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Thread: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

  1. #1
    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    It's taken Tom Ewing over 30 years to put together the definitive autobiography on Bill Monroe. "The Life and Music of the Blue Grass Man" and he should add to that title "and his Blue Grass Boys" which lived the life with Bill and helped create his style of music. It's a big book with 639 pages and few dozen pages of photos, many never seen before. I got the book 2 days ago and have read it (hard to put down). My quicky review is you will find out details about this you knew about and you'll find details about things you never heard about. Stories from the 149 official Blue Grass Boys to the constant "tiffs" between Monroe and his on/off bass player, Ms. Bessie Lee Mauldin. A lot of details of the repairing of the Loar F5 and use of others while it was out for repairs. It seems the million Dollar Loar has had several dozen fretboards in 50 years, neck breaks, back seam breaks
    So if you a true Father of Bluegrass fanatic , than you will want one. you can order direct from Univ. of IL Press or Amazon or Target. I've really enjoyed it , but then I'm one of the research contributors. Click image for larger version. 

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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    F5 - Is this book available to buy right now - if so,where from ?. I have Tom's first book & i'd certainly like this one.

    One other book i'd recommend is - ''The Music of Bill Monroe'' - Rosenberg / Wolfe. It's way more than a simple discography.There's lots of info. regarding BM himself & the various Bluegrass Boys who he hired along the way,
    Ivan
    PS - I just pre-ordered if via Amazon. The book is released on Sept.25th. £26.95 UK + £3 postage.
    This purchase should complete my BM book collection - unless there's another one coming up ?.

    I've played the music of this man literally every day for 55 years,& i never tire of learning about his life & music. I met him just once,but i wish i'd met him a 1000 time more. What a legacy he left to us !!!!.
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    Registered User Mando Mort's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Is it really an "autobiography" as you mention in the original post? The cover implies is it written by Tom Ewing and does not mention being written by Bill Monroe...
    "All of us contain Music & Truth, but most of us can't get it out." - Mark Twain

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    NY Naturalist BradKlein's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    I think, biography.
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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    University of Illinois Press link

    Amazon link


    The Amazon link is for a pre-order that will ship September 30th and is cheaper than the UI Press.
    The UI Press also offers it in an e-book format that's less expensive than Amazon.

    I've got too much on my plate right now, I can wait until after September 30 so I pre-ordered.
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    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Quote Originally Posted by Mando Mort View Post
    Is it really an "autobiography" as you mention in the original post? The cover implies is it written by Tom Ewing and does not mention being written by Bill Monroe...
    it's a biography. It's got lots of quote from Monroe.

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    Registered User mandotool's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    my pre-order from back in April just arrived today...All 639 pages !
    just in time to read on the way down to Monroe Camp in a couple days..
    Looking forward to camp this year !!!
    http://monroemandolincamp.com/

    and looking forward to meeting f5loar and hearing his presentation ..
    "The Mandolins of Bill Monroe: The Lore of the Loar"

  13. #8
    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Yes, Mike asked I bring a few "old" Gibsons to show and tell at the camp and it morphed into "The Mandolins of Bill Monroe: The Lore of the Loar". I'll be showing 11 mandolins like the ones Monroe used over his 69 years of picking one and talk about another 11 he used on occasions. From his little $3 mandolin when he was 9 all the way up to the famous million dollar mandolin. Tom's new book covers a few of them. I'm going to cover all of them. You will find out information on Monroe's you never knew to ask about. And I'll have some free handouts as well as some original Monroe collectibles for $20 or less.

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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    F5 - The information that you mention would be of interest to almost every mandolin player on here. Is there a way that you could write an article re.the info. so that all of us can read it ?. I understand the effort & time this would take,but would you please consider doing it - "Quote - You will find out information on Monroe's you never knew to ask about.". That has to be 100% un-missable !!!,
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    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Kudos again to University of Illinois Press for their ongoing documentation of American folk and country music. I have a "mini-library" of their books, and look forward to adding this one.
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Sorry i won't be able to attend f5loar's great talk on WSM's mandolins, but I've gotta know...what were the first several mandolins he played as a youth?

    There are lots of gaps in my knowledge of his instruments, but there are some pics out there of him playing a snakehead, Epiphone Strand, and the F7. i'm clueless beyond that.

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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Mine came in. I've just started into it.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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    Fatally Flawed Bill Kammerzell's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Just ordered it. I won't have it for the Outer Banks trip but I should have it for Bluegrass camp at Ashokan at the end of October. When I was at the Monroe house in Rosine I bought the Bill Monroe Reader which Tom Ewing had edited. Also bought a Monroe tribute CD by Frank Wakefield on which Ewing performs a few songs. I thought the lady that gave us the tour said Tom Ewing was staying in a house on the property? Read he was with Bill Monroe for around 8 years, IIRC? Must be a pretty long tenure for a Bluegrass Boy? Maybe in the top three?
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Quote Originally Posted by willkamm View Post
    Read he was with Bill Monroe for around 8 years, IIRC? Must be a pretty long tenure for a Bluegrass Boy? Maybe in the top three?
    No disrespect to Mr. Ewing, but by the time he was working that hitch, being a member of Monroe's band was no longer the highly prized (and low paid) gig it once was.
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    From Fretbear - "...being a member of Monroe's band was no longer the highly prized (and low paid) gig it once was." Maybe not - but you still got to be called a ''Bluegrass Boy''. That in itself is points to a ''Bluegrass pedigree'' like no other,
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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    I've been notified by Amazon,that my copy of this book will arrive on Oct.17th. However,Amazon are mostly earlier with their deliveries than their ETAs suggest, & hopefully,this time it won't be any different !,
    Ivan
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Mine is due today, I’ve read the other books out there on Monroe and looking forward to reading this one. I recently bought some of the Monroe box sets and listen to them while I’m golfing in the early mornings...all things Big Mon lately...ha
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    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    I got mine today.

    Wow. 620 pages including the index and postcript, plus the title pages, preface, prologue etc...

    And I say this respectfully both for Mr. Ewing and for the late Mr. Monroe, but it is probably more information than I ever wanted to read, which is primarily because I'm not that dedicated of a reader of bluegrass subject matter. I'm a bit overwhelmed.

    In his preface, Mr. Ewing describes the book as more of a chronicle than a biography, and I'd have to agree with that. I have read a few chapters, and indeed there are some details and answers to questions that I never thought would be available. Also some very interesting and historical B&W photos. To my perception it seems to be an honest book with a huge amount of information.

    Kudos to Mr. Ewing for such an exhaustive work. It may in fact be the go-to book for those with questions about Bill Monroe.
    Last edited by dhergert; Oct-03-2018 at 12:32am.
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    "Got mine, I enjoy these types of books but I'll have to work at it. Amazing amount of bibliography.

  30. #20
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    The delivery of mine has been put back by a week,so it's now the 24th of Oct. !!,
    Ivan
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Great read this far. Really enjoying it.

  32. #22

    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Excellent book so far. Very detailed, probably as much as is possible. I'm enjoying the factoids about recording companies and the comings and going of players & other details I've never given much thought to.

  33. #23
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Joe - If you want as much info. as it's possible to have regarding Bill Monroe's recordings, & who played with him & when / when & where they were recorded / who wrote them / recorded them first etc. - the book 'The Music of Bill Monroe' is a ''must have'',
    Ivan
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    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    I can send by email the presentation paper of "The Mandolins of Bill Monroe" if you want one. Send me your email in a PM There is information about the mandolins you will not find in Ewings book. There were a few "typos" around the mandolins.

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    Default Re: The bible of monroe is released by tom ewing

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post
    The delivery of mine has been put back by a week,so it's now the 24th of Oct. !!,
    Ivan
    Delivery put back again (3rd time) to Oct 31st in UK- hoping there's no serious issue, been waiting ages for this release.

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