Bill Monroe

Bill Monroe (Rosine, Kentucky , September 13 1911 - Springfield (Tennessee) , September 9 1996 ) is an American singer-songwriter. He developed the musical style known as bluegrass, which is named after his band, the Blue Grass Boys, in turn, referred back to his native Kentucky . Monroes active career spanned six decades as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader. ==[Biography  edit ] == His musical career began in the thirties when he and his older brother Charlie began performing as a duet, the Monroe Brothers. After the brothers in 1939 parted Bill formed as soon as the first edition of the Blue Grass Boys, and that same year he became a regular guest at the Grand Ole Opry.

As a mandolin player Monroe brought a virtuosity in country music which was unprecedented before. In 1945 he took Earl Scruggs that did the same for the banjo. This group, which also singer / guitarist Lester Flatt was a part, is considered the first true bluegrass band.

Over 150 musicians made over the years as part of the Blue Grass Boys. Many of these were later star on their own, including: Mac Wiseman, Sonny Osborne, Jimmy Martin, Don Reno, and Carter Stanley.

Bill Monroe was incorporated in 1971 into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989 in the IBMA Hall of Honor in 1991 in the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 1997 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (for his "early influence") and in 2002 both in America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame and the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.