – the Brickhouse/State College, PA – 2/2/90

10)
Goodbye Old Pal – Jekyll Island, GA – 12/29/90

11)
Sugarloaf Mountain – Jekyll Island, GA – 12/29/90

12)
Dark as the Night, Blue as the Day – Jekyll Island, GA – 12/29/90

13)
I’m On My Way Back to the Old Home – Jekyll Island, GA – 12/29/90

14)
Northern White Clouds – Ziggy’s/Winston-Salem, NC – 12/31/93

15)
Big Mon – Ziggy’s/Winston-Salem, NC – 12/31/93

16)
In the Pines – Cherokee Bluegrass Festival/Cherokee, NC – 8/26/94

17)
Southern Flavor - Cherokee Bluegrass Festival/Cherokee, NC – 8/26/94

18)
You’re Causing Me Trouble – Cherokee Bluegrass Festival/Cherokee, NC – 8/26/94

19)
Tombstone Junction – Fallgrass @ the Dunfey Hotel/San Mateo, CA – 11/12/94

20)
Wayfaring Stranger – Fallgrass @ the Dunfey Hotel/San Mateo, CA – 11/12/94

21)
I’d Love to Be Over Yonder – Jekyll Island, GA – 12/31/94


Bill Monroe - V5

This installment of our look at the music of Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys swims around in the later world he created, a world where bluegrass had become a respectable art form and not just an out-of-date novelty of country music no longer prominent on the Country Charts, which sadly had become fact by the late 50's. The Great Folk Revival/Scare of the 60's helped re-establish Bill as the father figure within the sport and helped gain him a new, younger audience that would stick with him long after the healthy glow of the folk boom wore off. But it wasn't until the 80's when Bill gained the recognition and kudos he deserved, his legacy clearly present while playing for President Carter at the White House, the pride obvious in his speech. It was a different world than that when he first formed the Bluegrass Boys in the 40's and after some hard work and re-adjustment he had finally found his place in it.


Most of the songs written during this time were instrumentals, gems such as Jerusalem Ridge, Northern White Clouds and Southern Flavor all as distinct and picturesque as anything he'd ever written with lyrics, maybe more so...the prospect of the great beyond was obviously weighing heavy on his creative process and he was getting much more experimental with mandolin tunings, sometimes to ominous effects; just listen to My Last Days on Earth which is also the name of the box set released by the marvelous Bear Family Records that chronicles this same period in his career that we are today but with the official releases as well as some radio stuff. Actually Bear Family Records has done this with all points in Monroe's career, as well as other important country/roots artists and is the gold standard in box set collections. My Last Days on Earth is an ominous instrumental, not just flirting with the great beyond or questioning it but embracing it, using it as his muse, which was evident in this era. I'd Love to Be Over Yonder, Wayfaring Stranger, Tombstone Junction, I'm On My Way Back to the Old Home, Goodbye Old Pal, Come Hither to Go Yonder, My Last Days on Earth are just a sampling of the titles referring to looming darkness and the great hereafter, and what I think made his music at this time even more substantial and real, thus effective. It came from a wholly personal perspective and so set this period apart from the others.


Bill Monroe passed on September 9th, 1996 and left behind a substantial catalog of material, we have only scratched the surface here so far. If you're interested in listening to a decent cross-section of material from all points in Bill's illustrious career, the Music of Bill Monroe is a great.  The Bear Family series can pinpoint different eras, separating his career into 4 parts with a comprehensive book to accompany, and the Columbia Box serves up his early career with the Bluegrass Boys ably. There's also a great book about Bill's recording sessions called The Music of Bill Monroe (Music in American Life) by Neil Rosenberg and Charles K. Wolfe as well as a plethora of books written about or by various Bluegrass Boys.



Additional Links:
-Bill Monroe's 100th Birthday celebration-

Here's a link to an alternative version of Wayfaring Stranger, a free download provided by the Florida Folklife Program.

Recorded: 29 May 1993 by the Florida Folklife Program 1993/Florida Folk Festival (Old Marble Stage), White Springs, Florida (S 1576, tape D93-25)

The Music of Bill Monroe - Part 4 (1967-78)

Bill Monroe - Part 4
DOWNLOAD/LISTEN

1) Roll On Buddy, Roll On – 1967/Bluegrass Time - Decca
2)
It Makes No Difference Now – 1967/Bluegrass Time - Decca

3)
Cold Rain & Snow – Univ. of WI/Madison, WI – 2/13/67

4)
The Walls of Time – Univ. of WI/Madison, WI – 2/13/67

5)
Heavy Traffic Ahead – Univ. of MI/Ann Arbor, MI – 3/25/67

6)
Jimmy Brown the Newsboy – Univ. of MI/Ann Arbor, MI – 3/25/67

7)
Used to Be – Univ. of MI/Ann Arbor, MI – 3/25/67

8)
Crossin’ the Cumberland – UCSB/Santa Barbara, CA – 5/15/67

9)
Cotton-Eyed Joe – Osaka, Japan – 12/13/74

10)
Footprints in the Snow – Grand Opera House/Wilmington, DE – 3/6/75

11)
Get Up, John – Grand Opera House/Wilmington, DE – 3/6/75

12)
Mary Jane, Won’t You Be Mine – Nuggets Studio/Nashville, TN – 5/4/76

13)
Jerusalem Ridge – Nuggets Studio/Nashville, TN – 5/4/76

14)
You Won’t Be Satisfied that Way – Eugene, OR - 1977

15)
Y’all Come!Eugene, OR - 1977

16)
The Road to Columbus – Jonathon Swift’s/Cambridge, MA – 3/23/77

17)
Meet Me in the Moonlight Alone (the Prisoner’s Song) – Jonathon Swift’s/Cambridge, MA – 3/23/77

18)
Sunset Trail – Great American Music Hall/San Francisco, CA – 10/78

19)
Swing Low> I’ll Fly Away> I Saw the Light – Great American Music Hall/San Francisco, CA – 10/78



This is the last of the great 'Folk Boom' era in Bill Monroe's bands' history, churning out a class of Bluegrass Boys that went on to further the art of Bluegrass after Bill's time on earth had ended, and even while he was still here. Bill found himself with some financial problems towards the late 50's, country radio hits were less frequent as Nashville changed. It was around this time that audiences of young boomers starting taking great interest in all things folk, gaining Bill a steady audience that stayed with him until the end. Members of his band had been changing since very early on but now new members were very much connected to this new audience and Bill took to the college circuit for the first time in the early 60's, taking with him the young talents of Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Bill Keith and fiddlers Kenny Baker, Richard Greene and Byron Berline (who later recorded with the Stones), amongst others, ushering in a new era for the bluegrass Boys. Representative of this era is the album 'Bluegrass Time' originally issued on Decca records in early 1967 but recorded with many of the different members since a few years before that. One of Del McCoury's first recording sessions with Bill on 1/28/64 resulted in the first song of today's show, Roll On Buddy, Roll On.
Today we also heard a healthy sampling of some dates from the college circuit as well as a visit to Osaka, Japan and the Grand Opera House in Wilmington, DE in the mid 70's.
We also heard two cuts from an in-studio performance Bill and the Boys did in Nashville in 1976, broadcast later on the CBC in Canada and released on vinyl up north, now out-of-print: the new instrumental Jerusalem Ridge and Mary, Won't You Be Mine, otherwise known as My Little Sweetheart of the Mountains. Rounding out the 70's on today's show were a few different cuts from a show with little information, recorded in Eugene, OR sometime in 1977, and a visit to the infamous Jonathon Swift's in Cambridge Massachusetts also in 1977. We ended things today at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, CA in October of 1978 with Bill Monroe's famous spiritual medley that he often ended his show with.

LINKS:

Bill Monroe inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970.
Photos of Bean Blossom in 1978
Gene Lowinger's photography

Portrait of a Bluegrass Fiddler

Interview with Wayne Lewis


The Music of Bill Monroe - Part 3 (1961-66)

Bill Monroe - Part 3
DOWNLOAD/LISTEN

1) Watermelon Hanging on the Vine/Introductions>
Panhandle Country
Oak Leaf Park/Luray, VA – 7/4/61

2)
Sweetheart of Mine (Can’t You Hear Me Callin’) – Oak
Leaf Park/Luray, VA – 7/4/61
3) Linda Lou – Oak Leaf Park/Luray, VA – 7/4/61
4) Cotton Fields – 6/1/61/Bluegrass Ramble - Decca
5) Journey’s End – 1961/Bluegrass Ramble - Decca
6) Brakeman’s Blues – New York University/NYC – 2/8/63
7) Shady Grove – New York University/NYC – 2/8/63
8) Mary at the Home Place – Barre, VT – 10/64
9) On the Old Kentucky Shore – Barre, VT – 10/64
10) There’s an Old, Old House – Sunset Park/West Grove, PA – 8/23/64
11) Gotta Travel On – Sunset Park/West Grove, PA – 8/23/64
12) I Cried Again – the Bluegrass Cellar/Nashville, TN – 1965
13) I Live in the Past – the Bluegrass Cellar/Nashville, TN – 1965
14) Long Lonesome Day – Bean Blossom, IN – 11/7/65
15) Traveling This Lonesome Road – 1965/the Original Bluegrass Sound - Decca
16) I’m Going Back to Old Kentucky – 1965/the Original Bluegrass Sound - Decca
17) Fire on the Mountain – (Tut Reel #45) DJ Convention/Nashville, TN – 1966
18) Bluegrass Part One – Tex Logan’s’ House Party/Madison, NJ – 6/20/66
19) Willow Garden Tex Logan’s’ House Party/Madison, NJ – 6/20/66
20)
True Life Blues – Tex Logan’s’ House Party/Madison, NJ – 6/20/66


Some Notable Bluegrass Boys 1961-66
Kenny Baker/fiddle - 1957 to '58, 1962-'63, 1968- 7/77 & then 9/77 to 1984, jeesh - a Bluegrass Boy longer than anyone, Bill said of him "Kenny knows bluegrass music - there's never been a better one."
(This awesome photo of Kenny to the left was taken by my friend Scott Elmquist at Christopher Run Bluegrass Festival outside Mineral, VA around 2000 - copyright Elmquist)

Del McCoury/guitar, banjo - 2/63 - first subbed on banjo then was later asked to join on guitar and lead vocals for about a year before going on to become Del McCoury.

Bill Keith/banjo - 3/63 to 12/63 - Bill brought with him a new style of bluegrass banjo to the band, invented cool new tuners that he still sells for Beacon Banjos and is a kind, encouraging bluegrass elder and amazing player.
Buddy Spicher/fiddle - 1961 - Born in Dubois, PA, played with Hank William's widow Audrey, Asleep at the Wheel and on Dylan's Nashville Skyline as well as with Bill's band.
James Monroe/
guitar, bass - 1964-'71 - son of the father, went on to form his own band.
Sandy Rothman/guitar, banjo - 6/64 - went on to play and record in one of the more influential modern acoustic string bands, the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band.
Peter Rowan/guitar - 10/64 - went on to do so much after leaving the Boys, most notably Old & In the Way and a string of studio albums for Sugar Hill, also his long standing collaboration with guitarist Tony Rice.
Lamar Grier/banjo - 9/65 - father of guitar great David Grier
Richard Greene/fiddle - 2/66 to 3/67 - Bill Monroe on Mr. Greene - "Richard is adding a lot to Bluegrass. It's hard to keep him from adding too much"
Byron Berline/fiddle - 3/67 to 9/67 - fiddler/soon after became the wildman responsible for the fiddle on Country Honk and others by the Rolling Stones, played with Doug Dillard until starting his own band in 1996. Also runs his own fiddle business. I was lucky enough to see him at a small club with a glowing red fiddle as part of the great band California.
Roland White/guitar - 5/21/67 to 2/69 - Brother of the late great Clarence and co-founder of their band the Kentucky Colonels and later the White Brothers, he also played in the Grammy-winning Nashville Bluegrass Band

NOTES ON SONGS:
If you haven’t already, pick up a copy of the book 'Can’t You Hear Me Callin’ by Richard D, Smith, it's very good.
Links:
Lyrics to the songs on Bluegrass Ramble
a book about Bill
download some of these shows Here
Some history on Bill..
Some more history on Bill..

The Music of Bill Monroe - Part 2 (1954-60)

Bill Monroe part 2-
DOWNLOAD/LISTEN

1) Introductions /Bile Them Cabbage Down - Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN – 9/19/54
2)
I Ain’t
Broke (But I’m Badly Bent) - Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN – 9/19/54
3)
The Little Girl & the Dreadful Snake - Brown County
Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN - 9/19/54
4)
I’m Knocki
ng On Your Door - Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN – 9/19/54
5)
I Bowed My Head & Cried -
New River Ranch/Rising Sun, MD – 5/8/55
6)
When the Golden Leaves Begin to Fall - New River Ranch/Rising Sun, MD – 5/8/55

7)
Tall Timber - New River Ranch/Rising Sun, MD – 5/8/55

8)
Wh
en the Cactus are in Bloom - New River Ranch/Rising Sun, MD – 5/8/55
9)
Uncle Pen – Town Hall Party/Compton, CA - 12/24/5
5
10)
Put My Little Shoes Away – Town Hall Party/Compton, CA - 12/24/55

11)
Cheyenne – Town H
all Party/Compton, CA - 12/24/55
12)
Highway of Sorrow -New River Ranch/Rising Sun, MD – 5/13/56

3)
Rubber Dolly-New
River Ranch/Rising Sun, MD – 5/13/56
14
) You Better Treat Your Good Man Right - Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN – 4/13/58
15)
In Despair - Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN – 4/13/58

16)
The First Whippoorwill – Brown County Jamboree/Bean
Blossom, IN – 4/13/58
17)
Truck Drivin’ Man Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN – 4/13/58
18)
Sittin’
On Top of the World Brown County Jamboree/Bean Blossom, IN – 4/13/58
19
) Sally Joe – 1957/’Knee Deep in Bluegrass’ (Decca)
20)
Roane County Prison – 1957/’Knee Deep in Bluegrass’ (Decca)

21
) Out in the Cold World – 1957/’Knee Deep in Bluegrass’ (Decca)
22)
Bluegrass Stomp – 1960/’The Great Bill Monroe’ (Harmony Records)

23)
My Rose of Old Kentucky – 1960/’Th
e Great Bill Monroe’ (Harmony Records)24) Bluegrass Breakdown – 1960/’The Great Bill Monroe’ (Harmony Records)
Bill Monroe & his Bluegrass Boys 1958-59
Left to Right: Bill Monroe, Bobby Hicks, Bessie Lee, Gordon Terry, Jack Cook, Buddy Pennington.
photo by unknown
Bill Monroe part 2 - Here's the second installment of our look at Bill Monroe's live and out-of-print musical legacy, continuing where we left off at the end of the 1940's in part one. The 1950’s found Mr. Bill Monroe and the boys chugging along, writing future classics, releasing hits on the country charts and performing everywhere, continuing building his reputation as a showman and deepening his catalog of bluegrass in ways AP Carter would be proud. This time saw the loss of his star bluegrass boys Lester & Earl and the beginning of endless changes but also saw his legacy cemented in great studio recordings for Decca, Harmony and Vocalion and later Columbia and of course MCA at the end all with a consistent sound amidst an ever-an evolving line-up. In the 1950's we visit some of the classic folding chair events like New River Ranch and Bean Blossom, and finish things off with some nice vinyl transfers of his 1957 Decca release Knee Deep in Bluegrass (I'm sure Decca employed someone to think up album titles and design the artwork for albums released through the 50's, I would love to see a doc about such a person) and also tracks from 1960's The Great Bill Monroe on Harmony Records, paving the way to part 3 as we plunge head first into the turbulent 60’s.