OF COURSE I DON'T THINK THERE IS A PERSON IN BLUEGRASS TODAY THAT WOULD WANT TO DENY THAT ONE OF THEIR FAVORITES IS THE FATHER OF BLUEGRASS HIMSELF, BILL MONROE. THE VERY FIRST TIME I HEARD A RECORDING OF HIM SINGING THAT HIGH TENOR, I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE A MAN COULD SING THAT HIGH. THERE ARE A LOT OF FEMALE PERFORMERS WHO CANNOT REACH THE NOTES THAT BILL COULD REACH. UNFORTUNATELY FOR ALL THOSE WHO LOVED TO HEAR HIM SING ALL WE HAVE NOW ARE THE RECORDINGS HE MADE. BUT WHAT A WONDERFUL THING THOSE RECORDS AND TAPES ARE IN OUR EFFORTS TO KEEP HIM ALIVE IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS. AS LONG AS BLUEGRASS MUSIC CONTINUES BILL MONROE WILL LIVE. THIS GREAT MAN GAVE THE WORLD A GREAT MUSIC, FOR THIS HE DESERVES OUR GRATITUDE AND HEART FELT THANKS. LET'S KEEP HIS MUSIC ALIVE AND PUSH IT TO BECOME AN AMERICAN TRADITION THAT WON'T BE FORGOTTEN.
THERE ARE MANY PERFORMERS IN BLUEGRASS TODAY WHO GOT THEIR START WITH BILL AND MANY MORE WHO WERE RAISED LISTENING TO HIM AND WANTED TO BE LIKE HIM.
WELL THE SOUTHWEST BLUEGRASS CLUBS WINTER SHOW IS OVER FOR ONE MORE YEAR. IT WAS GREAT AS USUAL. THIS YEAR WE HAD 4 REALLY FANTASTIC GROUPS. THERE WAS IIIrd TYME OUT, SPECIAL CONSENSUS, HICKORY HILL, AND HOLLY AND BARRY TASHIN. OF COURSE MY FAVORITE IS IIIrd TYME OUT, BUT I HAVE TO ADD A NEW FAVORITE OR 2 THIS YEAR. SPECIAL CONSENSUS IS JUST EXACTLY WHAT THE NAME SAYS...THEY ARE SPECIAL. THEIR MUSIC IS WONDERFUL, HARMONY AND INSTRUMENTATION ARE ON A PAR WITH IIIrd TYME OUT.
THIS GROUP IS GOING PLACES. ANDREA HAS A VOICE THAT WILL GIVE YOU CHILLS AND SHE PLAYS THAT BASS LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS. IT IS SOMETHING JUST TO SIT AND WATCH AND LISTEN TO HER...YOU CAN TELL SHE IS HAVING A BALL UP THERE ON THE STAGE. WHEN I MET HER I WAS NOT SUPRISED TO FIND THAT SHE IS THE SAME WAY IN PERSON. THE PERSON SHE IS ON STAGE AND THE PERSON SHE IS OFF ARE THE SAME. SHE'S A LOT OF FUN.
GREG CAHILL IS JUST AS REAL AS ANDREA. HE PLAYS BANJO AND IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE FINEST THERE IS. HIS STYLE IS ONE THAT I REALLY LIKE. HE DOESN'T OVERRIDE THE OTHER INSTRUMENTS AND VOCALS AS SO MANY OTHERS DO. TO ME THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ALL BANJO PLAYERS SHOULD LEARN AS A BASIC, WHEN TO BACK AWAY FROM THE MIKE OR TO PLAY A LITTLE SOFTER. GREG SINGS HARMONY WITH A VOICE THAT I COULD LISTEN TO FOR A LONG TIME. GREG HAS AN OLD FRIEND HERE IN OUR BLUEGRASS CLUB THAT IS ALSO A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE. TOM ROSE AND HIS WIFE ANN ARE SOME OF THE BEST PEOPLE I KNOW. IT WAS THRU THEM THAT I WAS ABLE TO MEET GREG, ANDREA, DON AND CHRIS. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THEM FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO MEET THIS WONDERFUL GROUP OF PEOPLE.
FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD SPECIAL CONSENSUS MY ADVICE IS IF YOU GET THE CHANCE GO...YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED. THEN GO MEET THEM AFTER THE SHOW IF YOU CAN, THEY WILL TAKE TIME TO TALK TO YOU AND YOU'LL COME AWAY FEELING LIKE YOU'VE KNOWN THEM ALL YOUR LIFE.
MORE TO COME WITH PICTURES OF THE EVENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
KEEP ON PICKIN' BLUEGRASS.
MY FAVORITE BANDS AND ARTISTS
My Favorite Links
Angelfire - Easiest Free Home Pages
IIIRD TYME OUT
COUNTY SALES: III TYME OUT
LONESOME RIVER BAND SCHEDULE
BILLY JOE FOSTER
BILL MONROE: A TRIBUTE(my home page)my tribute to Bill Monroe
THE FATHER OF BLUEGRASS: BILL MONROE (my second page)some of my thoughts on Bill and Bluegrass and some ideas i have for more pages
OLD TIMERS IN BLUEGRASS (my fourth page)about some of the old timers in the music
BLUEGRASS LINKS
all kinds of bluegrass links and some others i like
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