Been watching Bill Monroe on U-tube

[Duane Graves]

I've been watching Bill Monroe on u-tube....all those old vids and I've been trying to compare someone in our day to Monroe's playing ability and part of that playing ability he had was his 'on-stage-presence' it seems to me. O, he played great, for sure, but if you watch him he seems to have had a 'presence' or a 'command of the floor' and it's like no matter who was playing what instrument the center of attention was Bill Monroe. Kind of like a Tiger Woods on the golf course, Tiger can be in eighth place yet all eyes go to where he is or a Joe Montana in his heyday. And when Monroe got that mandolin of his chirping and barking and those very strong chops and trills going, you see him swatting those strings with such authority and precision, well, I don't know if I have seen the like in today's bluegrass at least. The closest I can find to Bill Monroe today is Ronnie McCoury.

That's my opinion from what I am seeing and hearing. But it begs to be asked, is there another Bill Monroe among us today or is Ronnie McCoury destined to fill Bill Monroe's big shoes someday, and, well, maybe he is already? What do you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nIR-6Zrq24

--Duane.

[Mike Bunting]

Maybe Mike Compton.

[Glassweb]

i'm afraid Monroe's shoes have already been filled... the next most influential mandolin and a man of nearly equal stature would have to be Grisman. not a singer, but a very influential and virtuosic player with a huge body of original music...

[Ivan Kelsall]

One of the only other Bluegrass artistes that i can think of who had as much 'stage presence' as
Bill Monroe,was the late JimmyMartin- could you ever ignore a guy like him!.Unfortunately for us,he's also gone form us. A rebel for sure,who offended many people who could have helped him along,but a great character & artiste,none the less.
These days,i think that Del McCoury,a performer who's 'payed his dues' in spades,commands a great deal of respect - certainly from this member,
Ivan

[Steve Perry]

I really don't think there's anybody out there today that captures the overall presence of Bill Monroe. I do think though, that Compton and McCoury capture the essence of what Bill would be like if he were alive and in his prime today. Compton, the more laid back, sitting on the porch at the farm, old time fiddler Bill and McCoury the on stage, in command of the instrument Bill. Make sense?

[OldSausage]

All the great players have their own unique sounds and approaches. I don't think it makes any sense to talk about replacing Bill Monroe or filling his shoes, no-one's trying to do that. Ronnie and Mike sound great, and understand Monroe's playing far better than I ever will, but I don't think they would often get mistaken for him. Which is a good thing.

[swampstomper]

I second the nomination of *Del* McCoury as someone who commands respect with his stage presence. His style is of course different than WSM but when he steps up to the mike you can see who is boss! even with all the instrumental and vocal talent in the band (Ronnie McC among them). He embodies "speak softly and carry a BIG (musical) stick", and that is "presence", at least to me.

[farmerjones]

Forget the fact WSM came up with the style. To lead a band of powerful accoustic instruments, with a mandolin, takes command, of both the instrument and your surrounding. Stories were told how he would prove his drive and rythm command. I think i read it here, that he had great ability to either hold and keep time, or pull it, or push it. I remember a tale where he pulled a bass, maybe rythm guitar down, with his drive. That's hard to do. But not for a leader, or a commander like WSM.

[Golman8]

I have not been in the presence of any of the mandolin pickers mentioned but was in Mr. Monroe's presence one time. It was in a little South Georgia town called Fargo, on the banks of the Suwannee River, in or around 1955 or 56. There was a small movie tent show there just by the railroad trussell that spanned the storied river. Bill and his Bluegrass Boys blew in one night to perform in that small venue. I was around 13 or 14 years old and not interested in anything but rock and roll, so I just hung around out side, hoping to get a glimpse of some of the scarce females in that small town. When the band took it's break I came running around the tent and there stood a striking figure, about six-two and robust! He had his riding pants, boots and he was standing in what I thought then, a peculier sort of way, kind of leaning back on one leg with his arms down to his side and he still had not had his errant eye fixed. I didn't know who he was, but I could tell he was someone special! My mom and Dad did attend and later my Mom said that Bill was the most handsome man she had ever seen! They performed there that night in front of a crowd of about 25 people! I still vividly remember the impact of his physical presence there. As we were prone to say down there then, "he was much of a man!"

[evanreilly]

Well, call me jaded, or a moldy fig, or whatever.....
But in all my years of going to blue grass festivals and shows and watching and listening, I have never seen a presence, both musically and otherwise, front a band like Bill Monroe did with the BGB.
I remember seeing him, in his later years as an old man, sitting alone on his bus, before a show, and he looked old and frail. Then, maybe half an hour later, Bill Monroe, bigger than life, would appear onstage in front of his band, playing his music, 150% in his element.
Granted, as his career progressed, he began to present a very formulaic stage show, and one could predict with some accuracy what songs, in what order, he would play. And if your were a good fan, you could usually have him play your requests. And if you were a really good fan and happend to play his music on the mandolin, he might could maybe let you 'help out' on a mandolin or fiddle number or three onstage.
And I can tell you, that playing onstage with Monroe was more intimidating and challenging than any other musical experience I have ever had! But, he did state that I was a "...pretty good mana'lin player".
There is no one that fills Monroe's shoes, as a song and tune writer, band leader or mandolin player.

[Glassweb]

There is no one that fills Monroe's shoes, as a song and tune writer, band leader or mandolin player. [Evan Reily/QUOTE]

what Evan says... truer words were never spoken...

[scottie b]

Mr Monroes presence on stage was very strong indeed,but it was also everywere he was offstage. The other Opry members would also know when he was around. I can't remember who told me, but they said only Johnny Cash came close to having that much presence in a crowd.

[GTison]

"what Evan says"
and

I don't think anyone can command the entire bluegrass world like Monroe. He considered it His Music. You may not like his particular music, but he set the standard of what was and what was not in bluegrass music. He put his stamp of approval on so many of the tunes that are considered standards to us today. I don't see anyone taking his place in the current lineup of musicians and bands. I don't see anyone commanding the music (bluegrass) to go in a direction. I don't see anyone as being able to define the music any more. We live in a "post-Bill Monroe " age. I don't believe the Bluegrass world is as broad as rock&roll or jazz. I don't think the limits of bluegrass have been defined. I believe the Center of Bluegrass has been defined by Bill Monroe. But, that doesn't mean it will stay the same without him here.

[GRW3]

Wow! I've been watching the You Tube videos too. I agree he has a really strong presence. I particularly like the segments from the Scottish TV show with Kenny Baker. I've been watching them to observe his right had technique based on discussions from a recent lesson.

Speaking of Ronnie McCoury. I think you're on to something, particularly in the 'Travelin' McCourys' version of the band. He really takes the lead. (It's also interesting for Cody Kilby adding hot guitar lead work.) Ronnie defers, rightfully, to his dad in dad's band but he's the man in the new generation group. I keep looking for a new album from them. I expect it to be edgier and less 'blue'.