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.
- August 18, 1952 Single released – A Mighty Pretty Waltz / Pike County Breakdown (Decca 28356)
- August 18, 1955 The ubiquitous Joe Stuart joined the Blue Grass Boys.
- August 18, 1973 Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys made an appearance at The First Annual Bluegrass Festival, at Bristol International Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee. It was a two-day event.
- August 18, 1995 Porter Church died, aged 61, at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He suffered a long illness due to a malignant brain tumour. *
* Porter Church played banjo and guitar for Bill Monroe during 1960.
Earlier Church was a member of the Blue grass Champs – the core of which was formed by members of the Stoneman family – that won a spot on the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts TV Show.
Subsequently, they made numerous guest appearances on Jimmy Dean’s TV Show, played on the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree in Wheeling, West Virginia, WARL Radio, Arlington, Virginia, and a weekly show on WEAM Radio in Fairfax, Virginia.
In 1964 Church joined forces with Red Allen, who had just formed a new version of the Kentuckians, based in Washington D.C.. That aggregation recorded two excellent albums that were released on the County label.
In 1987 he played on David Grisman’s traditional bluegrass recording project, Home Is Where The Heart Is (Rounder), which was nominated for the first bluegrass Grammy award the following year.
