In many ways, the history of Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys is the history of bluegrass music. As the Father of Bluegrass, singer and mandolin player, Bill Monroe, was often the first to hire many of the bluegrass singers and instrumentalists who would go on to become bluegrass legends.
Many of the best -- and sometimes the only -- recordings that these legends-to-be made with Monroe can be found on The Music of Bill Monroe, a generous yet tightly edited set that culls the best of Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys, as well as Monroe's work with his brother, Charlie, as The Monroe Brothers, from 1936 to 1994.
A Who's Who of Bluegrass Singers
While Bill Monroe sang lead on a fair share of his recordings, he sang tenor to a long list of notable lead vocalists, all of whom appear here. His work with Lester Flatt is well represented with four tracks, including " Wicked Path of Sin " and " It's Mighty Dark to Travel."
In his historical notes for this collection, John Rumble writes that Jimmy Martin is "regarded by many as the best lead singer and guitarist that Monroe has ever had." That opinion is validated by the eighteen peerless cuts on which Martin sings and plays. From "I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome" and "Memories of Mother and Dad" to the iconic "Uncle Pen," Martin proves to be Monroe's ideal vocal match, urging him to greater emotional heights and, as Rumble writes, "contributing mightily to Monroe's high lonesome sound."
Other bluegrass luminaries who held the lead vocalist/guitarist spot are all represented here, including Mac Wiseman, Edd Mayfield, Del McCoury, and Ricky Skaggs. Fans will be overjoyed to find rare recordings with Carter Stanley and, later, Peter Rowan on lead vocals.
Bluegrass Instrumentals With Earl Scruggs and More
Earl Scruggs, Rumble writes, "perfected the three-finger [banjo] style that helped give bluegrass its present form. Arguably, then, Scruggs can be called the father of bluegrass banjo, and no collection of Bill Monroe's music would be complete without Scruggs. He shines in particular on "Bluegrass Breakdown" and Heavy Traffic Ahead ".
Monroe's other celebrated -- often revolutionary -- banjoists can be heard throughout. Melodic banjo innovators Don Reno, Bill Keith, Bobby Thompson all get a chance in the spotlight, along with Don Stover, Rudy Lyle, a then-teen-aged Sonny Osborne, and Joe Stuart. Bob Black and Butch Robins, who each penned first-hand accounts of what it was like to work for Monroe, are here, too.
John Rumble quotes Monroe on the incalculable influence of his uncle, Pendleton Vandiver: "A lot of Uncle Pen's fiddling is in bluegrass music." Monroe used that knowledge to write for -- and school -- a host of legendary fiddlers. Some of the most thrilling work from Chubby Wise, Vassar Clements, Red Taylor, Gordon Terry, Charlie Cline, Bobby Hicks, Richard Greene, Buddy Spicher, Benny Williams, Glen Duncan, and Tater Tate is included.
No fiddler is better represented than Kenny Baker. Influenced as much by Stephane Grapeilli and western swing as he was by the mountain fiddlers of his childhood, Baker served as a Blue Grass Boy longer than any other musician. From the bagpipe-style drone of " Scotland " (with Bobby Hicks) to his jazzy kickoff of the traditional "Darling Corey", his work was smooth yet daring.
Essential Bluegrass From the Father of Bluegrass
With four hours and twenty minutes of music, 96 pages of photos, historical and biographical notes, and a meticulously detailed discography, The Music of Bill Monroe should serve as the cornerstone of any bluegrass newbie's collection.
Sources
- Foster, Alice. "Kenny Baker" from Bluegrass Unlimited 3. December, 1968. Reprinted in The Bluegrass Reader. Thomas Goldsmith, Ed. Urbana and Chicago. University of Illinois Press, 2006.
- Rumble, John. Accompanying booklet to The Music of Bill Monroe From 1936 to 1994 by Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys. Universal City, CA. MCA Records, Inc., 1994.
- Smith, Richard D. Can't You Hear Me Callin'. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2000.
Diane Amov - Bluegrass singer/songwriter and classically-trained flautist who has written on bluegrass and American roots music since 2005.
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