Bill monroe

[LowGapBG]

I have been listining to bill monroe alot here lately and man,he was awsome on the mandolin! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif I'm going to listen to him more,buy some cd's of him.Does his music inspire your playing? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[F5G WIZ]

Absolutely! Just read his biography, Can't you hear me callin', good book. Check it out.

[Glassweb]

He's the King, what can you say? The most powerful and influential mandolinist of all time.

[f5loar]

The absolute best way to get into Monroe is get all 5 of the Bear Family box sets. You will most certain find something there to inspire any mandolin picker.

[Klaus Wutscher]

Does his music inspire your playing? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
Absolutely; what inspires me most is his strong blues influence; his interesting phrasing and the fact that somehow, you always seem to hear more notes than he actually played.... there is a fire, passion and almost spooky quality to his playing which is rarely heard from other mandolinists.

[250sc]

There are lots of great mandolin players. Monroe has never inspired me though others who were influenced by him have.

[farmerjones]

he was quite good at the mandolin but the best part about him, IMHO was his ability to hustle. He was born in a time where you took what The Creator gave you and you set into the world sink or swim. And he capitalized on his gifts and visions quite well. Today when i hear whining about how hard it is, i think about how He left home with some clothes in, at most, a suitcase. Put one foot in front of the other and eventually ended up playing the Opry for over fifty years. (yeah, i read the book too, but wasn't it great?)

[JimRichter]

WSM is one of the few musical greats of the 20th century and his influence is profound, especially on me. #It isn't even so much his musicianship, as his total command of whatever circumstance he was in. #If there was ever anyone who could be accused of tunnel-vision, I'm sure it would be WSM. #A very singular focus. #In my opinion, true Blue Grass is the music Monroe played and died with Monroe. #Bluegrass, it's offspring, is what we have today.

Jim

[LeoR]

Bill Monroe was one of the greatest musicians of any genre that ever set foot on stage.

Writer, teacher, taskmaster, fighter, inventor and so much more.

"For the best drink of water, go to the head of the stream" -Carter Stanley

[red7flag]

Bill Monroe was being interviewed and was asked about the hot new pickers, which at the time were Tony Rice, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas and the like. #His reply, so Monroe like, and I paraphrase, "If I were going to write somebody a letter, I would want every word to count." #That quote, and I hope I have done justice to it, allows us to see have a glance at his soul. #He wanted every note to count, to have emphasis, to say something. #As Tim O'Brien said in that mandolin workshop on YouTube mentioned that Bill Monroe didn't have a blueprint to build on. #There were no bluegrass mandolin players to learn from. #He made his own blueprint. At the Monroe Workshop in Owenboro, Mike Compton did a workshop where he played some of the string band music from Bill's time you can see that influence in his playing, but he made it his own. #What a gift he gave us. He played from the soul.
Tony

[John Flynn]

When you're playing bluegrass, you can either imitate Bill Monroe, or you can imitate someone else who was imitating Bill Monroe. Not only that, he influenced other genres: rock, jazz, country, pop. The guy was huge. I'm actually not a big contemporary bluegrass fan, but I like to listen to Bill's stuff. It is so real and so important and you can tell that when you listen to it.

[Peter Hackman]

"For the best drink of water, go to the head of the stream" -Carter Stanley
What a beautiful quote. If that's not from a song I will have to write it myself!

[Glassweb]

So many great insightful posts here... if you want to have a bit of fun try this... learn Bill's version of "Turkey in the Straw" note for note (you'll need a device to slow it down). To me this is Monroe at his best - literally taking a familiar melody, turning it inside out, deconstructing, reconstructing and then playing it at quick tempo. It's almost like musical grafitti to me (would that be... uh... jazz?!) as he only hints at the familiar melody. Of course, he did that with many instrumentals, but "Turkey" really kills me.

[mandomadman]

Monroe did to mandolin what Hendrix did to guitar. Took it to a place none at the time had gone before.

[f5loar]

Monroe burned his mandolin on stage? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[Bob Simmers]

He always had a good hat.
The Jesus pin on his lapel.
The ridin' britches and boots.
The album cover with The Gibson cut out of the Loar.
Dancing with Emmylou Harris.
Uncle Pen.
Arthur Schultz.
"There was nothin' left fur me but the mandolin."
His story about chasin' foxes on Jerusalem Ridge.
His kickoff to Roanoke, right into the voice mike, stone-faced, white suit.
On my way back to the old home.
Pete Rowans.
Brad Keith.
His approval of Elvis' Blue Moon of Kentucky.
He hired Earl.
He hired everyone.
The chop.
At Indian Springs in '74 he signed everything, posed for every picture.
At 82 yrs. old at the Clear Spring carnival he never made it to the bus between shows(it was just 30 feet away). Signed everything, posed for every picture.
The shuffle.
There's only one Bill in the Bluegrass Boys.
He taught Chubby to play the looooooong bow.
"I pitched it up where it fit my voice."
It was his way or the highway, and he didn't compromise. You gotta love that.
Tipping his hat to a lady.
"Yessir. Yessir. Yessir, things was different in them days. I miss the old days."
What was the question?.........Oh, his music!
Master of Bluegrass LP, the whole thing.
Good by Ol Pal, Danny Boy (who said he couldn't sing?)
Jerusalem Ridge
No Hidin' Place
Feast Here Tonight
Bluegrass Ramble
Heavy Traffic Ahead
Get Up John.
Santa Claus mandolin break.
"You keep pullin' fur me."
Yeah, I'm still inspired by Bill Monroe.

[jasona]

Monroe burned his mandolin on stage? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
How else did it get to look that way? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

He is AN inspiration for me, not THE. I have no THE, I only have things others do that I think sounds cool and want to do myself. From Monroe, its an all double stopped break he played on "Fire on the Mountain"--I have to learn how to do that!

[Fretbear]

He is also the only musician ever to be a member of four music Halls of Fame: Country Music, Rock & Roll, Nashville Songwriters & The Bluegrass Hall/Walk of Honour.
His ferocious mandolin playing with the Monroe Brothers alone was so technically advanced over anything previously heard of that even if he hadn't invented bluegrass (which he did) his presence in mandolin legend was secure.

"He learned to play the blues from Arnold Schultz,
Played all them fiddlin' tunes with his Uncle Pen
Monroe Brothers drove across the Southland
On a dime of gas in a '38 terraplane
In his head Bill heard a music like no other,
A high lonesome sounding harmony,
His mandolin tore up the Grand Ol' Opry,
Banjo rolled and an old blue fiddle screamed...
Long may he run, and his song be sung,
Winning them one by one, 'till his day is done,
Lord he's a southern son".
"Southern Son" - Scott Learmonth & Alan Wade

[farmerjones]

"So who's that guy up there on that highest cloud with the white suit and Stetson holding the mandolin?"


"Oh that's just God. He thinks he's Bill Monroe."

[tree]

If you count the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame, he's in 5.

I didn't know he was in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That's perfect!

[dudlebug23]

Saying whether someone inspires you is like saying whether or not you like a certain style of music, an artist, etc...it all depends on taste. My opinion is that I respect him for creating a fantastic art form and being an innovator, however as for his playing, I don't care for it much. It's choppy and sounds like he lacks the technical skill to play cleanly. Maybe if I knew more about him I would find out that he played like that on purpose, but I like some of the more contemporary players whose notes flow cleanly together, and sound less plucky. And I don't like that he was such a bear to work for, creating music should be fun.

[Red Englemann]

Does his music inspire your playing?


Mr Monroe was a business man. Something tells me by the turnover in his band that he was a hard task master and a pain in the A$$ if you were in competition with him.

He wrote and borrowed some great songs that are now BG standards. Obviously, if you want to make it in BG you had better be inspired by him or be ranked with the infidels. Personaly, my inspiration goes back to those that inspired Mr. Monroe, those OT writers and musicians.

red

[Glassweb]

No Monroe... no us. Simple as that.

[AlanN]

"Would you work for me for ten dollars a week, boy?"

[Glassweb]

If you were Monroe... yes!

[John Jesseph]

No Monroe... no us. Simple as that.
who's "us"?

[johnhgayjr]

The old man had a grip like a vise. #Me with Big Mon in about 1980.

John Gay
Memphis


http://harddrivebluegrass.com/pics/johnandbillcrop.jpg

[Glassweb]

"Us" being people who play an 8-stringed musical instrument often sporting a scroll and 2 points.

[John Jesseph]

I guess I never really "got it" with Mr. Monroe, as big an influence as he was. I wonder if the mandolin would be more popular if it wasn't so strongly associated with Bluegrass music. Not trying to be a troll, just looking at it from another angle... (running and covering my head)...

[adgefan]

I've never got Monroe style as a whole, but I love it when used in a rocky and bluesy way. I am currently enjoying listening to David Long's new band The ac's (http://www.myspace.com/99811967) who utilise this style in acoustic pop/rock to very good effect.

[James P]

"When there is an original sound in the world, it makes a hundred echoes."
-- John A. Shedd

People talk about an artist's "vision." #Bill Monroe had whatever you'd call the aural equivalent. #I admire that a great deal.

[bojax34]

Superman wears Bill Monroe pajamas.

[johnhgayjr]

From Butch Robins website - Monroe in full bossman mode.

Ky Mandolin (http://www.unklebutchie.com/Media/Video/Kentucky.html)

John Gay
Memphis

[evanreilly]

Yours truly paying close attention to The Master!!!
Bill liked my hat and my mandolin!

[EdSherry]

My first major BG mando influence was not Monroe, but Roland White. #I still prefer his mando style to Monroe's, whose style always struck me as somewaht raw (but powerful!). #

That said, Monroe's contribution to BG music cannot be overstated. #But I think it is worth differentiating between Monroe the bandleader / BG genre creator and Monroe the mandolin player.

[Fretbear]

Required reading:
Come Hither to Go Yonder (http://www.amazon.com/Come-Hither-Go-Yonder-BLUEGRASS/dp/025207243X/sr=8-1/qid=1163736361/ref=sr_1_1/104-0623724-8729539?ie=UTF8&s=books)
What I Know about What I Know (http:///www.amazon.com/What-Know-Bout-Musical-Itinerant/dp/1410767094/ref=pd_sim_b_1/104-0623724-8729539)

[swampstomper]

Let's go back before BG, to the Monroe Brothers. Bill Monroe, backed by Charlie's powerful guitar runs and smooth rhythm, was able to revolutionize old-time "brother duet" style mandolin -- as I believe Ralph Rinzler said, if the Monroe Brothers had disappeared after 1938 Bill Monroe would still be recognized as the man who made the mandolin a powerful lead instrument in country music. Not to take anything away from the Earl Bollick, but just compare his sedate "Banks of the Ohio" from the same period with Mon's. If you haven't heard the Bluebirds of the Monroe Bros. go get them -- they are absolutely electrifying. Right then -- 9 years before the "classic" BG boys -- a lot of pickers got into the mandolin. (Perhaps the best to keep the Monroe Bros sound was Everett Lilly.)

And then came the "classic" BG boys and all those different mandolin stylings -- where would we be without the "Monroe Gospel" mando + guitar duets? Doyle is great but it's mostly derived from the sound WSM laid down with Lester and Jimmy.

And then the 1950's instrumentals -- pure mandolin like BG Ramble and then the fiddle tunes like Big Mon -- this was supercharged and directly lead many pickers into the mando (read their testimony!).

No one said Mon had the smoothest or most accessible mando style (kind of went along with his personality...) but as for influence there is no comparaison. Second place is so far away it might as well be on Mars.

[AlanN]

What Swamp-man said, yessirree Bob, what he said...

[roberto]

I agree with mandopLuker.

Roberto.

[williebruce]

Bill's mandolin picking has definetly been inspiring to me. Like mentioned earlier, he created his own blueprint that has been copied, tweaked, adjusted, and built on for years. There is no doubt that the mandolin became a totally different instrument after Bill picked it up.

I hear alot of people say they prefer Chris thile or Roland White, but that's kind of picking apples from the same tree if you ask me. If not for Bill, chances are your favorites might not sound as good as they do.

I can remember first learning guitar as a young kid. I'd sit and watch my dad play Wildwood Flower real slow til I eventually picked up on it. Now can you imagine picking up a new instrument without a teacher, homespun video, slow-downer, tab, or probably not so much as a record player and figure out instrumentals the way he did? Seems pretty amazing to me.:)

[red7flag]

Going to the Monroe Picking workshop in Ownesboro was an eye opener. #Watching these talented musicians either play Monroe note for note or play something in a way that you could close your eyes and see the man playing. #Monroe was extremely competitive. #Here is a description by a camper of what happened.

"The funniest moment (for me, at least) was Mike Compton impersonating Bill Monroe:

During the faculty concert, Chris Henry took a stunning break to a tune they were playing, and the look on his face said that he knew it, too. When Mr. Compton went up for his break next, he gave a quick glance back at Chris and then launched into a *nasty* (and I mean this in the best possible way) and *very* aggressive break full of ridiculously fast downstrokes.

He then followed this by turning around to Chris, leaning in towards him, and giving him this look that said "*That's* how it's done, boy."

Just like Bill, in other words.

The main difference being that Mike followed it up with a huge grin. I about wet myself laughing."

Thank you for the description "wayfaringstranger"

For another peek there is the Folkways CD where Bill is competing with Don Reno. #Reno went to another planet. #Rather than out Reno Reno, he brought the whole thing to another place and put it in a minor key. #All you can say is WOW.
Tony

[Glassweb]

No Monroe... no us.

[John Jesseph]

Bill who?

[mingusb1]

Forget about his mandolin playing (which I would never do because I love it) and Big Mon has more great songs (and lyrics) than any other in my opinion.

Blue Night
Georgia Rose
Sugar Coated Love
Uncle Pen
Walls of Time
Midnight on the Stormy Deep

And the list just goes "On and On"!

Z

[mingusb1]

And how could I forget about these?!!!

Sitting alone in the moonlight
Thinking of the days gone by
Wondering about my darling
I can still hear her saying goodbye

Oh the moon grows pale as I sit here
Each little star seems to whisper and say
Your sweetheart has found another
And now she's far far away

Powerful!

Z

[JeffD]

BM is an inspiration for me, but not for his playing. I haven't a chance of recognizably emulating his playing, and I enjoy playing tunes than licks anyway. But it inspires greatly that he took the tools at hand and made something entirely new. So many of us follow, he truly led.

For playing inspiration I turn to Andy Statman, Ricky Skaggs, Chris Thile, and Alison Stephens.

[Steve G]

Unsurpassable genius. When someone asks me who my favorite mandolinist is I don't even have to think about it. It always comes out "Bill."

[Glassweb]

You can ask Andy, Dawg, Mike C, Mike M, Chris, Sam... they'll all tell you who THEIR favorite mandolinist is.

[MartinD_GibsonA]

I fully recognize William Smith Monroe's contribution to mandolin lore and history. #Having said that, the answer to the original question -- "Is he your inspiration?" -- is "Not even a tiny bit." #I knew what a mandolin was LONG before I'd ever heard of Bill Monroe, and my playing style is much more akin to Mother Maybelle Carter's work on guitar.

Don Smith

[swampstomper]

MartinD_GibsonA,

Well, I knew what a mandolin was from classical ensembles, fill-in licks in various country and folk tunes, and as something to play fiddle tunes on for those who can't play the fiddle, but I didn't know what a MANDOLIN was until I heard a certain Mr Billy Hamilton back in 1967 who was a WSM clone and proud of it. I couldn't sleep, couldn't think about anything else. Then off to the record store to dig around and come out with Knee Deep in Bluegrass... and that was it!! Otherwise I would be playing b*njo I guess.

So when we talk about inspiration... yes, WSM (via Mr Hamilton). And I would submit that others who are inspired to pick up the mando by Doyle, Ronnie, Dawg, Ricky are in fact inspired (2nd hand) by Mon.

[fishdawg40]

I love Bill. I started listening to him via Dawg and the Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza CD. My first Monroe CD was Monroe/Watson live. Amazing stuff. I kinda got out of his playing but recently my admiration for him was renewed because of my new found obsession with Mike Compton's playing (Stomp CD). Some magical stuff.