Blues to Bluegrass . . . Bill Monroe

Taking a break from our Delta Blues Odyssey (we still have a butt-load of entries for that trip, so keep checking back over the next couple weeks), this post shifts from the Blues to Bluegrass. Taking advantage of what will probably be one of the last pretty weekends of the year, we travelled north an hour to Rosine, Ky. and the Bill Monroe Homeplace.

Dudeboy in the front yard next to the original dinner bell.

This was Bill Monroe's room. You can see that originally it was a dogtrot. Needing the extra room when Bill came along, it was framed-in so he didn't have to stay in the"boys' room" with with his five brothers (he also had two sisters who had a separate room).

This suit of clothes were actually worn by Bill on stage.

The back of the house.

This was the nearby home of his brother Charlie Monroe.

The gravestones of brothers Birch Monroe (left) and Charlie Monroe (right). Bill's first band, The Monroe Brothers, was with Birch and Charlie . . . along with Larry Moore. Later Bill and Charlie had success as a duo, before he formed the Blue Grass Boys.

The grave of "Uncle Pen" Vandiver. Pendleton was Bill's beloved uncle who had such a huge influence on his music and life.


Bill Monroe's gravestone in the Rosine Cemetery.

Bill and Stormy . . .