Come hither to go yonder

[mandopete]

I finally got around to reading Come Hither to Go Yonder by Bob Black this weekend. A great read with some wonderful insight by a man who played with Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys in the mid 70's.

In addition to some great stories about Mr. Bill there's also quite a bit of praise for Kenny Baker, one of my all-time favorite fiddlers.

Highly recommended.

[f5loar]

Another good read by ex-bluegrass banjo boy is the one by Butch Robbins. I like seeing Monroe's sidemen writing books about their times with Monroe. It's all interesting bluegrass history about the man who created it. Maybe more will be forth coming.

[MadMax]

The contrast between the two books, "Come Hither to Go Yonder" by Bob Black and "What I Know About What I Know" by Butch Robins could not be more extreme.

I've been listening a lot to Bob Black's "Ladies on the Steamboat" CD. I've really enjoyed it. I didn't realize that Buck White was such a good mandolin player. Also, the final tracks recorded in Japan with Bob as a member of the Bluegrass Boys are excellent.

[Scotti Adams]

..I loved Butch's book...read it 3 or 4 times...

[mandopete]

I didn't realize that Butch Robbins had written a book as well, I'll have to check that one out. What are the differnces between his book and Bob's?

I thought Bob's opinions were pretty straightforward. He was not over-the-top in his praise for Monroe nor was he overly negative. Seems like that's all we hear from ex Bluegrass Boys - how tough it was to work for Monroe.

[MadMax]

I would describe the book that Butch Robins wrote as being brutally frank with respect to his experiences with Bill Monroe and other bluegrass musicians. I hasten to add that Mr. Robins is equally frank about himself. It's compelling reading.

[mandopete]

Sold.

[Fretbear]

Bob's book is a straight forward, very respectful accounting of his hitch as a Bluegrass Boy. Butch's book, no less compelling, sometimes goes for a stream of consciousness narrative and includes some amazing untold stories such as how extremely close Robins and Monroe came to pounding on each other at the Opry one night, and the day that Butch's banjo neck turned into a snake while he was playing on stage. The only thing wrong with either book is that you know they will end much too soon.

Come Hither To Go Yonder
What I Know 'Bout What I Know

[mandopete]

and the day that Butch's banjo neck turned into a snake while he was playing on stage.

Really?

[cbogle]

Bob's story about the Goins' "oil leak" was stand alone worth the price of the book......howlingly funny.

[bigskygirl]

Bringing up this old thread...just finished this book and it's very good. I enjoyed the stories and pictures especially the time Bob was driving with BM in the passenger seat and he drove over a curb...twice...he said Monroe just looked at him with his mouth open...I can only imagine the feeling!

[Warren H]

Having played in bands with Bob Black for decades, I can say he never told the half of it.