Bill Monroe's mandolin played once again - now with video

[Mandolin Cafe]

Sierra Hull shared this on social media. Thought it too good to not share here. I do not know if there's a video. All I know is what is posted below. There may well be other information floating around about this, just haven't had time to look into it. Comments on social media may tell more of the story:

Sierra's words -

This deserves its own post...
I never got to meet Bill Monroe. I never got to hear him play live. I’ve seen his beloved Gibson F5 Lloyd Loar signed mandolin so many times behind the glass at @officialcmhof, but tonight I got to hear it with my own ears!

The folks at the Hall of Fame surprised everyone by letting @rickyskaggs play a song on it. This is literally THE mandolin that the Father of Bluegrass wrote the hundreds of tunes and songs on that I’ve spent my whole life learning and loving. The music created by Bill on that very instrument helped pave the way for so many like Ricky, who has gone on to inspire so many like me. If any one person deserves to get to play a song on that historic mandolin, it’s Ricky. I sobbed a ridiculous amount hearing that mandolin tonight. It’s perhaps the closest I’ll ever get to Bill Monroe and it was a powerful thing. I’ll never, ever forget that moment!

[tree]

Cool - I wish they would do this on a regular basis, but even once in a while is better than nothing!

[Roger Moss]

I surely hope the video pops up soon.

[Joe Bartl]

Right! Great!

The Library of Congress has a full set of Strads that it encourages visiting musicians to take for a spin and which the Library features in a concert once a year. The Hall of Fame should do that same thing with it various famous instruments. What a show it could have!

-- mandogio

[mandotool]

here's the video..
http://www.nashcountrydaily.com/2018...ame-induction/

http://www.nashcountrydaily.com/2018/10/22/watch-ricky-skaggs-play-will-the-circle-be-unbroken-on-bill-monroes-mandolin-at-his-hall-of-fame-induction/[/URL]

[Mandolin Cafe]

One better. We can embed Facebook videos (instructions) in the forum. Doesn't have an arrow. Just click the image.

[fbv]1160871137394554[/fbv]

[Paul Hird]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing this!

[oliverkollar]

The Father's old F5 sounds AWESOME!!!

I think I saw a Tone-Gard on it at 7:39.

[Eric C.]

Thanks for sharing this. His reaction after getting on that run was pretty cool. Guess we can share this link any time someone asks if a Tonegard is "worth it"!

- - - Updated - - -

First thing I noticed when it was brought out haha.

[Timbofood]

I just love presenters that have such an “interest” in things like Bill’s mandolin. At least he got the “signed by” and “rebuilt by” parts right.
All that aside, for becoming the window piece it has, Ricky get the best out if it!
Thanks for sharing!
Had not really looked for the toneguard but, yes, I see it. I have a hunch that they put one on for the show, I’m fairly sure Big Mon never “heard of no part of no toneguard”.

[Gary Leonard]

It looks like the tone-gard has the old, black tubing on it. Hope they take care of it and don't let the tubing deteriorate into goo.

[Eric C.]

Probably Ricky's personal tonegard, His has the black tubes.

[sblock]

Wow! Did you check out the impossibly high action on that mandolin, occasionally visible from the camera angle (shot from below) in the video?

[grassrootphilosopher]

It´s nice to see B.M.´s mandolin played once more. It is highly necessary that an instrument gets played.

The strap and the toneguard were ridiculous. "That ain´t no part of nothing." But hey, R.S. would not play without a strap and that thingummybob, right?

It´s interesting to see, what it will do to you when you´re overwhelmed by a situation. On the one hand R.S. has allways been a smooth talker. On the other hand he was so overwhelmed by the situation that he performed underwhelmingly.

It´s good to see that S.W-S. was so happy for R.S.

I just hope that the mandolin will not sit in a case without being played. Cause that just ain´t right. It would hurt me right there if a wonderful instrument does not live...

[Ranald]

It´s interesting to see, what it will do to you when you´re overwhelmed by a situation. On the one hand R.S. has allways been a smooth talker. On the other hand he was so overwhelmed by the situation that he performed underwhelmingly.

If you look at the following thread, you'll see that there's another reason why Ricky only gave an underwhelming (or perhaps a whelming) performance:

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...ggs-arm-injury

[JEStanek]

Here are some things I'm going to assume.... "They" put on fresh strings and adjusted the action somewhat to what Ricky likes. I only say this bc the mandolin has been in a case for several years and there has to be records of what kind of action Ricky likes given his ties with Gibson and the DMM mandolin.

I bet that was a great honor for them to bring it out for him. That was a good video. Knowing he had an arm injury made his not taking it out fora real spin understandable.

Jamie

[lflngpicker]

I appreciate you sharing this story about your own influences which have been a blessing to all of us because of the Cafe. I see what you mean. After watching this and hearing Bill's mandolin, I am pumped up to get back to the practicing! (BTW-- I have been a big fan of Ricky's since the 80's when I followed him in his singer/songwriter period as a country artist. I went with him on the journey back to bluegrass and bought the Kentucky Thunder material as well).

[dhergert]

I can't address whether the BM F5 needed it or not for tone, but the Tone-Gard at least preserved the back of the mandolin in its current state. I'm a Tone-Gard user myself, but even if I wasn't, for playing a mandolin that is so historically valuable, I'd put one on too.

Personally, I really appreciate Ricky Skaggs playing through that piece, I'm sure he thought twice about it given his restricted movement and current recuperation state. I'm really glad about his induction into the CMHOF.

Also worth mention, the BM F5 of course wears its original full Florida. Not sure if Ricky was used to that.

[doublestoptremolo]

I think the Loar and the other instruments in the CMHOF get played regularly by a curator, I remember reading. Nice to see it played in public again, though. Skaggs sounded great (so did Garth btw) and it's a well-deserved honor.

[Timbofood]

Of course it “wears” a full Florida, it’s the way Lloyd Loar made it!
As for the new string brashness? Well, someone has to play fresh strings once in a while, no?

[Jim Garber]

I love how the guy who handed to Ricky was wearing what looked like surgical gloves. Wouldn't want the mandolin to catch a cold. :-)

[Michael Eck]

I just love that he played so simply. This is nice.

[Ivan Kelsall]

No video available on this side of the pond unfortunately. This is something that i've crowed about many times on here !!. (amongst other things) . That mandolin ''should be played'' - PERIOD !. To have it behind glass,simply being goggled at is an insult to both Bill Monroe & Lloyd Loar himself - IMHO. Whoever put this together should receive a plate sized Gold medal for services to Bluegrass music.

I sincerely hope that this might be a breakthrough in getting this mandolin heard once more - & why not get a few top pickers to play it on a recording ? - something else i've mentioned before !.

My personal thanks to Miss Hull for sharing this - even though i can't see the video myself,it warrants a word of gratitude,
Ivan

[Rob Beck]

No video available on this side of the pond unfortunately.

Hello Ivan, Have you tried clicking on the image in post number 6 above? That seems to work for me in the U.K. I was also able to view it yesterday through an Instagram link (as far as I can remember with my "late" middle-aged brain!) but I expect you need an account for that to work.

Thanks

[Lane Pryce]

Yeah that was good stuff. Thanks for putting it out there. Lp