Bill Monroe
William Smith "Bill" Monroe [ˈbɪl mənˈɹoʊ] (born September 13, 1911 in Rosine , Kentucky , † September 9, 1996 in Springfield , Tennessee ) was an American country singer , musician and composer. He is known as the " Father of Bluegrass " and was known for his high-pitched vocals and his fast solos on the mandolin . In his 61-year career, he made more than 500 records. Two of his biggest hits are Blue Moon of Kentucky and Kentucky Waltz .
Life
Childhood and youth
Bill Monroe was the eighth and youngest child of James Buchanan "Buck" Monroe and Melissa Ann Van Diver. Born and raised on his parents' farm in Rosine, Monroe grew up as an introverted child due to a visual impairment. Because his brother Birch Fiddle and his other brother Charlie played the guitar , Monroe learned to play the mandolin , which was an unusual instrument for the time. The mother taught her children to sing at an early age, which had a lasting impact on Monroe. Other influences were his uncle Pendelton "Uncle Pen" Vandiver , who played the fiddle, and the African-American blues guitarist Arnold Shultz . Monroe appeared with both of them in so-called " Barn Dances ".
Bill Monroe moved to Chicago with his two brothers, Birch and Charlie , where they worked in an oil refinery . They made their first public appearance on a radio station. Her father had traveled from Kentucky for his sons' debut, and he and his wife died shortly afterwards. Bill Monroe was 16 years old at the time. The trio later appeared on the popular radio show WLS National Barn Dance on WLS. At the time, harmonica player DeFord Bailey was enjoying great success on the show. Monroe called him again and again later in interviews as a role model; he even attended Bailey's funeral in 1982, as well as his posthumous induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame . Birch left the trio in 1934. The two remaining brothers decided to dedicate themselves professionally to music from now on.
Career start
Initially, they appeared on radio programs on local radio stations in Nebraska and Iowa . When they settled in Charlotte, North Carolina , their popularity grew steadily. Even then, the two brothers were famous for their fast instrumentals, especially Bill Monroe's tempo on the mandolin impressed many. "Lightning-fast" (lightning fast) he highlighted the mandolin as a solo instrument, as one of the radio directors said. Soon they were known to the entire eastern south as "The Monroe Brothers". They made appearances on the broadcaster WBT and their Crazy Barn Dance , in which other string bands in the region also appeared.
The Monroe Brothers
In 1936 they got a record deal with RCA Victor's sub-label Bluebird Records . Their first record, What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul, sold well, so they made more records. In addition to the Blue Sky Boys , the Monroe Brothers were among the most successful duos of the thirties. In total, they recorded over 60 different songs, all of which sold well. Other titles were, for example, Nine Pound Hammer , New River Train and John Henry . However, the two headstrong brothers got into an argument and separated in 1938.
Beginnings of bluegrass
Shortly thereafter, Bill Monroe founded The Kentuckians , which he soon renamed The Blue Grass Boys . The name is reminiscent of the "Bluegrass State" Kentucky ; The term bluegrass describes the blue-green leaves of the common grass species Poa pratensis due to the nutrient-rich soil . The media later referred to the new style as bluegrass . Monroe recorded two more sessions with the new band because his record deal with RCA had not yet expired. He then worked briefly at the radio station WBT.
On October 28, 1939, the band played the direction of the Grand Ole Opry . The three people in charge, George D. Hay , Harry Stone and David Stone were impressed by the completely new style of country music. Monroe mixed hillbilly and old-time fiddle pieces with gospel , Afro-American dance music, Irish ballads and enriched this hybrid form with blues , jazz , swing and folk elements . The result was the typical bluegrass sound, which was characterized by high, sharp voices and fast rhythms. This was supplemented by mostly improvised instrumental parts, which required a high level of skill from each individual musician.
The program management engaged Monroe and his band in October 1939. On their first appearance, they presented their version of the Mule Skinner Blues , which was a previous hit by Jimmie Rodgers . Due to the popularity of the Grand Ole Opry, the popularity of the Blue Grass Boys increased steadily. Monroe was to remain a member of the Opry until his death. In 1940 the first recordings were made, their first single was Six White Horses on the A-side and the Mule Skinner Blues on the B-side.
In 1943, Bill Monroe made $ 200,000 a year just from appearances. With this money, Monroe founded his own tent show that combined music, show and comedy. With this concept he and the Blue Grass Boys traveled all over the southern United States. In 1944 Monroe added the banjo to his newly created style, first with Dave Akeman . In 1945 this was replaced by the Earl Scruggs playing in the three-finger style .
breakthrough
On September 16, 1946, the first recordings for Columbia Records were made in Castle Studios, Nashville , which can be described as typical bluegrass. The cast for this session were specifically Bill Monroe (vocals and mandolin), Earl Scruggs (banjo), Lester Flatt (guitar), Howard Watts (bass) and Chubby Wise (fiddle). When Columbia signed the Stanley Brothers , Monroe first switched to the Decca label, then to MCA . His biggest hit, Blue Moon of Kentucky , which Elvis Presley made when he first recorded it in 1954, dates back to 1946. When Monroe heard the Presley version, he was thrilled. He is said to have gone into the studio immediately afterwards to also record a new version in the "Lonesome-High" sound.
The " Lonesome-High " sound was a further development of Monroe, in which even higher vocal parts and slower rhythms were used. This style was supported by the playing style of the then guitarist Jimmy Martin . Flatt and Scruggs had previously left the band and formed the Foggy Mountain Boys . Shortly afterwards, Chubby Wise also left, which did not affect the success of Monroe and his band, on the contrary, because the band soon found new members. From the late 1940s they only appeared under the name Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys .
Due to the commercial success of Monroe, the media called his newly created style “ Bluegrass ” from the beginning of the 1950s , based on his accompanying band. Previously there was no name for this style.
Monroe celebrated other great successes, among others with the titles Roanoke from 1954, Scotland from 1958 (# 27), Gotta Travel on from 1959 (# 15), Linda Lou from 1960, Columbus Stockade Blues from 1962 and Walls of Time from 1968. He also regularly recorded instrumental pieces such as Bluegrass Breakdown , Bluegrass Ramble or Bluegrass Stomp , which show the virtuosity of all band members.
1960s and 1970s
In the early 1960s, acoustic bluegrass soon became an alternative to the honky tonk , country pop and rockabilly styles played with electronic instruments . With the help of promoter Ralph Rinzler, Monroe began to attract the attention of young folk fans.
In 1965 the first bluegrass festival was held, with Bill Monroe at the center. In 1967 he started his own annual bluegrass festival in Bean Blossom, Indiana . Nonetheless, his record sales gradually waned, as country music had moved closer and closer to pop since the 1950s. Monroe had built a large fan base since the start of his career, which kept sales figures constant, which saved him from losing his recording contract with MCA.
In 1970 Monroe was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame , the highest honor in country music. In 1975 he recorded the album Bill and Doc Sing Country Songs with the guitar virtuoso Doc Watson .
1980s and death
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Bill Monroe began traveling around the world. He has given concerts in Japan, Canada, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Israel, Switzerland and the Netherlands. In 1982 Monroe and his band performed at a gospel concert in the Cathedral Caverns , a large stalactite cave with underground lakes, which was also recorded by MCA, but never published. In 1983 he released the album Bill Monroe and Friends , on which he sang duets with many famous country musicians such as Johnny Cash , Waylon Jennings , Willie Nelson and Mel Tillis . In 1989 Monroe won a Grammy for his album Southern Flavor . In 1991 he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor , and in 1993 he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award .
Bill Monroe released new albums well into old age. One of his last tracks was My Last Days on Earth from 1981. Until the beginning of 1996 he still appeared in public. A stroke in April then forced him to stop performing. On September 9, 1996, Bill Monroe died at the age of 85 from complications from a stroke in Springfield, Tennessee.
Life's work
Musical performance
The life achievement of Bill Monroe consists in the fact that, despite clear ideas about the sound of his music, he always managed to integrate new, also urban talents, who generally remained respectful of the patriarch, who was already considered authoritarian and idiosyncratic during his lifetime, in his later years even if they went their own way. Today experts are of the opinion that Bill Monroe created the second original style of music in the USA alongside jazz with bluegrass .
During his time as a singer, over 150 different musicians played in his backing band, the Blue Grass Boys, including stars such as Mac Wiseman, Don Reno and Sonny Osborne. Bill Monroe was one of the most important and influential figures in country music. Even today there are still large fan bases in Europe, but especially in the USA. In the United States, the bluegrass has become a folk music in its own right that has already developed many subspecies. An early influencer of rock and roll , Monroe was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a year after his death . Monroe is one of the few artists to be inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame , the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Musical design
Even if Bill Monroe only ever played music under the term bluegrass, his music can be divided into three directions. While he played the typical, fast bluegrass sound in the 1940s, he changed the sound of the music from "Lonesome High" singing like I Hear a Sweet Voice Calling to the style enriched with gospel elements, the titles like Walking in Jerusalem or That Home Above .
The gospel-style titles were mostly only accompanied by the rhythm guitar. The hard "chop" of the band, played by the fiddle, together with the bass-banjo-guitar combination resulted in the typical sound that was used almost exclusively in the rhythmically fast songs.
In addition, Monroe raised the mandolin to the role of a solo instrument. In the instrumental piece Rawhide , Bill Monroe's virtuosity on the mandolin becomes evident. One of the most successful representatives of bluegrass today, Sam Bush, once said about this function of the mandolin: " I use my mandolin as a drum kit ". Every now and then Monroe also used accordions in his songs, such as in the Kentucky Waltz or the instrumental piece Bluegrass Special .
Lyrics
The lyrics, which Bill Monroe wrote mostly himself, are often about the nature of his home state Kentucky, love and also have religious topics as their content. However, some songs also deal with personal experiences. His song Uncle Pen honors his uncle, with whom he often played music. The title Little Community Church also tells an incident from his childhood. In this song he describes the little church that still stands in his hometown of Rosine.
personality
Many close confidants of Monroe report that he was often headstrong and even prone to authoritarian behavior, which the members of the Blue Grass Boys often had to experience. However, Monroe was also considered a very sensitive person by many; if he needed some rest, he retired to a small hut and stayed there for hours, now and then with his mandolin. In addition, Monroe had various women by his side. His first marriage was to Carolyn Monroe, his second marriage to Della Streeter, who accompanied him until his death.
Bill Monroe's humor has always been described as very resourceful. Since the mid-1950s he has performed as Santa Claus every Christmas and played with various musicians such as Doc Watson and Ricky Skaggs . Due to his regular appearances well into old age and his popularity that lasted until his death, he was "exposed" to his fans, who asked for autographs and photos. Monroe fulfilled these wishes with benevolence up to and including an easy self-expression.
Trivia
- The cabin where Bill Monroe was born burned down when he was three years old.
- In the early 1940s, when Monroe toured the southern states with his Blue Grass Boys , but was not yet that popular, they played as a baseball team against other local teams to make money.
- His title Blue Moon of Kentucky was not only covered by Elvis Presley, but also by other stars such as Patsy Cline , Paul McCartney , Red Foley and many other singers.
Discography
Singles
| year | title | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluebird Records until 1938 with Charlie Monroe as "the Monroe Brothers" | |||
| 1936 | What Would You Give In Exchange For You Soul / This World Is Not My Home | ||
| 1936 | Drifting Too Far From The Shore / What Is Home Without Love | ||
| 1936 | My Long Journey Home / Nine Pound Hammer | ||
| 1936 | God Holds The Future In His Hand / Lonesome Valley | ||
| 1936 | Darling Corey / Six Months Ain't Long | ||
| 1936 | Don't Forget Me / Just A Song Of Old Kentucky | ||
| 1936 | In My Dear Old Southern Home / On Some Foggy Mountain Top | ||
| 1936 | Little Red Shoes / New River Train | ||
| 1936 | Old Cross Road / We Read Of A Place That's Called Heaven | ||
| 1936 | My Savior's Train / I Dreamed I Searched Heaven | ||
| 1937 | Where Is My Sailor Boy / Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers In Texas | ||
| 1937 | Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms / I'm Thinking Tonight Of The Old Folks | ||
| 1937 | When The Saints Go Marchin 'In / Will The Circle Be Unbroken | ||
| 1937 | Watermelon Hanging On The Vine / Forgotten Soldier Boy | Original A-side from the Skillet Lickers | |
| 1937 | Some Glad Day / I'm Ready To Go | ||
| 1939 | What Would The Profit Be / I Have Found The Way | ||
| 1937 | Katy Cline / Roll On Buddy, Roll On | ||
| 1937 | I Am Going That Way / I'll Live On | ||
| 1937 | I'm Going / Do You Call That Religion | ||
| 1937 | Weeping Willow Tree / Oh Hide You In The Lord | ||
| 1937 | What Would You Give In Exchange For Your Soil, Pt. 2 / What Would You Give In Exchange For Your Soil, Pt. 3 | ||
| 1937 | He Will Set Your Fields On Fire / On My Way To Glory | ||
| All The Good Times Are Passed And Gone / Let Us Be Lovers Again | |||
| 1937 | On That Old Gospel Ship / My Last Moving Day | ||
| 1938 | Sinner You Better Get Ready / What Would You Gove In Exchange For Your Soul | ||
| 1938 | On The Banks Of The Ohio / Fame Apart From God's Aproval | B-side of Uncle Dave Macon | |
| 1938 | Old Man's Story / I've Still Got 99 | ||
| 1938 | Pearly Gates / On My Way Back Home | ||
| 1938 | Have A Feast Here Tonight / Goodbye Maggie | ||
| 1938 | Beautiful Live / When Our Lord Shall Come Again | ||
| 1938 | Rollin 'On / Little Joe | ||
| 1940 | Six White Horses / Mule Skinner Blues | first single with the Blue Grass Boys | |
| 1941 | No Letter In The Mail / Cryin 'Holy Unto The Lord | ||
| 1941 | Dog House Blues / Katy Hill | ||
| 1941 | I Wonder If You Feel The Way I Do / Tennessee Blues | ||
| 1941 | Blue Yodel No.7 / In the Pines | ||
| 1941 | Coupon Song / Orange Blossom Special | ||
| 1942 | Shake My Mother's Hand For Me / Were You There | ||
| 1942 | Honky Tonk Swing / Back Up And Push | ||
| 1948 | Mule Skinner Blues / Blue Yodel No.7 | Republished by RCA Victor | |
| 1948 | Katy Hill / Back Up And Push | Republished by RCA Victor | |
| Columbia Records | |||
| 1946 | Rocky Road Blues / Kentucky Waltz | Kentucky Waltz has the composition of the Tennessee Waltz inspired | |
| 1946 | True Life Blues / Footprints In The Snow | Original Footprints In The Snow by Cliff Carlisle | |
| 1947 | Mansions For Me / Mother's Only Sleeping | ||
| 1947 | Blue Yodel No.4 / Will You Be Loving Another Man | ||
| 1947 | Goodbye Old Pal / Blue Moon Of Kentucky | ||
| 1947 | Blue Grass Special / How Will I Explain About You | ||
| 1948 | Shine, Hallelujah Shine / I'm Traveling On and On | ||
| 1948 | My Rose Of Old Kentucky / Sweetheart, You Done Me Wrong | ||
| 1948 | It's Mighty Dark To Travel / When You're Lonely | ||
| 1949 | Toy Heart / Blue Grass Breakdown | ||
| 1949 | Old Cross Road / Remember The Cross | ||
| 1949 | Heavy Traffic Ahead / Along About Daybreak | ||
| 1949 | I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky / Molly and Tenbrooks | ||
| 1950 | Travelin 'This Lonesome Road / Can't You Hear Me Callin' | Republication | |
| 1954 | Kentucky Waltz / Footprints In The Snow | Republication | |
| 1954 | Blue Moon Of Kentucky / Blue Grass Special | Republication | |
| around 1955 | Mansions For Me / Mother's Only Sleeping | Republication | |
| Decca Records | |||
| 1950 | New Mule Skinner Blues / My Little Georgia Rose | ||
| 1950 | Alabama Waltz / Old Fiddler | ||
| 1950 | I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome / Boat Of Love | ||
| 1950 | Blue Grass Ramble / Memories Of You | ||
| 1951 | Uncle Pen / When The Golden Leaves Begin To Fall | ||
| 1951 | On The Old Kentucky Shore / Poison Of Love | ||
| 1951 | Lord Protect My Soul / River Of Death | ||
| 1951 | Kentucky Waltz / The Prisoner's Song | The Prisoner's Song by Vernon Dalhart | |
| 1951 | Swing Low Sweet Chariot / Angels Rock Me To Sleep | ||
| 1951 | Rotation Blues / Lonesome Truck Driver's Blues | ||
| 1951 | Get Down On Your Knees and Pray / I'll Meet You In Church Sunday Morning | ||
| 1951 | Highway Of Sorrow / Sugar Coated Love | ||
| 1951 | The Brakeman's Blues / Travelin 'Blues | ||
| 1951 | Christmas Time's A-Comin ' / The First Whippoorwill | ||
| 1952 | Letter From My Darlin ' / Rawhide | ||
| 1952 | I'm On My Way To The Old Home / The First Whippoorwill | ||
| 1952 | When The Cactus Is In Bloom / Sailor's Plea | ||
| 1952 | Mighty Pretty Waltz / Pike County Breakdown | ||
| 1952 | In The Pines / Footprints In The Snow | ||
| 1953 | You're Drifting Away / Walking In Jerusalem | ||
| 1953 | Cabin Of Love / Country Waltz | ||
| 1953 | Memories Of Mother and Dad / The Little Girl and The Dreadful Snake | ||
| 1954 | Changing Partners / Y'all Comin ' | ||
| 1954 | Wishing Waltz / I Hope You Have Learned | ||
| 1954 | Get Up John / White House Blues | ||
| 1954 | Happy On My Way / He Will set Your Fields On Fire | ||
| 1954 | Blue Moon Of Kentucky / Close By | ||
| 1954 | I'm Working On a Building / Voice From On High | ||
| 1955 | Cheyenne / Roanoke | ||
| 1955 | Let The Light Shine Down On Me / Wait A Little Longer, Please Jesus | ||
| 1955 | Put My Little Shoes Away / Wheel Hoss | ||
| 1956 | On And On / I Believed In You Darling | ||
| 1957 | Sitting Alone In The Moonlight / You'll Find Her Name Written There | ||
| 1957 | Fallen Star / Four Walls | ||
| 1957 | I'm Sitting On Top Of The World / Molly and Tenbrooks | I'm Sitting On Top Of The World by Buell Kazee | |
| 1958 | Sally Jo / Brand New Shoes | ||
| 1958 | Scotland / Panhandle County | ||
| 1959 | Gotta Travel On / No One But Me Darlin ' | ||
| 1959 | Tomorrow I'll Be Gone / Dark As The Night, Blue As The Day | ||
| 1960 | Lonesome Wind Blues / Come Go With Me | ||
| 1960 | Precious Memories / Jesus Hold My Hand | ||
| 1961 | Put My Rubber Doll Away / Linda Lou | ||
| 1962 | Flowers Of Love / Blue Grass, Part 1 | ||
| 1962 | Toy Heart / Danny Boy | ||
| 1963 | Blue Ridge Mountain Blues / How Will I Explain About You | ||
| 1963 | There Was Nothing We Could Do / Big Sandy River | ||
| 1963 | New John Henry Blues / Devil's Dream | ||
| 1964 | Darling Corey / Salt Creek | Darling Corey in the original by Buell Kazee | |
| 1964 | Shenandoah Breakdown / Mary At The Home Place | ||
| 1965 | Jimmy Brown, The Newsboy / Cindy | ||
| 1965 | Old Old House / I Live In The Past | ||
| 1966 | Going Home / Master Building | ||
| 1966 | When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again / Pretty Fair Maiden In The Garden | ||
| 1968 | Is The Moon Still Shinin ' / Train 45 | ||
| 1968 | Gold Rush / Virginia Darlin ' | ||
| 1969 | Crossing The Cumberlands / I Haven't Seen Mary In Years | ||
| 1969 | Fireball Mail / With Body And Soul | ||
| 1970 | Walk Softly On My Heart / McKinley's March | ||
| 1971 | Goin 'Up Caney / Tallahassee | ||
| 1971 | Lonesome Moonlight Waltz / My Old Kentucky And You | ||
| MCA Records | |||
| 1973 | Tall Pines / Foggy Mountain Top | Original Foggy Mountain Top from the Carter Family | |
| 1973 | Footprints In The Snow / In The Pines | Republication | |
| 1974 | Down Yonder / Swing Low Sweet Chariot | Down Yonder in the original by the Skillet Lickers | |
| 1974 | Mule Skinner Blues / Ruby (Are You Mad) | Republication with RCA Victor; B-side by Danny Davis | |
| 1977 | My Sweet Blue Eyed Darling / Monroe's Blues | ||
| 1981 | Come Hither To Go Yonder / My Last Days On Earth | ||
Albums
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Awards
- Induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame , 1970
- Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame , 1971
- Heritage Award , 1982
- Grammy for the album " Southern Flavor ", 1989
- Induction into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor
- Lifetime Achievement Award , 1993
- National Medal of Honor given by President Bill Clinton in 1995
- Posthumous induction into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame , 1997
- posthumous induction into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame , 2002
- posthumous award from the Academy of Country Music Honors with the Pioneer Award , 2006
literature
- Bob Black: Go Hither To Go Yonder. Playing Bluegrass With Bill Monroe . Foreword by Neil V. Rosenberg. University Of Illinois Press, Chicago / Illinois 2005. (232 pages) ISBN 0-252-03002-8
- Tom Ewing (ed.): The Bill Monroe Reader . University Of Illinois Press, Chicago / Illinois 2006. (336 pages) ISBN 0-252-07399-1
- Neil V. Rosenberg / Charles C. Wolfe: The Music Of Bill Monroe . University Of Illinois Press, Chicago / Illinois 2007 (296 pages) ISBN 0-252-03121-0
- Can't You Hear Me Calling: The Lifetime Of Bill Monroe, Father Of Bluegrass Publisher: Little, Brown & Company ISBN 978-0-316-80381-6
Web links
- Country Music Hall of Fame website
- Country Music Television website
- Full biography on the Country Music Hall Of Fame website
- List of members of the Blue Grass Boys
- Bill Monroe at Allmusic (English)
- Extensive discography
- Flickr - Bill Monroe
Individual evidence
- ↑ Can't You Hear Me Callin ': The Lifetime Of Bill Monroe , Little, Brown & Company 2005, pp. 180f.
- ^ The Bill Monroe Reader , Press Of Illinois, pp. 267f.
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/10/arts/bill-monroe-dies-at-84-fused-musical-roots-into-bluegrass.html
- ↑ http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/lifetime-awards
- ↑ http://www.yeahpot.com/monroe/bill.html
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Monroe, Bill |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Monroe, William Smith (civil) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American country singer, musician, and composer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 13, 1911 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Raisin , Kentucky |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 9, 1996 |
| Place of death | Springfield , Tennessee |