View Full Version : Best Monroe Box set
Rick Schmidlin
Oct-15-2004, 7:24pm
I wasnt to give myself a little gift. I have the Monroe JSP and Decca collections's. Which of the Bearville what is favorite from that collection?
Rick schmidlin
evanreilly
Oct-15-2004, 11:00pm
The 1950 - 1959 set gets my vote! Has the big hits that comprise the core of Monroe's music, both instrumentally and vocally.
batman
Oct-16-2004, 5:50am
I have "The Music of Bill Monroe" . 4 cds 98 songs they go in order of recorded. 1- 1936-52, 2 1952-59, 3 1958 69, and 4 1970 94. Not really a bad cut on any. Don
dasspunk
Oct-16-2004, 7:02am
I'll second the vote for The Music of Bill Monroe 4CD Box Set (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002OSF/102-8730150-5416928?v=glance)...
I'd choose either the 50-58 set or the 59-69 set. I think the book that comes with the 59-69 set is a little nicer but I think you'll be happy with either one.
Pete Martin
Oct-16-2004, 11:14am
If you are looking for Monroes best playing, I personally like the 50 to 59 set the best. The "Skating Rink" version of Kentucky Waltz just about made me crash my car on the interstate when I first heard it, I was laughing so hard... The whole set was worth that moment alone.
JDSmith
Oct-20-2004, 4:47pm
I would also highly recommend the Smithsonian Folkways "Bill Monroe and the BG Boys Live Recordings 1956 - 1969" (SF CD 40063). Many captured by Ralph Rinzler and some interview material as well. Classic Big Mon!
earthsave
Oct-21-2004, 6:17am
I do like the 4CD box set, especially disc 2.
I also enjoy the very early stuff. I have a double that includes several Monroe Brother tunes..
And yeah, that "All Skate" version of Kentucky Waltz is not so beautiful. You wonder what they were thinking and was this a point when Eli Oberstein said "Hey Bill, we got this great hammond organ player that I think will sound wonderful with your band."
KevinM
Oct-21-2004, 12:16pm
I have both of the Bearsville sets 50-58, and 59-69, and it's a close call as to which one is better. You can't go that far wrong on with either if you ask me (although Evan Reilly's reccomendation is probably the one to go with if you feel the need to edge one out). There's great stuff on each. I think the first Bearsville set, from the 40s and earlier, looks interesting if only becase I think it has all of the Monroe Brothers output (whihc is otherwise only available on Rounder of Vols 1 and 2 of an - eventual - 4 vol. set.) and then all of the early stuff. Then of course that 69-74 set looks good, too......
evanreilly
Oct-21-2004, 1:06pm
As a bit of historical trivia, the first Bear set ('50 - '58) contains Monroe's recordings of Jimmie Rodger's songs, except In My Dear Old Southern Home, which he recorded with Brother Charlie a lot earlier.
It was an idea at Decca to have Monroe release an album of Rodger's covers; the album never was issued. #Interesting material and arrangements.