Picture of bessie lee

**evanreilly** · Nov-03-2006, 10:46am

Bobby Hicks playing banjo as a BGB.

**f5loar** · Nov-03-2006, 11:42am

With Jackie Phelps on guitar and Ernie Newton from the Opry staff band on bass. Bill didn't like Bessie around the Opry shows in Nashville area out of respect for his wife Carolyn so he used the Opry band guys or pick-ups like Newton or Harold Lowry or Jim Elrod in the mid-50's.
These were from the Gannon Opry Shows from 1954 on this one.

**Paul Kotapish** · Nov-03-2006, 1:24pm

Do any of you have photos of Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (and Girl) from the years when he had Wilene "Sally Ann" Forrester playing accordion in the band? I think it was mostly during the WWII period. Our discussion about mandolin and accordion in the musette thread reminded me of this quirky period of the band's history. A lot of folks shudder at Bill's brief inclusion of the dreaded "stomach Steinway," but I think it was kind of an interesting experiment. I found this image, but I know there was at least one promo shot where they were all holding their instruments and you could see the accordion.

**f5loar** · Nov-03-2006, 2:34pm

Just yesterday I was listening to Monroe Live in Germany 1975 CD and at the end of his show some local Germans jumped up on stage to pick with Monroe and one of them had an accordian. He pumped right along with a string of Monroe hits bringing back those memories of the beginning sounds of bluegrass. I wonder if ever thought he should have kept Sally Ann! Probably by the time Bessie Lee came along on bass in the band even Big Mon knew there were no room for two female bluegrass boys cause that ain't no part of nothing.

**evanreilly** · Nov-03-2006, 11:39pm

Here is the picture of Wilene and the boys!
I think it is:
Rear: Flatt, Howdy Forrester, Wilene Forrester.
Front: Akeman, Bill, Birch.
I think the year is 1945 and Bill has his 'new' mandolin, #73987, which he initially played using a string around the peghead for a strap, as he had done on the F-7.

**Paul Kotapish** · Nov-04-2006, 1:07am

That's the one. Thanks.

**cooper4205** · Nov-04-2006, 1:23am

do any of you guys have any picks with tater tate during his short run in the 50's (i think it was '55 or '56)?

he's a cool guy and is nice and laid back as can be, teaches fiddle here in johnson city. i get to talk to him once or twice a week and i always ask him to tell me a little something about his BG Boys days.

**evanreilly** · Nov-04-2006, 6:32am

Clarence 'Tater' Tate didn't have a short run as a BGB; he played fiddle and bass both over an extended period of time, but not in the mid '50s. He played with the BGB thru the '80s and later.

**Peter Hackman** · Nov-04-2006, 6:48am

Originally Posted by (cooper4205 @ Nov. 04 2006, 01:23)

do any of you guys have any picks with tater tate during his short run in the 50's (i think it was '55 or '56)?

he's a cool guy and is nice and laid back as can be, teaches fiddle here in johnson city. i get to talk to him once or twice a week and i always ask him to tell me a little something about his BG Boys days.

Look into the long historic thread started by f5journal.
There's at least one picture of Monroe with Tate
(though not playing) there.

**cooper4205** · Nov-04-2006, 8:48am

"Clarence 'Tater' Tate didn't have a short run as a BGB; he played fiddle and bass both over an extended period of time, but not in the mid '50s. He played with the BGB thru the '80s and later."

i know about that later part (84-95?), but i have not seen much on his time during the 50's (i think one year)

**evanreilly** · Nov-04-2006, 9:24am

Here is a link to Stewart Evans' Blue Grass Boys website and Tater's page.

**f5loar** · Nov-04-2006, 9:50am

That photo does not show Howdy on fiddle but a young Jim Shumate from North Carolina. Jim was with Monroe a short time and later with Flatt&Scruggs in one of their first lineups. He's still fiddling today.

**Slim Pickins** · Nov-07-2006, 7:39am

The Stonemen family. Scotty is the tall guy, a great fiddle player. Donna Stoneman on the far right. I also have a pic of me with Roni Stoneman and her Mastertone if you want me to send it.

**Michael Gowell** · Nov-07-2006, 1:01pm

Speaking of Donna Stoneman... a link on another site - maybe that new 'acousticfriends.com' site sponsored by WDVX-FM (great online country/oldtime/bluegrass radio for those who haven't found it yet) led me to a 'YouTube' clip of Donna playing wild electric mando. I mean WILD. Think Jimi Hendrix. #Truly astounding. #Apparently from a (1960's?) B movie about Nashville musicians in Hollywood. #Donna's clip was labeled "Surf Bluegrass". #I just Googled to make a link to it but YouTube says it's been removed, even though I saw it just 4 or 5 days ago. #Does anyone know where else this clip might be, or the name of the movie from which it comes?

**JEStanek** · Nov-07-2006, 1:10pm

There was a thread on this a while back but the movie it is from (as I learned in that thread and added to my Amazon Wishlist) is Road to Nashville (link to Amazon) They have it on DVD for $8.00 new. NFI for me.

Jamie

**Spruce** · Nov-07-2006, 1:21pm

"Does anyone know where else this clip might be, or the name of the movie from which it comes?"

Here ya go....

**f5loar** · Nov-07-2006, 5:47pm

Many don't realize the tune she is playing but it is a loose interpetation of Monroe's Bluegrass Stomp in D or at least that's how it starts out. Classic clip from an even classier movie.

**TommyK** · Nov-08-2006, 12:38pm

Originally Posted by (f5loar @ Oct. 31 2006, 23:57)

...Bill liked his women rather "porky" too!

Who you callin' 'Porky?'

That's Full Figgered!

**TommyK** · Nov-08-2006, 12:44pm

Originally Posted by (evanreilly @ Nov. 03 2006, 23:39)

Here is the picture of Wilene and the boys!
I think it is:
Rear: Flatt, Howdy Forrester, Wilene Forrester.
Front: Akeman, Bill, Birch.
I think the year is 1945 and Bill has his 'new' mandolin, #73987, which he initially played using a string around the peghead for a #strap, as he had done on the F-7.

'Strang Bean' Akeman, "Right next to my heart... heart.. heart..." Broke me up every time.

Made me fall outta my three legged stool a laughin'

**Slim Pickins** · Nov-08-2006, 6:11pm

"Lord, Ah feel so unnecessary"

Stringbean Akeman

**evanreilly** · Nov-08-2006, 10:39pm

"Ain't no money to be made playing the banjo above the 5th fret." - Beans.

**Bobbie Dier** · Nov-09-2006, 6:35am

When did Leslie Sandy play with the Bluegrass Boys? How long did he play with them?

**danb** · Nov-09-2006, 7:17am

Thile quoted Earl Scruggs at a gig saying "ain't never been an A string that went to heaven" during some tuning problems

**evanreilly** · Nov-09-2006, 7:56am

Sandy, Leslie bass, guitar 1953-1954, 1957

From Stewart Evans' site on the Blue Grass Boys.

**ricardo** · Nov-09-2006, 9:58am

"Billiejoe jumped off the Tallahachie bridge"(Stringbean comment said while pick'n) - RIP String! - thank you for the wonderful entertainment. ricardo. #

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