Search - Bill Monroe :: Music of Bill Monroe From 1936-1994

The cornerstone to any bluegrass music collection

kevinj@unm.edu | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 08/12/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bill Monroe is truely the father of bluegrass music. Thiscollection spans his entire career, from his earliest recordings withhis brother Charlie, through his final session in 1994. Throughout his career, Monroe has produced some of the greatest legends in all of bluegrass. Del McCoury,Peter Rowan, Jimmy Martin, Flatt and Scruggs, Don Reno, Kenny Baker, Richard Greene, Vassar Clements and countless others made their debuts on Monroe records. All these artists appear on multiple tracks throughout the anthology. This anthology is a necessary addittion for any lover of American Music."

A must-have for ANY Bluegrass fan

Amy Beth Hale | Nashville, TN USA | 09/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We grew up calling him Uncle Bill. We listened to his music so much in our house that he felt like part of the family (even if he wasn't really). His songs, most of which are Bluegrass standards now, could make your hair stand on end or put you into a crying fit. This box set is a wonderful collection of those songs. Everything about this set is perfect. From the sound to the song selection. Even the packaging is classy. The music contained herein is delivered by true artists. Many a Bluegrass legend has "served time" in Mr. Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys. Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, Kenny Baker, "Tater" Tate, Peter Rowen, Cubby Wise are all on this box set for your listening pleasure. And the great thing about it is that the extensive discography will tell you who's playing what and even when the track was recorded! I cannot think of a better collection of "Uncle" Bill's songs."

A Must for Collectors of American Music

Thomas Benson | Scotia, NY United States | 09/22/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This boxed set, while certainly not the complete recorded output of Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys, is an excellent sampling of Bill's music throughout his storied career. I would recommend this collection to anyone who is interested in the evolution of American music in particular "roots" music and early Rock n' Roll. While Monroe stayed within a simple chord progression format though the years, the textures of the music evolved with the changes of the band's personnel and his own experiences. Some of the instrumentals on disc one and two are examples of bluegrass "breakdowns" that are played at a breakneck pace. The instrumentals on disc three and four, while still played quickly, are more subtle and have a modal "old timey" quality to them, as if Monroe was returning to the sounds he heard as a child.
The vocal songs also show the changes that Monroe went through as a songwriter and song interpreter. The listener can compare "I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome" on disc one with a powerful yet understated quality, to "Blue Night" on disc three sung with a raw nerve exposed. On "Blue Night" with his voice against the urgent fiddle of Richard Greene played with a siren-like quality, the listener can take away the notion that as Monroe got older, the more he was willing to take a chance and challenge the listener as well. Background music this is not!
Credit is due to [the record company] for issuing this material and investing in the liner notes and photographs on such a non-mainstream project. The accompanying booklet is worth almost as much as the recorded material.
Just as Louis Armstrong is an important figure in American music and popular culture, Bill Monroe's music is equally as important as a synthesis of what he heard around him; Blues, Swing, Jazz, Gospel, Celtic and later even Rock n' Roll. Without Bill Monroe we may never have had the Everly Brothers, Elvis, or Buddy Holly. (Listen to Monroe's mandolin and compare it to Chuck Berry's guitar. Coincidence? I doubt it!) If you are reading this and don't own it, buy it now. You'll thank me later."