This is the week that the last two major figures of the great generation of bluegrass musicians that started in the 1950s died. Probably the most important of the two.
This is the grave of Bill Monroe. Born in 1911 outside of Rosine, Kentucky, Monroe grew up in a musical family. His uncle Pendleton Vandiver was a major regional fiddler,.
This is the grave of Don Reno. Born in 1926 in Buffalo, South Carolina, Reno grew up with a banjo in his hand. He started playing at the age of.
This is the grave of Jimmy Martin. Born in 1927 in Sneedville, Tennessee, Martin grew up in a poor farming community that was typical of any number of people in.
The great Ralph Stanley died last night at the age of 89. Stanley was the last major living figure of the early bluegrass era. He began recording with his brother.
I had no idea that Tex Logan, noted fiddler for Bill Monroe, was also an engineer who worked for AT&T Bell Laboratories in New Jersey. Dead at 87.
This is very sad. Scruggs was one of the last connections to the first days of bluegrass and one of the most innovative, not only in his style of banjo.
In comments to my Bill Monroe post, RM notes that the great Wade Mainer died today at the age of 104. I assumed he had died a long time ago..
