Dose anybody have the pic of bill monroe holding all his band?

[Sam Bush Fan!]

I'm looking for the pic. where is Bill Monroe holding all of his band members,Dose anybody have it?

[f5loar]

The only known person to have that photo was Stringbean.
It was destroyed the night he was murdered by the burglers.

[evanreilly]

Yeah!
Ole Beans kept that photo near and dear to him. Kept it in the top pocket of his bib overhauls, along with all his money. Got robbed & killed for the pic & his $$$. No one has ever seen another copy of the pic since Beans.
However, I do beleive I read that his killers are out on parole now; maybe the pic will re-surface. On Ebay, no doubt.

[Sean Greer]

The only known person to have that photo was Stringbean.
It was destroyed the night he was murdered by the burglers.

Had never heard of this tragic incident, so I did some googling and found this writeup of Stringbeans life:

http://1234music678.blogspot.com/2009/03/david-stringbean-akeman-murder-of-hee.html

Seems that one of his killers died in prison and the other will not be eligible for parole until 2011.

What a sad, sad tale. Surely somebody must have written a tune about murder of Stringbean?

[Eddie Sheehy]

I'm looking for the pic. where is Bill Monroe holding all of his band members,Dose anybody have it?

I didn't realize that Bill was that strong...

[evanreilly]

"Ain't no man that ever put that Bill Monroe feller down!"
And, if you never heard him proclaim that, all you needed to do was shake his hand.
Bill was a 'stout' kinda guy. Still was plowing with mules on his farm as long as he was able to.

[Skip Kelley]

I saw Bill in Galax in the early to mid 90's. While backstage a friend of Bill's came to say hello and when he held out his hand to Bill, Bill jerked him across the room into himself. Bill and all those around him just laughed. Bill was a stout man.

[EggerRidgeBoy]

Had never heard of this tragic incident, so I did some googling and found this writeup of Stringbeans life:

http://1234music678.blogspot.com/2009/03/david-stringbean-akeman-murder-of-hee.html

Seems that one of his killers died in prison and the other will not be eligible for parole until 2011.

What a sad, sad tale. Surely somebody must have written a tune about murder of Stringbean?

That second killer - can't remember his name at the moment - was most recently eligible for parole last year. Several bluegrass websites initiated letter/email-writing campaigns to support keeping him in prison.

[Mike Bromley]

I didn't realize that Bill was that strong...

Bill was legendary for feats of strength. He was rumored to have carried a 400-lb hog across his shoulders, effortlessly. Or a large oak log.

No wonder he could play with his action so high.

[Chris Wofford]

I watched a DVD tonight that talked about that. They said it was around 950 pounds he was carrying. Course he looked like he was corn fed and country strong.

[Jon Hall]

Does anyone know the names of the band members that were perched on the cross tie Bill held on his shoulders?

[Mandoist]

There is definitely a published version of that photo...I just don't recall where I saw it? I don't have all of my books with me at the moment, but I'm sure someone will come up with that photo. It appeared in a newspaper as well.

[f5loar]

Who was in the photo? It was during Stringbean's time as a BGBoy but before Chubby Wise joined the group. I think after "Chubby" joined Bill said he probably should stop doing that stunt.
I've seen a lot of Monroe photos in my lifetime but never saw another one besides the one "beans" had.
If a publication of it is out there I'd sure like to see it.

[journeybear]

I've been working on this for a while, but I'm getting tired and calling it a night. Here's what I've got so far:

In the book "Can't You Hear Me Calling" By Richard D. Smith, pp 62 - 63:

By the end of the year [1940] Bill's band had completely changed, but if anything, it was even stronger: On fiddle was now the able Tommy Magness; the great bass-playing comedian Egbert "Cousin Wilbur" Westbrooks had joined the lineup; and Clyde Moody had replaced Cleo Davis, the original Blue Grass Boy, who had got his own radio show in Lakeland Florida.

Note: that's only three members. Was the fourth Charlie?

He was unhurried but he had a ferocious work ethic. His strength was very real, truly that of a Highlander of yore. Once around this time, for a lark, he invited his band to get on him: One sat on his shoulders, one climbed on his back, and he held the other two in his right and left arms, easily supporting them all.

The citation for this is:

Nash 1988 p. 353 - which is:

Nash, Alanna. "Behind Closed Doors: Talking with the Legends of Country Music," New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1988.

I found the Smith book via google books, which permits viewing most of it. The Nash book is not so available. No photos in the Smith book, that I could see.

I don't know for sure if this is the same instance that was captured in the photograph. I have no idea whether he did this more than just the once. Stringbean was in the band from 1943 - 1945, so if this anecdote is reliable, this was before his time. I suspect, though, that the reason Stringbean had the photo is that he was in it.

If someone wants to run with this, go for it, and let us know if you find anything. I'm going to try some more in the morning ... :sleepy:

[evanreilly]

Ummmm...
I am gonna go out on the limb here...
the afore-mentioned picture is Apocryphal!
However, I await the evidence.....

[papa willie]

Mr. Reilly, I can't recall where; but I have seen this picture on the web.

[journeybear]

Also, this runs counter to your first post. :disbelief: I'm cornfused ... :confused:

Ain't no thing - I'm going to keep looking. I would like to know, though, whether anyone knows if this was a one-time occurrence or if he did it a few tmes. I would just like to narrow the search however possible.

[Bob DeVellis]

Just because you've seen a picture doesn't mean it happened. I remember as a kid, there was a picture in one of the Boston papers (the American, I think) of Celtics player Tommy Heinsohn (as I recall) holding a bench over his head standing-press style, on which stood the team's other four starters (Bill Cousy among them). The caption explained how the photographer used double-exposure trickery to create the image. I don't know one way or the other about the provenance of the Monroe picture, just saying that seeing shouldn't always be believing.

[papa willie]

I was going to qualify my earlier post with the "seeing is not always believing" , but was called away.

[Col. Suggs]

Ummmm...
I am gonna go out on the limb here...
the afore-mentioned picture is Apocryphal!
However, I await the evidence.....


I once had a professor who defined "apocryphal" as "something that probably isn't true, but it's such a good story that it ought to be." :)

Sean

[scottie b]

you only had to shake his hands once to believe this story .he told me about loading crossties at the age of 13,and how he could roll two barrels of oil(55 gallons each?)when he worked at an oil company. wish tater tate was alive ,he could tell you about the handshake,i saw tater try it more than once!

[journeybear]

It's such a good story, I want to believe it. The book excerpt I found makes it sound like this actually happened. The author states it rather plainly, and doesn't use some qualifier like "Rumor has it that ..." or "Some people claim that ..." or "An oft-told tale concerning his strength says ..." I'd like to find a picture, of course, but it sounds possible. Four men could total 600, 700, maybe 800 pounds ... the world record for a clean and jerk in the 105+kg class is about 580 pounds. If the guys are hanging onto Big Mon maybe they're doing some of the lifting ... I dunno ... Then again, the world record for a squat is more like 950 - 1000 pounds ... Like Mulder, I want to believe ...

[Ken Feil]

Somewhere in one of my Monroe biography DVDs Monroe tells the story himself. He mentions how much the total weight was and that he was mighty proud of that feat. Im thinking its in Bill Monroe Father of Bluegrass Music.

[evanreilly]

I am expressing skepticism about the existence of a picture of Bill carrying or lifting his band. I have heard the tale & read remembrances of the account and, given my knowledge of Monroe, have no doubts about him doing such a stunt. But not in front of a camera. I still would love to see a picture, tho.

[Gary Hedrick]

Bill was a very powerful man. He would work around the Jamboree. Huge hands ......he would work like he was "killing snakes"...........so I would lend my voice to those that say it might be possible but it definately fits into the personna of the man.

[journeybear]

As I may have mentioned, I believe it's possible, but I want proof. To that end, I am currently picking my way through google books' 772 hits on "Bill Monroe" to see if I can find verification. If anyone has any suggestions about a better and hopefully easier method please ring in. Guesses one way or t'other ain't that much help. If someone has any books or videos on the subject please take a look and see what you can find. My method is going to take a while, and any way I can narrow the search would be appreciated. I may learn some other interesting stuff in the process, but I'm really trying to determine the truth about this one thing.

Like Mulder, I want to believe. Like Scully, I insist on scientifically verifiable proof.

[LeoR]

I do know one thing - his mandolin playing lifted most of us!

[Billy1]

Yeah , Bill tells the story himself in the documentry" Bill Monroe The Father of Bluegrass Music" and I'm pretty sure he did it more than once. I don't remember were I heard or read it but Bill also used to have boxing matches to.

[Billy1]

Here's an interesting read http://brendancalling.com/2006/09/13/bill-monroe-remembering-the-father-of-bluegrass-music/

[Chris Keth]

Here's an interesting read http://brendancalling.com/2006/09/13/bill-monroe-remembering-the-father-of-bluegrass-music/

Interesting. I just finished what seems like an exceptionally well-researched biography of Bill Monroe and it never mentioned bare-knuckle boxing matches. The writer of the article you link to should mention that Bill played on that baseball team. He wasn't just whoring out his band for any form of entertainment he could think of. I also think it's fallacious of him to write "Bill would try to lay any woman he could find (Bill never smoked or drank liquor: womanizing was one of his only vices)." Yes, Bill was quite the womanizer but he wasn't just a wild horny animal. He had quite a few girlfriends but he wasn't one to just screw anybody who was willing. By all accounts, he was a very warm caring person to his lady friends and was looking for constant companionship as much as, or maybe more than, sexual relationships.

[Tripp Johnson]

By all accounts, he was a very warm caring person to his lady friends and was looking for constant companionship as much as, or maybe more than, sexual relationships.

That's certainly the impression I had...the man really had a difficult childhood...that's the kind of loneliness that stays with you for a lifetime.

[Billy1]

That's certainly the impression I had...the man really had a difficult childhood...that's the kind of loneliness that stays with you for a lifetime.

Yeah, that's the way I understand it too, I was mainly interested in him referring to Earl Scruggs talking about Bill carrying the band on his shoulders. I've never heard or read anything where Scruggs mentions this. He must surely have done it more than once.

[mandolirius]

The boxing matches were mentioned (I can't recall by whom) in the documentary "High Lonesome".

[Chris Keth]

The boxing matches were mentioned (I can't recall by whom) in the documentary "High Lonesome".

That's pretty interesting. Given his solid reputation as a "stout fellow", I sure wouldn't want to fight him.:))

[mandolirius]

That's pretty interesting. Given his solid reputation as a "stout fellow", I sure wouldn't want to fight him.:))


I just think it's an odd thing to do if you're planning on using your hands to play music shortly thereafter.

[Mandoist]

Sorry Evan R. and feller doubters, but the photo does indeed exist of Monroe holding 'the band'. It was taken on a street where they were posting their tent show & baseball game flyers. Bill only had 3 of his 4 sidemen off the ground. Monroe was in a slightly crouched position with one man on each knee and one on his back.
They were all looking directly into the camera.

Suck it up, doubters!

[floyd floar]

[QUOTE=Mandoist;660850]Sorry Evan R. and feller doubters, but the photo does indeed exist of Monroe holding 'the band'. It was taken on a street where they were posting their tent show & baseball game flyers. Bill only had 3 of his 4 sidemen off the ground. Monroe was in a slightly crouched position with one man on each knee and one on his back.
They were all looking directly into the camera.

Suck it up, doubters![/QUOTE

I know for a fact I've seen the photo. It's from the '40s when Bill would have been in his thirties. (Heck- I could do anything, too when I was in my thirties!:))) The thing is, I thought he was supporting them all on a beam across his shoulders. Could be wrong.
BTW Hi Kevin- Sure do miss you from hosting WWUH Bluegrass and playing in CT. Thank you for all the great music you put on the air and in the air, over the years.

[journeybear]

If anyone could point me toward the actual photo - in a book, article, documentary, any place it might appear - I would greatly appreciate it!

[Tim W]

I've seen that photo too but don't remember where. It'll turn up here sooner or later. For some reason I thought it was taken during the baseball team days.

[jim simpson]

Clearly Bill Monroe was a strong man. I too looked and couldn't come up with a copy of Bill holding up his bandmates. I did find this photo of Big Mon holding up a horse! Make that a Wheel Hoss!

[jim simpson]

I think I have it now:

[journeybear]

Oh, lawdy! See what happens when technology outpaces judgment? :disbelief: Man! Does everyone in the trailer park know which trailer is yours? You might be in a heap of trouble if word of this tomfoolery gets out. :))

[jim simpson]

Well things have been getting a little strange here in the trailer park. It's hilly here in WV as you can see.

My fantasy was to live in a trailer when my wife and I moved back here but she would have none of it. I guess visions of cars on foundation blocks without tires, etc. did it for her.

[journeybear]

Well things have been getting a little strange here in the trailer park. It's hilly here in WV as you can see.

My fantasy was to live in a trailer when my wife and I moved back here but she would have none of it. I guess visions of cars on foundation blocks without tires, etc. did it for her.

Wow - a trailer condo - now that's living! A trailer with a view - just doesn't get much better than that! The view from the fourth floor, er, level, must be spectacular. Imagine telling people you live in a fourth floor walk up trailer. :disbelief: :confused: :grin:

Whenever we get a hurricane evacuation order, they do it in stages - tourists (non-residents) and trailer residents first, and then regular residents. I guess the authorities feel extra allowances must be made for trailers - or their residents - you know, I'm not really sure exactly what the reasoning is ... ;) I do know they have been systematically trying to get rid of our trailer parks, and did succeed with the one right downtown by world-famous Schooner Wharf Bar a couple of years ago. Just gotta make more room for more condos ...

I dunno what the missus' objection to cars on blocks is. That's free guest housing right there, not even part of the mortgage. :)

[OlderThanWillie]

Is this the band he was supposed to be able to lift? Maybe he was "carrying" them financially.

[evanreilly]

Ahhhh, Wilene! The first Blue Grass Girl. Bill 'carried' her in the band while Big Howdy was in the service.

[journeybear]

And look at at Stringbean! Didn't he clean up nice?

He was in the band from 1943 - 1945. The only mention I've found so far in a book puts the event (unless it happened more than once) around 1940. But Clyde Moody would have been in the band at that time, and there were presumably but four members. See Post #14.

But I'm no expert. I'm just an interminably curious and occasionally logical guy who is figuring stuff out and trying to make sense of it as I go. Now that here are social groups perhaps this question should be posed to the experts of the Monroe Appreciation Society and then someone could report back here ...

[greg_tsam]

Sorry Evan R. and feller doubters, but the photo does indeed exist of Monroe holding 'the band'. It was taken on a street where they were posting their tent show & baseball game flyers. Bill only had 3 of his 4 sidemen off the ground. Monroe was in a slightly crouched position with one man on each knee and one on his back.
They were all looking directly into the camera.

Suck it up, doubters!


This is entirely possible and its sometimes referred to as a diamond formation. Acrobats and competitive cheerleaders have been doing it for years in performances. I've done it many times.

[evanreilly]

John Hartford makes reference to Bill & the BGB putting on the gloves and duking it out when they ran out of tunes to challenge each other with. Just another strain of Monroe's competitive nature. No one could out-play him tune-wise, or knock him off his feet any other way.

[Mandoist]

Getting back to the original issue (the photo)...I believe everyone was in their baseball uniform in that photo. I also believe one band member was standing off to the side, near a pole with a baseball game poster on it.

[Billy1]

As a proud member of the social group The Monroe Appreciation Society, I felt it my duty to try and find this picture but I have failed.:crying: I did find where Mon talks about it in the movie Bill Monroe, Father of Bluegrass. He says and I quote, "When I had five of 'em working for me, I carried them all at one time. They weighed 960 pounds." I'm not giving up yet!

[Michael Gowell]

Not to doubt the photo story, but "When I had five of 'em working for me I carried them all at one time. They weighed 960 lbs" sounds like a joke a la Craig Ferguson's "you too, ladies" kind of line where the expectations of the setup are humorously revised by the punchline. Just sayin...

[journeybear]

Not to doubt the doubters, but ... so many people recall seeing this photo - despite no one being able to produce it - that I believe it exists, even without proof. That's what I call faith.

I still want proof though ... and would appreciate any suggestions on where to find it!

[8strings]

.... I have some connections, let me find out.

[Scotti Adams]

Wasnt there a "Bill Monroe Reader" book that came out awhile back? A very short show and tell of Monroe. Seems to me that pic was in that book. Ive seen this elusive pic as well.

[Gary Hedrick]

If you are really, really, really wanting to find a copy of that picture then: 1. Try contacting James 2. Try Dr. Neil Rosenberg 3. Try Jim Peva of Bean Blossom fame 4. or any of the other authors of note on Monroe

[toddjoles]

What once was, doesn't necessarily exist today.

[DorothyD]

I just found this:

New York Times

AT HOME WITH: Bill Monroe; Lots to Sing, Little to Say
By JASON DePARLE
Published: Thursday, June 9, 1994


“Mr. Monroe has boasted of his physical strength throughout his life, and he still tells the story of how he once balanced five men on a beam across his back.”

The link to this interesting article is:

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/09/garden/at-home-with-bill-monroe-lots-to-sing-little-to-say.html?pagewanted=all

[journeybear]

Thanks, Dorothy! This adds to the textual proof of this feat. I'm pretty well convinced he could and did do this. Seems a rather odd thing to boast about if untrue, as it could be so easily disproved. I'm still hoping someone can turn up a photo of this. I know there are people here with books and movies about the man - I don't - and I'm hoping someone can find this in one of those.

[Sam Bush Fan!]

i would like to thank everybody for all of your help (you know who you are)

Thank You.

[f5loar]

Because of where Monroe performed and whom he performed for there were not a lot of camera owners back in the 40's when this magnificant feat was performed.
I guess that's when Bean's held onto his only photo of the event. I've got a lot of Monroe photos but very few from the 40's. Monroe pretty much was not in the limelight back then. While the Opry gave him some fame he was still doing the tent shows and small venues that brought in little money to pay the expenses. The photo does exsist. If anyone has a copy it would likely be the CMHF in Nashville in their archives. They may even have Bean's copy there.

[journeybear]

Lots of good points there, sir, as usual. Someone ought to contact the CMHF about this. I wish I were still a member of the working press. I wonder how the CMHF feels about inquiries from civilians ... :confused:

[evanreilly]

F5Loar and I searched the photos on display at the Bill Monroe Museum at the park in Bean Blossom. We didn't see it on the wall. Tho, there was some corner of some picture sticking out of Beans' bib overalls.

[Ivan Kelsall]

The book "The Bill Monroe Reader" is the one written by Tom Ewing,Bill's Guitar player during the last years of his band. I just had a thorough look through it,but there's no photo.of Bill carrying the band.
Quote - "I wonder how the CMHF feels about inquiries from civilians " - JB,the CMHF is FOR us civillians,or at least i hope it is. I would be very surprised if they took any enquiries amiss - maybe if i can find their e-mail address i'll give them a try.They just might take pity on a 'poor ole Limey' who doesn't know his a** from his elbow,:grin:
Ivan;)

PS - Well 'faint hearts .......'; & all that buiness aside,i just e-mailed the CMHF with the question,so we'll see what they come up with,but i don't hold out much hope.
Incidentally,did you know that after the murder of the Akemans,they found over $20,000 US walled up in their house - today's equivalent of around $80,000 ! (info.from Wikepedia).The paper money was so rotten,it was unuseable - well,'there's nowt as strange as folk' !.

[Soupy1957]

I'm looking at the details of this thread from another angle, (although I'd love to see the picture ya'll are talking about, if it ever surfaced),.......


I would imagine that Stringbean knew of, knew, and appreciated Bill Monroe. I suppose the two of them could have even been acquainted and perhaps even friends. I especially find it interesting that he kept a picture of Bill and/or Bill and his band, in his pocket.

I wonder what historical facts could surface about the relationship between Bill and Stringbean.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Soupy - Dave "Stringbean" Akeman was Bill Monroe's original Banjo player. It was when he left BM that Earl Scruggs had the opportunity to audition for the BG Boys - the rest as they say 'is history',
Ivan

[Fretbear]

Dave "Stringbean" Akeman was Bill Monroe's original Banjo player. It was when he left BM that Earl Scruggs had the opportunity to audition for the BG Boys - the rest as they say 'is history'
Lester Flatt was so unimpressed with what String's banjo picking was doing to the band's rhythm that he was reported to have said that the young Scruggs could "just leave his banjo in it's case for all he cared..."
Good thing (especially for him) that his sentiments were ignored...

[journeybear]

Quote - "I wonder how the CMHF feels about inquiries from civilians " - JB, the CMHF is FOR us civilians,or at least i hope it is. I would be very surprised if they took any enquiries amiss - maybe if i can find their e-mail address i'll give them a try.They just might take pity on a 'poor ole Limey' who doesn't know his a** from his elbow,:grin:
...


Well, it should be. After all, it's fans who made all their success possible for the entertainers, and country music stars nearly always thank the fans when they receive their awards. Still, administrators of organizations such as the CMHF have different agenda and have to answer to boards of directors and such, who have their agenda ... ;) But then again, who knows? The properly worded request addressed to just the right person who receives just such a request on just the right day could be just the thing. And pity could be the right angle ... ;)


Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum (http://www.countrymusichalloffame.com/site/)
222 Fifth Avenue South
Nashville, Tennessee 37203
615-416-2001
info@countrymusichalloffame.com


Good luck!

[f5loar]

Beans and Monroe were tight as ticks even after Beans left the Bluegrass Boys. And Beans and Scruggs were good friends too as he appeared many times on those old Martha White TV shows. Beans would continue to help out Monroe on road shows as the opening act. The first time I saw Monroe in 1963 at the Charlotte Coloseium was on one of the Opry Traveling Shows. They would bring out the WSM mic stand and have about 10 acts from the Opry.
Monroe was there and so was Beans. I must say Beans could entertain in his pre HeeHaw comedy routine with really great ole time banjer picking. Beans could do standing up what Uncle Dave Macon had to do sitting down. I find it hard to believe that Beans had the only known copy of the photo although back then making copies of photos was not a common thing to do. There were no quicky WalGreens/Eckerd stores. You had your little Kodak Brownie Box camera and you were lucky to only afford one copy of your roll of film. Heck it took a week to get it developed at a Kodak store. Also sounds like I need to get that million dollars worth of hundreds out of my wall before it's too late. I guess I could invest it in used DMM model F5s. One on ebay sold last week for $11,000.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I think that in his own style,Stringbean was one h*ll of a Banjo player - as clean as a whistle,but he never could have coped with some of the tunes that Monroe came up with that essentially were showpieces for Earl Scruggs' Banjo - but a very great player nevertheless, & sadly missed,
Ivan
PS - JB, that's where i e-mailed 'em at " info@.................." i expect it's going to be a case of 'expect nothing directly',but you never know.

[Markkunkel]

Had never heard of this tragic incident, so I did some googling and found this writeup of Stringbeans life:

http://1234music678.blogspot.com/2009/03/david-stringbean-akeman-murder-of-hee.html

Seems that one of his killers died in prison and the other will not be eligible for parole until 2011.

What a sad, sad tale. Surely somebody must have written a tune about murder of Stringbean?

Somebody (Verlon Thompson) has, and you can hear it here:

http://www.myspace.com/verlonthompson

Verlon sang this song at this years Springfest in Live Oak, Florida, and it was an impressive performance.

MK

[Martian]

I do know of a story that was told to me by Dana Cupp Jr. that was told to him by Bill that back in early 50's the BG B's were playing at a county fair where one of the attractions was a strongman show where the guy would lift a railroad tie over his head and onto his shoulder. Mr. Bill was heard making the statement that he also could do this . The strongman said he could not and a $20 bet ensued. Bill told Dana after he had done so, the strongman would not pay him. Bill said "I had to whip that feller to get my money". For those who don't know Dan, he played banjo the last few years of Monroes life. Is now with Bobby Osborne

[Ivan Kelsall]

Well - as far as my enquiry of the CMHF - it's a 'no show' so far,no surprise there. I have very jaded feelings regarding such 'Institutions' unless publicly owned (is it ?).I always feel that they're being run for the benefit of the people running them & not the general public. maybe it would have been better to contact the 'Museum of Bluegrass' in Owensboro,after all,it was founded around the music of Bill Monroe,so maybe they'd be a bit more interested,
Ivan

[evanreilly]

This seems to be an urban legend. Bill did speak of carrying four BGB, one under each arm, one around his waist, and one on his back, in the early forties. But there is no photo of the event. The cross-tie may have been a later embellishment to the tale.

[journeybear]

Well - as far as my enquiry of the CMHF - it's a 'no show' so far,no surprise there ...

The mystery continues ... Since according to many there is but one such photo, those who have seen it would be few, those who have seen it and are still alive fewer still, those who have seen it and are still alive and can be found - well, you see how quickly verification becomes very difficult. Most likely, the best we can do is to find someone who has some recollection with some substantiation (though that will probably only mean said person swearing on a stack of Bill Monroe records) - and it would be more likely to find someone fitting that description at the Museum Of Bluegrass.

The CMHF is privately owned, as far as I know, and unless some such kind soul is in their employ - and good luck finding him or her - we would be unlikely to get much help from them. Unless, of course, someone were to contact them as a journalist or author researching anecdotes concerning ... hmmm, must give this some thought ... ;) ... :whistling:


This seems to be an urban legend. Bill did speak of carrying four BGB, one under each arm, one around his waist, and one on his back, in the early forties. But there is no photo of the event. The cross-tie may have been a later embellishment to the tale.

It sure does. I can't quite get rid of that nagging voice that says it could be true, though. But the cross-tie incident is a different story, not an embellishment of this one.

[8strings]

Finally ......

[Mike Romkey]

Thanks, 8. Now, does anybody have the picture of Bill flying over the Empire State Building in long underwear and a cape?

[turkeypen]

Someone mentioned Monroe's hands. When his album Southern Flavor was his latest, he came to my home town, and I had him sign a copy of



southern Flavor, and shock his hand. He sure had impressive hands. I have big hands, his were just as big, and you knew you were shaking hands with a man. I think that album came out in 1988.

[johnhgayjr]

I've read about the lifting his whole band story but don't think I've ever seen a pic. I can vouch for his hand strength. This is about 1980 - he had a hand shake like a vise. I tried to keep up with his squeeze but I definitely cried uncle first. I've still got that tag/ticket with his autograph. He was a pretty stout old man.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=393&pictureid=2993

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi JB -A 'privately owned' CMHF - says a lot !. Re. Bill Monroe's handshake -when i met him in '66 in the UK,i spoke to him for several minutes,& that was preceded by a handshake that almost left my fingers numb !. I'm 6ft tall,BM wasn't as tall as me,but the word 'stout' fits the 'bill' (no pun intended) i'd say really strongly built & i got the impression that this was a guy with whom you definitely did not mess around (in any sense), he was also very courteous & nicely spoken,
Ivan

[evanreilly]

Bill certainly was 'stout'; he still plowed his fields with a pair of mules until he no longer could handle the chores.
As Bill was very fond of saying: "Ain't no man ever throwed that Bill Monroe feller to the ground", or some very similar third-person reference to his stoutness.

[re simmers]

Bill was a big strong man. He was a one of a kind, exceptional musician. I've read the books. I've heard the tale from Bill. I saw Bill in person but never shook hand. Even if Bill's hands were like Andre the Giant, I would have to see the picture to believe he held the whole band. Maybe he did, but I'd have to see it. 950 lbs? I have serious doubts.
I love this thread.

[300win]

I've seen the picture. It is true. They were sitting on a piece of timber he had across his shoulders, thus lifting them with his leg strength a great deal. He was a strong man. I have personaly in my life seen men like him, just old tobacco farmers from where I was raised. One of my dad's cousins husband when I was helping him in tobacco one time, he got kind of peeved at his mule, and took his fist with one lick to the side of her head he knocked her down. Farming is tough hard work, but back in the mule days it was really tough. You had to be strong to stand it. My dad although not a big man, was for his size one of the strongest men I've ever seen. He was about 5'10'', weight around 170 lbs, back when he was in his prime with his handshake alone he made a much bigger fellow get on his knees and beg him to let go, the guy was around 6' 4'' and weighed around 250 lbs.

[evanreilly]

It is very likely true that Monroe would lift off the ground the other four members of the BGB and carry them for a moment, as I wrote above. Thjis allegedly happened in the 1940's.
However, there was no picture of this at his Museum in Bean Blossom, and no one has yet provided more than a memory of seeing it. I'd like to see the picture; I do believe there is a historical event which may have spun into mythological status.
Only Beans may have had the evidence.

[300win]

It is very likely true that Monroe would lift off the ground the other four members of the BGB and carry them for a moment, as I wrote above. Thjis allegedly happened in the 1940's.
However, there was no picture of this at his Museum in Bean Blossom, and no one has yet provided more than a memory of seeing it. I'd like to see the picture; I do believe there is a historical event which may have spun into mythological status.
Only Beans may have had the evidence.


Evan, if I ain't mistaken there is the picture in the book "Can't You Here Me Calling".

[f5loar]

Youes mistakin'

[evanreilly]

No pic of that event in Smith's work; nor does that pic appear in Tom Ewing's book either. Keep digging.

[journeybear]

I've seen the picture. It is true ...

If I had a dollar for every time someone has said this ... :))

Now if only someone who recalls seeing the picture could recall where, we'd be all set!

[journeybear]

Following info over at this thread (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15044) I came up with the following:

International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, KY
117 Daviess Street, between the Ohio River and 2nd Street

Mailing Address:
207 E. 2nd Street
Owensboro, KY 42303
Phone: 270-926-7891
888-MY BANJO (toll-free)
Fax: 270-689-9440

Oh boy! A toll-free number. Hope they're ready for the questions I've got for them ... ;)

[Ivan Kelsall]

I was there at the premier of the film "High Lonesome" on Sat.26th September 1992. The Museum had only opened it's doors formally that same week. The address on the ticket which i still have is 101,Daviess Street,Owensboro,KY 42303 - Downtown at the Bridge..
I hope my memory isn't playing me false,but the more i think about this photo.,the more i'm convinced that many,many years ago,i saw it printed in a magazine or something.The trouble is,over 46 years of being 'in' Bluegrass,i've seen & read 100's of publications. Maybe 'Bluegrass Unlimited' could shed a light on it - could be worth an e-mail ?. Hopefully they'll be more responsive than the CMHF,they certainly couldn't be less,
Ivan~:>

[re simmers]

I just realized that this feat alleges that Big Mon held a beam that was capable of holding 960 lbs. Or does that include the beam. If not, how much did the beam weigh? We're over 1,000 lbs. Would this put him in the category of the Russian Olympic weight lifters. This could all be a good song, "Big Wheel Hoss Mon."

[f5loar]

I'm having a flashback of Stringbean's Song Book from the early 50's. Back in the 40's and 50's the Opry stars would have their own songbooks (Monroe had 2) and they would include photos of the star and his hobbies/interest and family members. I believe Beans had that photo in his songbook. Now finding a copy of that little songbook today would be hard at best. As far was weight remember Beans didn't weigh much more than 100 pounds soaking wet with winter clothes on. Cleo Davis was pretty light weight too. Art Wooten was skinny. Don Reno was a beanpole back then. Now when Mac Wiseman and Chubby Wise came along Monroe stopped doing the test of strength. Every man has his limits.

[300win]

f5loar, thanks man for the correction, But I have seen that photo somewhere. As another member posted above I've seen so much stuff obver the last 44 years I can't remember where it is I saw it. But I know I have, no doubt of that. People have to keep in mind that you don't have to be a pro body builder to be "strong". Like I said about my dad in another post, I worked in construction and farmed all my life until becoming disabled. I've seen many men who you would not think to be strong as stout as bulls. Not meaning to boast, but I myself back when I was in my 20's, there was not much I could get a hold of and not move. I used to carry bundles of # 5 rebar on my shoulder up 3-4 stories in a building, total weight around 225 lbs. Did this all day long, besides pouring concrete, setting reinforcing timbers etc.. Also speaking from experience in raising tobacco, when we harvested it, we "housed" { hang it up on the tier poles, from the ones you were standing on to as high as you could reach} it in a barn. Each stick of green tobacco weighed around 25 lbs, mutiply that by 400 or so sticks of tobacco per barn. This was done everyday, not counting the "priming" harvesting of it in the field. If you do something like that everyday for a couple of months, you will get strong, if it don't kill you first. I've no doubt what-so-ever that William Smith Monroe could pick his entire band up and support them with his shoulders. I've seen many men in my life that could have done the same thing.

[Rroyd]

I'm sure I have seen the picture that 300Win describes; in my case, BU would be the most likely place where I had seen it. Hopefully they can shed some light on the subject.

[Billy1]

f5loar, thanks man for the correction, But I have seen that photo somewhere. As another member posted above I've seen so much stuff obver the last 44 years I can't remember where it is I saw it. But I know I have, no doubt of that. People have to keep in mind that you don't have to be a pro body builder to be "strong". Like I said about my dad in another post, I worked in construction and farmed all my life until becoming disabled. I've seen many men who you would not think to be strong as stout as bulls. Not meaning to boast, but I myself back when I was in my 20's, there was not much I could get a hold of and not move. I used to carry bundles of # 5 rebar on my shoulder up 3-4 stories in a building, total weight around 225 lbs. Did this all day long, besides pouring concrete, setting reinforcing timbers etc.. Also speaking from experience in raising tobacco, when we harvested it, we "housed" { hang it up on the tier poles, from the ones you were standing on to as high as you could reach} it in a barn. Each stick of green tobacco weighed around 25 lbs, mutiply that by 400 or so sticks of tobacco per barn. This was done everyday, not counting the "priming" harvesting of it in the field. If you do something like that everyday for a couple of months, you will get strong, if it don't kill you first. I've no doubt what-so-ever that William Smith Monroe could pick his entire band up and support them with his shoulders. I've seen many men in my life that could have done the same thing.I'm right there with you on this one. I've cut, speared and hung many a stick of tobacco and bucked many a bale of hay. I now run a framing crew and have been into this kind of work for probably 12 years and still do plenty of hard work on my small farm, although I don't mess with tobacco anymore. I don't do much hay work anymore , just put up 2 acres of loose hay by myself every year. It makes you as strong as a mule in your youth but as stiff as a board in your older years!

[Ivan Kelsall]

Purely as an aside to the main thread.One of the nicest things that i saw the last time i was in the USA (1992) were fields of Tobacco,& as the weather was pretty hot ( Oh boy, was it hot !!!), you could also smell it - a wonderful experience.
Regarding whatever it was that BM used to carry his band,all you'd need is a short plank of the type that painters & decorators use. It only needs to be about 6ft long or so,just enough for their rear ends to perch on it & not particularly heavy in itself,
Ivan;)

[journeybear]

Here's Bill Monroe on a 1982 TV program hosted by Archie Campbell telling this tale, among others. There's also a 1967 version of "Kentucky Waltz."

Thanks to Scotti Adams for posting the link on another thread.

[f5loar]

Well he didn't stutter about the details of how he did it.
There is possibly more than one photo of the event out there. I bet he would do it before each show in front of the tent shows to draw a crowd in. He also does Ky. Waltz in E. Monroe has recorded this Waltz in D, F and E.
I guess even the Father couldn't find the right key.

[re simmers]

We'll have to forward this interview to O'Reilly's 'body language expert' to find out if Bill was telling the truth. We could also use the psychic network, Dr. Phil, and all the other modern experts to evaluate this interview........unless someone posts a picture.

Bill's story about "how he carried" the band was a bit sketchy, don't you think?

Bob

[journeybear]

I like his low-key, off-hand delivery, not playing it up as any great achievement, just being matter-of-fact about it. As if it warn't no part of nothin'. ;) Sounds like a story that has been told many times, and has been streamlined to include just the important parts.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I e-mailed a relative of Dave 'Stringbean' Akeman (Akemon) who runs an annual commemorative
'Stringfest' festival & also another group of people whom i thought might have some info.,all to no avail, as per the CMHF request. It seems like nobody's interested. May be somebody could make contact with Bluegrass Unlimited or Neil Rosenberg & make a casual enquiry,
Ivan

[Ron Landis]

A little off-topic, but here's my Bilmon story... Somewhere around 1974, my band at the time made our annual trip to the Bean Blossom festival. We were kind of hobo-ing around for the summer, going from festival to festival, and playing road houses along the way for tips, food and beer. After the festival was over, we stayed the next day and worked for Bill cleaning up the park. We worked a good 10 hours picking up trash along with ALL the bluegrass boys. I had the privilege of sharing lunch with Kenny Baker and the rest of the boys. I think Bobby Black was with him then, but can't remember who else.

I made the comment to Kenny "Now I can go home and tell my friends I got to 'pick' with the Bluegrass Boys". He made a joke something like... "Yeah, trash is mostly what we pick". After the long, hard day, I met with Bill to get paid. Out of his wallet he pulled a stack of bills literally an inch thick. (mostly LARGE bills) He gave me a Jackson... which worked out to be about $2 per hour. But working for Bill Monroe? Priceless... i guess.

[evanreilly]

The latest issue of Bluegrass Unlimited (with Dale Ann Bradley on the cover) gives references to this 'picture', but does not include a copy of the picture. Interesting.

[Scotti Adams]

Yes it does Evan..the BU is also where I got the link to the YouTube video I posted re: the incident. I know the pic exists..Ive seen..where Ive seen it I cant recall.