Bill Monroe - Scotland

[billkilpatrick]

Did Bill Monroe ever visit Scotland?

[Ivan Kelsall]

Bill Monroe was over here in 1966.I have a list of his appearances & he didn't visit Scotland on that occasion. He came over again in1975,but i don't know if he visited Scotland then.

I'll try to contact the person who sent me the 1966 list to see if he knows,
Ivan;)

[Ray(T)]

He probably flew into and out of Prestwick airport :grin:

[billkilpatrick]

Bill Monroe was over here in 1966.I have a list of his appearances & he didn't visit Scotland on that occasion. He came over again in1975,but i don't know if he visited Scotland then. I'll try to contact the person who sent me the 1966 list to see if he knows. Ivan;)

Grazie, Ivan. No big deal, I was just curious to know if he ever visited and what - if any - impressions he had of the Motherland.

- Bill

[Dagger Gordon]

The chief of the Clan Munro, Hector Munro (note spelling)is a friend of mine and lives nearby at Foulis, Ross-shire. Actually his wife Sarah (always known as Alpha) teaches Scottish fiddle.
My grandmother was a Munro.

"He probably flew into and out of Prestwick airport".
You might need to explain that one Ray (T)...

[leftus maximus]

That was Elvis' only appearance in Scotland.

http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/people-places/in-pictures-when-elvis-presley-landed-at-prestwick-airport-1-4042750

[Bren]

... and Elvis covered Blue Moon of Kentucky. Tenuous link but there you go.

[Ray(T)]

Got it in one Leftus ........
Thanks!

[Ivan Kelsall]

Purely for info. here's the 1966 listing of his appearances,
Ivan
156363

[billkilpatrick]

Purely for info. here's the 1966 listing of his appearances,
Ivan
156363

Thanks, Ivan - My trusty, very rusty, Mac computer seems to grind to a halt whenever it trys to deal with a Windows document, but I appreciate the posting. If you're on Facebook, you might post it to the "Monroe Mandolin Appreciation Society" - I think Red Henry from the cafe is the administrator there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/431435206949027/?notif_t=group_r2j_approved&notif_id=1492550951818464

Grazie! - Bill

[Henry Girvan]

Hello,

Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys played in Scotland on the 25th April 1975 in Greyfriars Monastery in Uddingston.

"Big Mon" was joined on stage by Kenny Baker on fiddle, Bob Black on banjo, Ralph Lewis on guitar and Randy Davis on bass.

I will never forget after the concert meeting Bill Monroe and seeing that battered but famous F5 mandolin.

[billkilpatrick]

Hello,

Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys played in Scotland on the 25th April 1975 in Greyfriars Monastery in Uddingston.

"Big Mon" was joined on stage by Kenny Baker on fiddle, Bob Black on banjo, Ralph Lewis on guitar and Randy Davis on bass.

I will never forget after the concert meeting Bill Monroe and seeing that battered but famous F5 mandolin.

As a tea-totaler, I expect he wouldn't have sampled the national beverage. Does history relate his impressions of the country? Much seems to be made of his heritage - interested to know what he made of the real deal.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Bill - Having been one of over 45,000 UK residents who had their Facebook account hacked a couple of years back,i no longer have an account - but here's the listing all in 1966 :-
1) Thursday, May 26 ….. Assembly House, Norwich
2) Sunday, May 29 ……. Cofa's Tree Folk Club, Coventry
3) Monday, May 30 ……. Stevenage Festival, Stevenage, Kent
4) Tuesday, May 31 …… Bishops Park, Hammersmith, London (free)
5) Friday, June 3 …… Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
6) Saturday, June 4 …… Manchester Sports Guild (MSG) folk club, Long Millgate, Manchester
7) Friday, June 10 …. Royal Albert Hall, London

Bill Clifton was heavily involved in setting up this tour and he lived in Kent; at Sevenoaks.

Henry - My personal thanks for the information re. BM's Scottish visit. I did see Bill Monroe's mandolin at the MSG in Manchester in 1966,but from a seat in the audience 12 feet away. After their first set,BM packed his mandolin away & went to stand over close to the concert room bar. Lamar Grier (David Grier's father) sat with his banjo at the side of the stage. Richard Green (Fiddle), James Monroe (Bass) & Peter Rowan (guitar) all vanished - ''maybe'' to the bar on the ground floor,as BM was standing guard over t'other :grin:
Ivan;)

[John Adrihan]

Did Bill Monroe ever visit Scotland?

He had to of... Because if it ain't Scottish, it's crap!

[Ivan Kelsall]

I have e-mailed the person who sent me the 1966 BM info.,to ask about BM in Scotland,but as that question's been answered,any further info. re.the 1975 tour would be of interest,
Ivan

[Henry Girvan]

Hello,

I found a list of the UK tour dates for Bill Monroe in 1975.

The list starts with April 25 Glasgow (It was not actually Glasgow, but Uddingston but that may have been thought close enough)

April 26 Coatham Bowl, Redcar
April 27 Grand Ole Opry, Newmarket
April 28 Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
April 30 Disbeth Physics Centre, Birmingham
May 1 Congress Theater, Eastbourne
May 2 Odeon Hammersmith, London

As Scotland was first on the list he may have spent some time looking around first but I don't actually know that for sure.