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 22, 1969 Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys appeared at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Old Pool Farm, Upper Salford, Pennsylvania.
- August 22, 1986 Bill Monroe received a special Certificate Of Merit from the IBMA during his appearance at Owensboro’s Bluegrass With Class festival at the city’s English Park on the south bank of the Ohio river. *
* The first International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) CEO Art Menius remembers ….
“August 1986 was our first presentation of World of Bluegrass. We had a few mostly social events at the Executive Inn and a trade show in a tent at English Park during the tourism commission’s Bluegrass First Class, which would morph into IBMA’s Fan Fest in 1987.
At that time, the Certificate of Merit (now the Distinguished Achievement Award) was the only award IBMA presented. We felt that the Father of Bluegrass had to receive the Certificate in its first time out of the barn.”
