Bill Monroe

Bill Monroe (September 13, 1911 – September 9, 1996) was an American mandolinist, singer, and songwriter who is widely known as the “Father of Bluegrass.” Drawing on older string-band traditions and a fierce, forward-driving band sound, he developed a style defined by hard rhythmic attack, virtuosic mandolin, and the “high lonesome” vocal edge that became bluegrass’s signature. The genre itself took its name from Monroe’s band, the Blue Grass Boys, formed in 1939, the same year he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry—a platform he remained associated with for the rest of his life. 1, 2, 3

Over more than five decades, Monroe set the template for bluegrass instrumentation, repertoire, and band discipline, while launching the careers of many future stars who passed through the Blue Grass Boys. His influence was formally recognized with major honors including induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame (1970), the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame (1991), and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1997), as well as the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship (1982), a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1993), and the National Medal of Arts (1995). 2, 3, 4