I just recently saw an update on social media that my friends over at Rhythm Bomb Records (Also Rockstar Records) have done something iconic for hardcore Bluegrass lovers everywhere. As of late I have actually been on a Bluegrass bender researching over 200 bands for a few upcoming festivals you can click on the HOME link after this and it will return you to the main menu and you can read about three of them this month.
The fine folks out there at RB Records have compiled a GREAT 5 CD set available NOW with a 68 page booklet that comes with it choked FULL of information about him and his wandering bunch of Bluegrass Boys, focused deeper than the hallowed 1989 Bear Family Boxed Set. From what I can ascertain this compilation is even more fattening for any Bluegrass lover’s palate, and if you are anything like me you will hunger for this knowledge.
There was such an ever changing and eclectic lineup of past Bluegrass Boys that no one compilation can completely encompass the entire spectrum of talent that once backed Bill Monroe, however this features the like of Jimmy Martin, Carter Stanley, and Edd Mayfield. I mean honestly The Bluegrass Boys were always pretty much one of Bluegrass super groups in the early 50’s having such fists as Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt, Chubby Wise, and Cedric Rainwater (AKA Howard Watts). Honestly you could name Legend after Legend that stood alongside Bill Monroe, Vassar Clements, Bobby Hicks….the list is indefinite. You can click HERE and pre order this 5 disc set NOW!
THIS DIRECTLY FROM THEIR WEBSITE:
ust in case that you are into BLUEGRASS music: Richard Weize Archives is releasing a 5 CD box set of Bill Monroe. Artwork by Sven Uhrmann.
For devotees of Bill Monroe’s music, the CD box sets issued by BEAR FAMILY beginning in 1989 were the answer to a listener’s dream: having the bluegrass originator’s complete recordings tastefully collected in boxes, with informative books included. What we now have is something even more dreamlike: all the familiar Monroe recordings for DECCA in 1950-51, featuring lead singers Jimmy Martin, Carter Stanley, and Edd Mayfield, presented next to unbelievably all the outtakes (none previously issued) of all the tracks. Among other things, this means multiple takes of Raw Hide. For musicians and careful listeners who have studied that spectacular recording for years, it’s as though a new set of Stone Tablets has been found. It also means the “tape blip” we’ve always tolerated in The First Whippoorwill is now corrected, as the previously issued take was from a faulty tape dub whereas the “new” 1951 version is from the original master. Accompanying this gold at the end of the rainbow is a revised discography by Neil Rosenberg, and notes by Dick Spottswood (edited by Rosenberg) with recollections by Monroe fiddler Charlie Smith. Bluegrass music at its finest!
CD 1
1. Blue Grass Ramble (instrumental) (take 1)
2. Blue Grass Ramble (instrumental) (take 2)
3. Blue Grass Ramble (instrumental) (take 3) OP 1950
4. New Mule Skinner Blues (take 1)
5. New Mule Skinner Blues (take 2, false start)
6. New Mule Skinner Blues (take 3) OP 1950
7. New Mule Skinner Blues (take 4)
8. My Little Georgia Rose (take 1)
9. My Little Georgia Rose (take 2, false start)
10. My Little Georgia Rose (take 3)
11. My Little Georgia Rose (take 4, fasle start)
12. My Little Georgia Rose (take 5) OP 1950
13. Memories Of You (take 1)
14. Memories Of You (take 2)
15. Memories Of You (take 3, false start)
16. Memories Of You (take 4) OP 1950
17. I’m On My Way To The Old Home (take 1)
18. I’m On My Way To The Old Home (take 2) OP 1952
19. Alabama Waltz (take 1)
20. Alabama Waltz (take 2, false start)
21. Alabama Waltz (take 3, false start)
22. Alabama Waltz (take 4)
23. Alabama Waltz (take 5)
24. Alabama Waltz (take 6, false start)
25. Alabama Waltz (take 7, false start)
26. Alabama Waltz (take 8) OP 1950
27. I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome (take 1)
28. I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome (take 2)
29. I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome (take 3)
30. I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome (take 4)
31. I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome (take 5)
32. I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome (take 6) OP 1950
33. I’ll Meet You In Church Sunday Morning (take 1, false start)
34. I’ll Meet You In Church Sunday Morning (take 2)
35. I’ll Meet You In Church Sunday Morning (take 3) OP 1951
36. I’ll Meet You In Church Sunday Morning (take 4)
37. Boat Of Love (take 1)
38. Boat Of Love (take 2, false start)
39. Boat Of Love (take 3)
40. Boat Of Love (take 4) OP 1950
CD 2
1. The Old Fiddler (take 1, breakdown)
2. The Old Fiddler (take 2, breakdown)
3. The Old Fiddler (take 3, breakdown)
4. The Old Fiddler (take 4)
5. The Old Fiddler (take 5, false start)
6. The Old Fiddler (take 6)
7. The Old Fiddler (take 7)
8. The Old Fiddler (take 8) OP 1950
9. Uncle Pen (false start)
10. Uncle Pen (take 2) OP 1951
11. When The Golden Leaves Begin To Fall (take 1)
12. When The Golden Leaves Begin To Fall (take 2)
13. When The Golden Leaves Begin To Fall (take 3, breakdown)
14. When The Golden Leaves Begin To Fall (take 4) OP 1951
15. Lord Protect My Soul (take 1, false start)
16. Lord Protect My Soul (take 2)
17. Lord Protect My Soul (take 3, false start)
18. Lord Protect My Soul (take 4)
19. Lord Protect My Soul (take 5)
20. Lord Protect My Soul (take 6) OP 1951
21. River Of Death (take 1/2, breakdown)
22. River Of Death (take 3, false start)
23. River Of Death (take 4, breakdown)
24. River Of Death (take 5) OP 1951
25. Letter From My Darlin’ (take 1) OP 1952
26. On The Old Kentucky Shore (take 1)
27. On The Old Kentucky Shore (take 2/3, breakdown)
28. On The Old Kentucky Shore (take 4)
29. On The Old Kentucky Shore (take 5) OP 1951
30. Raw Hide (instrumental) (take 1, breakdown)
31. Raw Hide (instrumental) (take 2)
32. Raw Hide (instrumental) (take 3, false start)
33. Raw Hide (instrumental) (take 4)
34. Raw Hide (instrumental) (take 5)
35. Raw Hide (instrumental) (take 6) OP 1952
CD 3
1. Poison Love (take 1, breakdown)
2. Poison Love (take 2, breakdown)
3. Poison Love (take 3, breakdown)
4. Poison Love (take 4, breakdown)
5. Poison Love (take 5, breakdown)
6. Poison Love (take 6, breakdown)
7. Poison Love (take 7, false start)
8. Poison Love (take 8) 9. Poison Love (take 9, breakdown)
10. Poison Love (take 10, breakdown)
11. Poison Love (take 11 false start, 2 breakdowns)
12. Poison Love (take 12 false start, breakdown)
13. Poison Love (take 13, false start) OP 1951
14. Kentucky Waltz (take 1)
15. Kentucky Waltz (take 2)
16. Kentucky Waltz (take 3) OP 1951
17. Prisoner’s Song (take 1, false start)
18. Prisoner’s Song (take 2) OP 1951
19. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (take 1)
20. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (take 2)
21. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (take 3, breakdown)
22. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (take 4) OP 1951
23. Angels Rock Me To Sleep (take 1)
24. Angels Rock Me To Sleep (take 2, false start)
25. Angels Rock Me To Sleep (take 3, false start)
26. Angels Rock Me To Sleep (take 4)
27. Angels Rock Me To Sleep (take 5, breakdown)
28. Angels Rock Me To Sleep (take 6) OP 1951
29. Brakeman’s Blues (take 1, breakdown)
30. Brakeman’s Blues (take 2, false start)
31. Brakeman’s Blues (take 3) OP 1951
32. Travelin’ Blues (take 1)
33. Travelin’ Blues (take 2 false start, breakdown)
34. Travelin’ Blues (take 3)
35. Travelin’ Blues (take 4, breakdown)
36. Travelin’ Blues (take 5) OP 1951
CD 4
1. When The Cactus Is In Bloom (take 1, breakdown)
2. When The Cactus Is In Bloom (take 2)
3. Sailor’s Plea (take 1)
4. Sailor’s Plea (take 2)
5. Sailor’s Plea (take 3, breakdown)
6. Sailor’s Plea (take 4) OP 1952
7. Sailor’s Plea (take 5, breakdown)
8. Sailor’s Plea (take 6)
9. My Carolina Sunshine Girl (take 1, breakdown)
10. My Carolina Sunshine Girl (take 2, breakdown)
11. My Carolina Sunshine Girl (take 3)
12. My Carolina Sunshine Girl (take 4, breakdown)
13. My Carolina Sunshine Girl (take 5) OP 1989
14. Ben Dewberry’s Final Run (take 1)
15. Ben Dewberry’s Final Run (take 2, breakdown)
16. Ben Dewberry’s Final Run (take 3) OP 1989
17. Peach Pickin’ Time In Georgia (take 1, 2 false starts)
18. Peach Pickin’ Time In Georgia (take 2, false start, breakdown)
19. Peach Pickin’ Time In Georgia (take 3,false start) OP 1964
20. Those Gambler’s Blues (take 1, breakdown)
21. Those Gambler’s Blues (take 2, false start, breakdown)
22. Those Gambler’s Blues (take 3, false start) OP 1989
23. Highway Of Sorrow (take 1, false start, breakdown)
24. Highway Of Sorrow (take 2)
25. Highway Of Sorrow (take 3) OP 1951
26. Rotation Blues (take 1)
27. Rotation Blues (take 2)
28. Rotation Blues (take 3, breakdown)
29. Rotation Blues (take 4, breakdown)
30. Rotation Blues (take 5)
31. Rotation Blues (take 6, breakdown)
32. Rotation Blues (take 7, breakdown)
33. Rotation Blues (take 8, breakdown)
34. Rotation Blues (take 9) OP 1951
CD 5
1. Lonesome Truck Driver’s Blues (take 1, breakdown)
2. Lonesome Truck Driver’s Blues (take 2)
3. Lonesome Truck Driver’s Blues (take 3, breakdown)
4. Lonesome Truck Driver’s Blues (take 4) OP 1951
5. Sugar Coated Love (take 1)
6. Sugar Coated Love (take 2, breakdown)
7. Sugar Coated Love (take 3)
8. Sugar Coated Love (take 4)
9. Sugar Coated Love (take 5) OP 1951
10. Cabin Of Love (take 1)
11. Cabin Of Love (take 2)
12. Cabin Of Love (take 3)
13. Cabin Of Love (take 4) OP 1953
14. You’re Drifting Away (take 1)
15. You’re Drifting Away (take 2)
16. You’re Drifting Away (take 3) OP 1953
17. Get Down On Your Knees And Pray (take 1)
18. Get Down On Your Knees And Pray (take 2, breakdown)
19. Get Down On Your Knees And Pray (take 3)
20. Get Down On Your Knees And Pray (take E1)
21. Get Down On Your Knees And Pray (take E2)
22. Get Down On Your Knees And Pray (take E3)
23. Get Down On Your Knees And Pray (take 3, master) OP 1951
24. Christmas Time’s A-Coming (take 1, false start & breakdown)
25. Christmas Time’s A-Coming (take 2, breakdown)
26. Christmas Time’s A-Coming (take 3, breakdown)
27. Christmas Time’s A-Coming (take 4)
28. Christmas Time’s A-Coming (take 5, breakdown)
29. Christmas Time’s A-Coming (take 6) OP 1951
30. The First Whippoorwill (take 1)
31. The First Whippoorwill (take 2, false start)
32. The First Whippoorwill (take 3, breakdown)
33. The First Whippoorwill (take 4, breakdown)
34. The First Whippoorwill (take 5, breakdown)
35. The First Whippoorwill (take 6)
36. The First Whippoorwill (take 7) OP 1951 OP 2017, except where noted
