New Live Monroe WalMart

[f5loar]

I picked up an odd new Canada CD at WalMart for $5.95 which has 10 live cuts of Monroe circa early 60's.It's just called "Bill Monroe Live" on the "Country Hit Parade" series by Direct Source Special Products in Canada. There is no information on where it was recorded before a live audience or who the Bluegrass Boys are that night. I'm guessing Jimmy Maynard singing with guitar but lost on the others. The banjo is post Keith chromatic picker. I would guess Joe Drumright or Steve Arkin. The fiddler is not Kenny Baker and has a rather rough approach to the songs. I would guess Billy Baker or Benny Williams.
The bass sounds like Bessie Lee to me. Anybody heard this that knows who the Bluegrass Boys are that night? Nice Monroe mandolin work and worth picking up for $5.95.

[bsimmers]

I just saw it at wal-mart last night. I'll go get it. Thanks for the review.

[f5loar]

I had passed on it several times thinking I already had this in another form or another reissue CD but I took the gamble I didn't this time and boy was I surprised. It's all new to me and that is saying something.

[GTison]

I think I saw that. I think it is the "bootleg" record released by someone other than MCA on LP years ago. #Bluegrass Unlimited would not review it because they considered it illegal. #Who issues that CD? #I just looked up on Walmart's site. Seems like the LP had "Shenandoah Breakdown" on it too. My little girl when she was about 4 used to sing along with the cassette tape. It was pow'rful cute back then.

[f5loar]

No SB on this one. I think the one you are speaking of was from a 70's live show. I surprised others have not chimed in here on who it is.

[jjboone101]

Stopped by the Mart, but didn't see it/couldn't find it....

[Martin Jonas]

This reminds me that I have a 10-song live Monroe set with no recording information on a cheap double CD released on 1998 on the Proper/Retro label: "Bluegrass: The Gold Collection". In addition to the ten Monroe songs, it has ten-song live shows each from Doc Watson, Hank Snow and Merle Travis, i.e. forty tracks in total. Great stuff, although just how "bluegrass" Watson, Snow and Travis were is at the very least questionable.

I was wondering whether this Wal-Mart CD might be the same set, or else whether somebody here recognises the one I have from the track listing. The songs on my CD are:

1. Orange Blossom Special
2. Uncle Penn
3. Bluegrass Breakdown
4. I Saw The Light
5. Shady Grove
6. Shenandoah Breakdown
7. Muleskinner Blues
8. Prison Song
9. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
10. Can't You Hear Me Calling

Does that set sound familiar to anyone?

Martin

PS: On listening to that CD again, I'm fairly sure that Bill is actually also on at least two of the Doc Watson tracks, uncredited, namely "Midnight On The Stormy Deep" and "What Would Give In Exchange For Your Soul?". Great versions of both, notably different from those on the Smithsonian/Folkways CD.

[GTison]

I gave a listen to the mp2 sample tracks on walmart's website. same song list as above I believe.

[Martin Jonas]

Just had a look at the Walmart site (here (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4308691)). Same tracks as on mine in different order, except that I have "Shenandoah Breakdown", where Walmart have "Footprints In The Snow". As far as I can tell from the short samples, it sounds like the same versions.

Martin

[f5loar]

Martin , that's it. Same as the above but Footprints in place of SB and different running order. There are no introductions to the songs and Monroe does not introduce the boys as he always did on live shows so it was edited out. Still no takers on who they are? SB and Shady Grove would have been fairly new songs to perform in late '64.
Pretty sure it's not Keith on banjo so this would have to be after Keith but before Grier.