For the retired NBC News correspondent of the same name, see Bill Monroe (journalist). NBC News endcap, used from 2002 to present. ... Bill Monroe is a former television journalist for NBC News and the fourth moderator of the NBC program Meet the Press (from 1975 to 1984). ...

William Smith Monroe (September 13, 1911 – September 9, 1996) was an American musician who developed the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader. He is often referred to as "the father of bluegrass." is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Rosine, Kentucky is a town in Ohio County, Kentucky. ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music which has its own roots in Irish, Scottish and English traditional music. ... Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music which has its own roots in Irish, Scottish and English traditional music. ... The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of activities to do with creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... This article is about the musical instrument. ... This official history of the Country Music Hall of Fame skirts the scandals well-documented by veteran Music Row historian Stacy Harris. ... Induction to the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor is managed by the International Bluegrass Music Association, and the Hall itself is maintained at the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky. ... The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at sunset. ... The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly Saturday night country music radio program broadcast live on WSM radio in Nashville, Tennessee, and televised on Great American Country network. ... This article is about the musical instrument. ... is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music which has its own roots in Irish, Scottish and English traditional music. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... A bandleader is the director of a band of musicians. ...

Early life

Monroe was born on his family's farm near Rosine, Kentucky, the youngest of eight children of James Buchanan "Buck" Monroe and Malissa Vandiver Monroe. Malissa and her brother, Pendleton "Pen" Vandiver, were both musically inclined, and Monroe and his siblings grew up playing and singing music in the home. Because his older brothers Birch and Charlie had already laid claim to the fiddle and guitar, respectively, young Bill was left with the smaller and less desirable mandolin during family picking sessions. Monroe later recalled that his brothers insisted that he remove four of the eight strings from the instrument so that he would not play too loudly. Rosine, Kentucky is a town in Ohio County, Kentucky. ... This article is about the musical instrument. ...

Monroe's mother died when he was ten years old, followed by his father six years later. Because his siblings had moved away from Rosine, Monroe lived for about two years with his uncle Pen Vandiver, often accompanying him when Vandiver played the fiddle at local dances. This experience later inspired one of Monroe's most famous compositions, "Uncle Pen," recorded in 1950; on a 1972 album, Bill Monroe's Uncle Pen, Monroe recorded a number of traditional fiddle tunes often performed by Vandiver.

Professional career

In 1929, Monroe moved to Indiana to work at an oil refinery with his brothers Birch and Charlie. They quickly formed a musical group, the Monroe Brothers, to play at local dances and house parties. Birch Monroe soon left the group, and Bill and Charlie carried on as a duo, eventually winning spots performing live on radio stations--first in Indiana and then in several cities in the Midwest and South. RCA Victor signed the Monroe Brothers to a recording contract in 1936. They scored an immediate hit single with the gospel song "What Would You Give In Exchange For Your Soul?" and ultimately recorded 60 tracks for Victor's Bluebird label between 1936 and 1938. For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ... Sony BMG Music Entertainment is the result of a 50/50 joint venture between Sony Music Entertainment (part of Sony) and BMG Entertainment (part of Bertelsmann AG) completed in August 2004. ... Bluebird Records was a sub-label of RCA Victor created to counter ARC Records on the 3 records for a dollar market. ...

After the Monroe Brothers disbanded in 1938, Bill Monroe formed the first edition of the Blue Grass Boys with singer/guitarist Cleo Davis, fiddler Art Wooten, and bassist Amos Garren. In October 1939, he successfully auditioned for a regular spot on the Grand Ole Opry, impressing Opry founder George D. Hay with his energetic performance of Jimmie Rodgers's "Mule Skinner Blues." Monroe recorded that song, along with seven others, at his first solo recording session for RCA Victor in 1940; by this time, the Blue Grass Boys consisted of singer/guitarist Clyde Moody, fiddler Tommy Magness, and bassist Bill Wesbrooks.^[1] The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly Saturday night country music radio program broadcast live on WSM radio in Nashville, Tennessee, and televised on Great American Country network. ... George Dewey Hay (November 9, 1895, Attica, Indiana - May 8, 1968, Virginia Beach, Virginia) was the founder of the original Grand Ole Opry radio program on WSM (AM) in Nashville, Tennessee, from which todays country music stage show of the same name has evolved. ... ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... Mule Skinner Blues (AKA Blue Yodel # 8) was a folk song cowritten by Jimmy Rodgers and George Vaughn in 1931. ... Clyde Moody (born September 19, 1915 in Cherokee, North Carolina, died April 7, 1989 in Nashville, Tennessee), also known as the Hillbilly Waltz King and sometimes as The Genial Gentleman of Country Music was one the great founders of American Bluegrass music. ...

While the fast tempos and instrumental virtuosity characteristic of bluegrass music are apparent even on these early tracks, Monroe was still experimenting with the sound of his group. He seldom sang lead vocals on his Victor recordings, often preferring to contribute high tenor harmonies as he had in the Monroe Brothers. A 1945 session for Columbia Records featured an accordion, soon dropped from the band. Most importantly, while Monroe added banjo player David "'Stringbean" Akeman to the Blue Grass Boys in 1942, Akeman played the instrument in a relatively primitive style and was rarely featured in instrumental solos. Monroe's pre-1946 recordings represent a transitional style between the string-band tradition from which he came and the musical innovation to follow. Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ... This article is about the instrument as a whole. ... For other uses, see Banjo (disambiguation) The banjo is a stringed instrument developed by enslaved Africans in the United States, adapted from several African instruments. ... David Akeman (June 17, 1915 – November 11, 1973) was an American country music banjo player and comedy musician best known for his role on the hit television show, Hee Haw. ...

The "Original Bluegrass Band" and Monroe's heyday as a star

A key development occurred in Monroe's music with the addition of North Carolina banjo prodigy Earl Scruggs to the Blue Grass Boys in December 1945. Scruggs played the instrument with a distinctive three-finger picking style that immediately caused a sensation among Opry audiences. Scruggs joined a highly accomplished group that included singer/guitarist Lester Flatt, fiddler Chubby Wise, and bassist Howard Watts, who often performed under the name "Cedric Rainwater." In retrospect, this lineup of the Blue Grass Boys has been dubbed the "Original Bluegrass Band," as Monroe's music finally included all the elements that characterize the genre, including breakneck tempos, sophisticated vocal harmony arrangements, and impressive instrumental proficiency demonstrated in solos or "breaks" on the mandolin, banjo, and fiddle. By this point, Monroe had acquired the 1923 Gibson F5 model "Lloyd Loar" mandolin which became his trademark instrument for the remainder of his career.^[2] Earl Scruggs performing at The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 12th, 2005 Earl Eugene Scruggs (born January 6, 1924) is a musician noted for creating a banjo style (now called Scruggs style) that is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music. ... Lester Flatt (June 19, 1914 - May 11, 1979) was one of the pioneers of bluegrass music. ...

The 28 songs recorded by this version of the Blue Grass Boys for Columbia Records in 1946 and 1947 soon became classics of the genre, including "Toy Heart," "Blue Grass Breakdown," "Molly and Tenbrooks," "Wicked Path of Sin," "My Rose of Old Kentucky," "Little Cabin Home on the Hill," and Monroe's most famous song, "Blue Moon of Kentucky." The latter was recorded by Elvis Presley in 1954, appearing as the B-side of his first single for Sun Records. Monroe gave his blessing to Presley's rock-and-roll cover of the song, originally a slow ballad in waltz time, and in fact re-recorded it himself with a faster arrangement after Presley's version became a hit. Several gospel-themed numbers are credited to the "Blue Grass Quartet," which featured four-part vocal arrangements accompanied solely by mandolin and guitar--Monroe's usual practice when performing "sacred" songs. Molly and Tenbrooks, also known as The Racehorse Song is, by some definitions the first recording in the bluegrass music genre. ... Blue Moon of Kentucky is a bluegrass song, written by Bill Monroe in 1947 and recorded by his band, The Blue Grass Boys. ... “Elvis” redirects here. ... Label of the fourth Sun Records Sun Records has been the name for four 20th century record labels. ... This article is about the 1940s–1960s style of music. ... Illustration by Arthur Rackham of the ballad The Twa Corbies A ballad is a story, usually a narrative or poem, in a song. ... A waltz (German: , Italian: , French: , Spanish: , Catalan: ) is a ballroom and folk dance in   time, done primarily in closed position. ...

Both Flatt and Scruggs left Monroe's band in early 1948, soon forming their own group, the Foggy Mountain Boys, which met with notable commercial success in the 1950s and 1960s with such hits as "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," "Cabin on the Hill," and "The Ballad of Jed Clampett." Monroe quickly regrouped with what many consider the classic "high lonesome" version of the Blue Grass Boys, featuring the cutting lead vocals and powerful rhythm guitar of Jimmy Martin, the banjo of Rudy Lyle (replacing the fuller sound of Earl Scruggs), and dynamic fiddlers such as Merle "Red" Taylor and Charlie Cline. This band recorded a number of bluegrass classics, including "My Little Georgia Rose," "On and On," "Memories of Mother and Dad," and "Uncle Pen," as well as instrumentals such as "Get Up John" and the mandolin feature "Raw Hide." Carter Stanley even joined the Blue Grass Boys as guitarist for a short time in 1951 during a period when the Stanley Brothers had temporarily disbanded. Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, and the Foggy Mountain Boys were an influential bluegrass band performing and recording the 1950s and 1960s. ... Foggy Mountain Breakdown is a famous bluegrass music instrumental by the seminal bluegrass artists Flatt and Scruggs. ... The Ballad of Jed Clampett was used as the theme song for The Beverly Hillbillies TV show and movie. ... Bluegrass musician Jimmy Martin Jimmy Martin (August 10, 1927 – May 14, 2005) was an American bluegrass musician, known as the King of Bluegrass. Born James H. Martin in Sneedville, Tennessee, beginning in 1949 Martin was lead vocalist for Bill Monroes Bluegrass Boys,. Martins high voice mixed with Monroe... Carter Stanley (left) performing with his brother Ralph. ... The Stanley Brothers (Carter Stanley, 1925-1966, and Ralph Stanley, born 1927) were American bluegrass musicians. ...

By the late 1950s, however, Monroe's commercial fortunes had begun to slip. The rise of rock-and-roll and the development of the slick, polished "Nashville sound" in mainstream country music both represented threats to the viability of bluegrass. While still a mainstay on the Grand Ole Opry, Monroe found diminishing success on the singles charts, and struggled to keep his band together in the face of declining demand for live performances The Nashville Sound (often known as Countrypolitan) arose during the late 1950s as a sub-genre of American country music, replacing the chart dominance of the Honky Tonk sound which was most popular in the 1940s and 1950s. ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ...

The folk revival

Monroe's fortunes began to improve during the "folk revival" of the early 1960s. Many college students and other young people were beginning to discover Monroe, associating his style more with traditional folk music than with the country-and-western genre with which it had previously been identified. The word "bluegrass" first appeared around this time to describe the sound of Monroe and similar artists such as Flatt and Scruggs, the Stanley Brothers, Reno and Smiley, Jim and Jesse, and the Osborne Brothers. While Flatt and Scruggs immediately recognized the potential for a lucrative new audience in cities and on college campuses in the North, Monroe was slower to respond. Under the influence of Ralph Rinzler, a young musician and folklorist from New Jersey who briefly became Monroe's manager in 1963, Monroe gradually expanded his geographic reach beyond the traditional southern country music circuit. Rinzler was also responsible for a lengthy profile and interview in the influential folk music magazine Sing Out! that first publicly referred to Monroe as the "father" of bluegrass. A roots revival (folk revival) is a trend which includes young performers popularizing the traditional musical styles of their ancestors. ... Reno and Smiley was a musical duo comprised of two highly talented musicians, Donald Wesley Reno and Arthur Lee Red Smiley. ... Jim & Jesse were an American bluegrass music duo consisting of two brothers Jim and Jesse McReynolds. ... Ralph Rinzler (1934-1994) was the co-founder the annual Folk Life Festival on the Mall every summer in Washington, D.C., where he worked as a curator for American art, music, and folk culture at the Smithsonian. ... Sing Out! is a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that has been published since May 1950. ...

The growing national popularity of Monroe's music during the 1960s was also apparent in the increasingly diverse background of musicians recruited into his band. Non-southerners who served as Blue Grass Boys during this period included banjo player Bill Keith and singer/guitarist Peter Rowan from Massachusetts, fiddler Gene Lowinger from New York, banjo player Lamar Grier from Maryland, and singer/guitarist Roland White and fiddler Richard Greene from California. Bill Keith (January 20, 1929 – 2004) began his artistic life as a painter, but moved into photography and visual poetry. ... Peter Rowan Peter Rowan (b. ... Richard Greene is a virtuoso violinist (aka fiddler) and one of the most innovative and influential fiddle players of all time. He grew up in Los Angeles and began his musical studies in classical music. ...

Later years

Even after the folk revival faded in the mid-1960s, it left a loyal audience for bluegrass music. Bluegrass festivals became common, with fans often traveling long distances to see a number of different acts over several days of performances. Monroe himself founded an annual bluegrass festival at Bean Blossom in southern Indiana which routinely attracted a crowd of thousands; a double LP from the festival featuring Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Lester Flatt, and Jim and Jesse was released in 1973. With his most artistically innovative days behind him, Monroe settled into a new role as a musical patriarch. He recorded two albums of duets in the 1980s; the first featured collaborations with country stars such as Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, and the Oak Ridge Boys, while the second paired him with other prominent bluegrass musicians. A 1989 live album celebrated his 50th year on the Grand Ole Opry. Monroe also kept a hectic touring schedule. On April 7, 1990, Monroe performed for Farm Aid IV in Indianapolis, Indiana along with Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and with many other artists. Emmylou Harris (b. ... Waylon Jennings in 1965. ... The Oak Ridge Boys are one of the best-known country and gospel bands in United States. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Farm Aid started as a benefit concert on September 22, 1985, in Champaign, Illinois, held to raise money for family farmers in the United States. ... Indianapolis redirects here. ... Willie Nelson (born Willie Hugh Nelson, April 30, 1933) is an American entertainer and songwriter, born and raised in Abbott, Texas. ... John Mellencamp, also known as John Cougar and John Cougar Mellencamp, (born October 7, 1951) is best known for being an American rock singer-songwriter. ... This article is about the musician. ...

Monroe suffered a stroke in April 1996, effectively ending his touring and playing career. He died on September 9, 1996. Emmylou Harris said of Monroe after his death: For other uses, see Stroke (disambiguation). ... Emmylou Harris (b. ...

Awards and legacy

Bill Monroe was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1971, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as an "early influence") in 1997. Jimmie Rodgers, Bob Wills, Hank Williams Sr., and Johnny Cash are the only other performers honored in all three. As the "father of bluegrass," he was also an inaugural inductee into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor in 1991. In 1993, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and he was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1995. His well-known song "Blue Moon of Kentucky" has been covered not only by bluegrass but also rock and country artists, most notably Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney and Patsy Cline. In 2003, CMT had Bill Monroe ranked #16 on CMT 40 Greatest Men of Country Music. This official history of the Country Music Hall of Fame skirts the scandals well-documented by veteran Music Row historian Stacy Harris. ... The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. ... The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at sunset. ... ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... James Robert (Bob) Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975) was an American country musician, songwriter, and big band leader. ... Hank Williams Sr. ... For the song of the same name, recorded by Tracy Byrd and later by Jason Aldean, see Johnny Cash (song). ... Induction to the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor is managed by the International Bluegrass Music Association, and the Hall itself is maintained at the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky. ... The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by the Recording Academy to performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording [1]. This award is distinct from the Grammy Hall of Fame Award, which honors specific recordings rather than individuals, and... The National Medal of Arts is an award and title bestowed on selected honorees by the National Endowment for the Arts. ... Blue Moon of Kentucky is a bluegrass song, written by Bill Monroe in 1947 and recorded by his band, The Blue Grass Boys. ... Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who first gained worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles. ... Patsy Cline (b. ... Country Music Television, or CMT as it usually called, is an American country music oriented cable television channel. ... The 40 Greatest Men of Country Music is a three hour television special held in 2003 by CMT. The special counted down the men who have made the greatest contribution to the genre, as well as leaving behind the greatest impact. ...

Artists influenced by Monroe

More than 150 musicians played in the Blue Grass Boys over the nearly 60 years of Monroe's performing career. Monroe tended to recruit promising young musicians who served an apprenticeship with him before becoming accomplished artists in their own right. Some of Monroe's band members who went on to greater prominence include singer/guitarists Clyde Moody, Lester Flatt, Mac Wiseman, Jimmy Martin, Carter Stanley, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Roland White, and Doug Green; banjo players Earl Scruggs, Don Reno, Sonny Osborne, and Bill Keith; and fiddlers Tommy Magness, Chubby Wise, Vassar Clements, Byron Berline, Kenny Baker, Bobby Hicks, Gordon Terry, and Glen Duncan. Monroe also performed frequently with flat-picking guitar virtuoso Doc Watson. Clyde Moody (born September 19, 1915 in Cherokee, North Carolina, died April 7, 1989 in Nashville, Tennessee), also known as the Hillbilly Waltz King and sometimes as The Genial Gentleman of Country Music was one the great founders of American Bluegrass music. ... Lester Flatt (June 19, 1914 - May 11, 1979) was one of the pioneers of bluegrass music. ... Malcolm B. Wiseman (born May 23, 1925 in Waynesboro, Virginia) is a bluegrass singer. ... Bluegrass musician Jimmy Martin Jimmy Martin (August 10, 1927 – May 14, 2005) was an American bluegrass musician, known as the King of Bluegrass. Born James H. Martin in Sneedville, Tennessee, beginning in 1949 Martin was lead vocalist for Bill Monroes Bluegrass Boys,. Martins high voice mixed with Monroe... Carter Stanley (left) performing with his brother Ralph. ... Del McCoury Delano Floyd McCoury (born February 1, 1939 in Bakersville, North Carolina) is an American bluegrass musician. ... Peter Rowan Peter Rowan (b. ... Riders in the Sky are Joey the Cowpolka King, Woody Paul, Ranger Doug and Too Slim (January 2007) Riders in the Sky is a Western music and comedy group which began performing 1977. ... Earl Scruggs performing at The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 12th, 2005 Earl Eugene Scruggs (born January 6, 1924) is a musician noted for creating a banjo style (now called Scruggs style) that is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music. ... The Reverend Don Wayne Reno is a banjo player who created his own playing technique. ... Bill Keith (January 20, 1929 – 2004) began his artistic life as a painter, but moved into photography and visual poetry. ... Cover of Old and in the Way (1975) Vassar Clements (April 25, 1928-August 16, 2005) was an American fiddle player. ... Byron Berline is an American fiddle player. ... Kenny Baker (born June 26, 1926), is an American fiddle player best known for his tenure with Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys at various times between the 1950s and the 1980s. ... Glen Duncan is a British author born in 1965 in Bolton, England to an Anglo-Indian family. ... Doc Watson Merle Watson, c. ...

References

• Country Music Hall of Fame® profile
• International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor profile
• Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame profile
• Recording of "Wayfaring Stranger" from the 1993 Florida Folk Festival (available for public use from the State Archives of Florida)
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® profile
• Rumble, John (1998). "Bill Monroe". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 350-2.
• Smith, Richard D. (2000). Can't You Hear Me Callin': The Life of Bill Monroe, Father of Bluegrass. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-80381-2.
• Rosenberg, Neil V., and Charles K. Wolfe (2007). The Music of Bill Monroe. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0-252-03121-0.

v • d • e Bluegrass music
Typical instruments	acoustic guitar · banjo · resonator guitar · fiddle · mandolin · upright bass
Stylistic origins	blues · country music · folk music
Sub- and fusion genres	traditional bluegrass · progressive bluegrass · bluegrass gospel · jam band
Notable festivals	High Sierra Music Festival · Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Festival · Telluride Bluegrass Festival
Other	International Bluegrass Music Museum
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