Estate of Bill Monroe Offers Rare Ownership of Prized Possessions

[Beanzy]

The air-conditioner in Pendleton Vandiver's cabin has nothing - no part of nothin' - to do with either.

But it would make the lessons so much more comfortable once they turn it into the "Bill Monroe mandolin school" classroom.

[Charlieshafer]

I'm just thinking that as the years go by, and quickly, all this will be worth less and less. The same thing has happened in the field of record collecting, where, as the generation of fans who grew up with an artist die off, their records become less valuable as collectibles. Sure, there may be a single rarity that holds, but in general an artist's economic post-mortem worth decreases as time goes on. It's a shame this is being done in such a tasteless manner. But I do get, however tacky it feels, how a family or owner of an estate feels the need to raise cash when there's still some value. As much as Monroe means to the mandolin community, it's a pretty narrow market, as many have said. His catalogue of songs are what will hold value, as in theory, overtime one is played somewhere by someone, the estate gets a few pennies. Obviously, we're talking theory here, as that'll start a whole new thread..

[JEStanek]

BM's Mule Skinner BBQ.
BM's Orange Blossom Marmalade "Wouldja please pass the jelly?"
BM's Live Bait
BM's Moving Company. Staffed by musicians between gigs.

If you assume a name will be used for noble ideals YOU may have for it when you put it up for sale, that's being naive.

Jamie

[CarlM]

Wait till there are Bill Monroe paintings on black velvet and Bill Monroe impersonator contests. At least we do not have to decide between the fat Bill and skinny Bill impersonators.

[your_diamond]

Yep all those festivals, tuition courses, retrospective collections and books that want to associate themselves with his name or put his image on anything associated with him will have to stump up for each use once they negotiate it. Could be a few book titles, album covers and banners changing. I presume those who already are using his name or image to sell their wares will be the most interested bidders.

Much of any profits will go to the army of lawyers that will try to enforce those who use the name & image without permission. Then there are court fees & you better own a collection service and I'm sure I am forgetting other costs.

...& lets not forget that old wooden cabin = TERMITES!

[NursingDaBlues]

BM's Moving Company.

a subsidiary of BM's Port-A-Potty?

[Timbofood]

Gotta buy the poker with the mandolin, it's a boxed set!
What about
"Chicken coops by.....
Uncle Pen"

"BM's Moving Company" is a laxative brand
I know, back to my corner!

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Timothy - "..that wasn't good taste .." ( I thought that it was funny though Tim). IMO - The whole thing is in pretty poor taste. It's as though the man's life is being dismantled & sold off - distasteful to me in the extreme,
Ivan

[f5loar]

This is one of those "for sale to interested buyers only" which is a nice way of saying if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it. While I personally have not called the phone number listed, I know of several who have and did not get the price. In fact you won't get too many details at all. It's as if their caller ID knows you are not an interested party. Are the 250 Bean Blossom recordings from many years spread out since it started in 1967? Is it 250 full sets? or 250 songs? And in what format do they come in? 7 inch reel tapes? cassette or 8 track tapes? or how about recording studio un mixed, un mastered tapes? Can't get that answer either. Here is what I do know. Yes, James Monroe owns it all. You will not get the pay checks from the royalties of all of Monroe's big hit songs. They were sold long ago and not included. You will get about 1800 cancelled bank checks signed by Bill Monroe, some written out to famous people like Earl Scruggs, which would include Earl's signature on the back although it's likely Louise who signed Earl's signature before she cash it. That's sure a plus. The tuners and bridge top from "the" million dollar mandolin are worn out and of no functional use today. Your best bet on those is to contact the couple who owns the million dollar headstock overlay. The couple divorced that did own it and I've not heard who got it in their equi. distribution. The back brace is likely custom made for Bill and will not fit you. I'm pretty certain, Uncle Pen nor Bill actually slept in this cabin. It's a replica made in recent years using about 3 original logs from the original cabin. If the A/C is wired for a steam powered (coal fired) generator, it's likely original. Pretty much all the things listed and more can be bought with a high credit Master Card. The name and likeness of the only Father and Ex-King of Bluegrass.............PRICELESS! While I would love to own this to add to what I have already and contributed to the Monroe family in the past 16 years, I'm pretty sure it won't reach even with my American Express Card. If you have not gone to the www.billmonroe.com website and clicked on the little "estate sale" button you should because that's as close any of us will get to owning this estate...... an 8 page print out of the details of what you can't afford. Could this become a legal nightmare filled with a lifetime of lawyer bills for it's new owner? Probably. Lawyers are still trying to figure out who legally owns the million dollar mandolin. And just so you know from the photo below my name here, that I already own the "likeness" of Bill Monroe in full size.

[Ivan Kelsall]

From f5loar - " Yes, James Monroe owns it all. ". Ok - maybe it begins to make a little sense as to 'why' this sale is happening.
James is 4 years older than myself,making him either 75 / 76 = he's not getting any younger !. I think that maybe he's trying to offload this stuff while he's still in reasonable health & is able to do so & excersise control over it's disposal. That would make sense to me. After all,he's the most competent person to understand the possible value (or not) of these items.

It's still weird regarding the items for sale,but maybe a tad more understandable as to 'why !,
Ivan

[Timbofood]

I agree with you Ivan, I'm just trying to redecorate a guest room and I have a ton of "stuff" to be dealt with. I hate to think of what anyone coming in to clean after my demise will have to deal with! Good luck with it all James.
I'm a little less "creeped out" about it, it seems less like vultures are circling.

[f5loar]

Cleaning out your old man's closets after he dies is one thing. Scraping the bottom of the barrel is another. Remember there has already been 2 public auctions of Monroe's "things". The mandolin sold at auction twice for $1.25 million. Also remember there are 2 Uncle Pen cabins. One in Rosine and one in Bean Blossom. Both contain a few original logs of Pen's cabin. It's pretty easy to put a dollar value on the list, but that name "Bill Monroe".......... Priceless!

[Ivan Kelsall]

From f5loar - "....Scraping the bottom of the barrel is another.". Too right !!. The business of the 'back brace' is a tad ghoulish for me !!.

I'm waiting for the sale of Lloyd Loar's ''ear trumpet'' to come up !. That'd cause a stir,
Ivan

[f5loar]

14 days in on this Monroe thread and it's already lost interest. That should tell you something, just sayin'

[JEStanek]

You can only obsess over baubles you can't afford for so long...

Jamie

[Mandolin Cafe]

14 days in on this Monroe thread and it's already lost interest. That should tell you something, just sayin'

Oh sure, mister. Downplay expectations when we both know there's fierce bidding to be had over the man's back brace.

[Bill Kammerzell]

I was under the impression that was a replica of the cabin.

[allenhopkins]

14 days in on this Monroe thread and it's already lost interest. That should tell you something, just sayin'

Agree. It's not that Monroe's status has diminished in any way among us who love bluegrass and the role of the mandolin in American folk-based music.

It's that the whole process of "cleaning out his closets" and selling his socks and underwear to the highest bidder, seems smarmy and not representing the respect we have for Monroe's memory and accomplishments. I have heard some rumors, which I can't substantiate and won't repeat, about James Monroe's business practices, both in the latter years of his father's life when James acted as his agent, and after Bill's death. Let me just say that this particular sale doesn't contradict those rumors.

I was leaving a hotel in Rockland MA yesterday, carrying my Strad-O-Lin in its stickered case, and a couple of "good ol' boys," as indicated by their Southern accents, were smoking outdoors. One said to me, "Is that a banjo?"

"No," I said, "a mandolin."

"What's a mandolin?"

"It's an eight-stringed instrument, tuned like a fiddle, but you play it with a pick. You know, Bill Monroe played the mandolin."

Both the men immediately nodded; whether they'd ever heard of a mandolin or not, they knew Monroe, long after his death. His memory endures, and will endure long past this somewhat uncomfortable auction of his personal possessions.

[FLATROCK HILL]

I was leaving a hotel in Rockland MA yesterday, carrying my Strad-O-Lin in its stickered case, and a couple of "good ol' boys," as indicated by their Southern accents, were smoking outdoors. One said to me, "Is that a banjo?"

"No," I said, "a mandolin."

"What's a mandolin?"

"It's an eight-stringed instrument, tuned like a fiddle, but you play it with a pick. You know, Bill Monroe played the mandolin."

Both the men immediately nodded; whether they'd ever heard of a mandolin or not, they knew Monroe, long after his death

It's nice to know that the name 'Bill Monroe' is still widely recognized.

It's not surprising to hear of some confusion between banjo and mandolin.

It's disheartening to hear that there are "good ol' boys" with "Southern accents" who never heard of a mandolin.

[AlanN]

Wait a minute...didn't they work as cart-round-up guys at the Harris Teeter?

[Willie Poole]

I met some "young" mandolin players in their 20`s-30`s in Florida at a festival that had never heard of Lloyd Loar....They were all playing F style mandolins and I mentioned that Loar signed the mandolin that Monroe played they scratched their heads and said "Who" meaning Loar, they knew who Monroe was.....

[f5loar]

The back brace I would consider, since I am currently suffering from lower back pains. Yeah, it would have been best to have not included that in the "bundle" deal. That should have secretly been sent off to "ebay" for those "personal" reasons. Kinda like the son of Edd Mayfield selling his own hair on ebay as being a direct link to Monroe. Did he ever sell that hair? Just who is keeping the sound of Monroe alive today? Skaggs? Nope, he does lots of F&S, Stanleys, old country mixed in with a few Mon songs. You sorta got those Earls of Lecister keeping the sound of F&S alive today. There's even a Country Gentlemen Tribute band. Think about it, you got total copy bands for Beatles, Led Zepplin, Byrds, Grateful Dead, KISS, etc. You got a lot of guys doing the "Elvis" and Michael Jackson thing. Even got some artists that only do Hank, Sr. , Patsy Cline, but no one doing all Monroe tributes. This might be a chance to do that. Own the name, the likeness, image and set up a total "Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys" tribute band and go for it. You would be able to sell your SD cards at your concert of those 250 unreleased live recordings. T-shirts/hats/mugs/key chains/photos are ready to go. My guess is no matter how good you are at sounding and looking like Monroe, you will never earn the wage other big name bluegrass bands earn today. One thing for us mandolin pickers, if we learn to sing and pick like Monroe there are plenty of original Blue Grass Boys still living that could back you up. There's enough living you could change them out every 6 months, just like Monroe did. And should you break your back/hip, you'll have that original back brace. Hummmm.... maybe I need to reconsider my offer to James.

[Ivan Kelsall]

From f5loar - " The back brace I would consider, since I am currently suffering from lower back pains.." Really ??. I hope that you're kidding !. I've suffered from severe lower back pain for the past 12 years, but BM's back brace !. Hell fire,it would be like owning his ribs !.

One thing i would like to obtain (not through this sale) is a portrait photo. of Bill Monroe to frame. I've played his music for over 50 year,& i'd like a nice photo. of the guy who kicked me onto the Bluegrass road. I can't find any commercial outlet for anything other than repro.posters. Any info.would be greatly appreciated,
Ivan

[BradKlein]

One thing i would like to obtain (not through this sale) is a portrait photo. of Bill Monroe to frame

If you want to go with a well-known pro, try Robert Corwin. photos at robertcorwin com

Or bluegrass boy, pro photographer, Gene Lowinger.

[Timbofood]

Brad, that is the right shot, if I could have had that one signed by that band....
But, where's Wayne?