From October 1, 2010 through to the end of September 2011, we will, each day, celebrate the life of Bill Monroe by sharing information about him and those people who are associated with his life and music career. This information will include births and deaths; recording sessions; single, LP and CD release dates; and other interesting tidbits. Richard F. Thompson is responsible for the research and compilation of this information. We invite readers to share any tidbits, photos or memories you would like us to include.
- January 17, 1929 Thomas Grady Martin was born in Chapel Hill, Tennessee. *
- January 17, 1977 Single released – My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darling/Monroe’s Blues (MCA 40675)
* Legendary guitar player, Grady Martin participated in three Monroe recording sessions during the 1950s.
The first of these was on March 17, 1951, when a team of Nashville studio session musicians backed him. They did a cover version of Kentucky Waltz, a song that Eddy Arnold had on record for imminent release.
Other recordings on which Martin plays include old chestnut The Prisoner’s Song, the gospel quartet song Angels Rock Me to Sleep, Highway of Sorrow, Sitting Alone in the Moonlight, Changing Partners and the song that Monroe used regularly thereafter as the closer on his shows, Y’all Come.
