I’m Going Back To Old Kentucky #79

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.

  • December 18, 1953 Raymond W. McLain was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He lived there for six months at which time his family moved to Kentucky, where his father grew up.  *
  • December 18, 1965 Single released – The Old, Old House / I Live in the Past (Decca 31878, 45rpm)

* Raymond McLain filled in, playing bass, with the Blue Grass Boys in June 1994.

McLain has more than 40 years experience in the entertainment industry, 21 of those as a mainstay of The McLain Family Band. He has served as a musical ambassador of the U.S. State Department, visiting 63 foreign countries in the process.

In addition to his time with his family band, he has worked with Jim & Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys.

Currently, McLain tours and records with Canadian harmonica virtuoso, Mike Stevens.

Having steered the bluegrass and Country Music program at the East Tennessee State University from a minor in the Appalachian Studies department to a four year Bachelor of Arts degree, McLain became the director of Morehead State University’s Kentucky Center for Traditional Music in January (2010).

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About the Author

Richard Thompson

Richard F. Thompson is a long-standing free-lance writer specialising in bluegrass music topics. A two-time Editor of British Bluegrass News, he has been seriously interested in bluegrass music since about 1970. As well as contributing to that magazine, he has, in the past 30 plus years, had articles published by Country Music World, International Country Music News, Country Music People, Bluegrass Unlimited, MoonShiner (the Japanese bluegrass music journal) and Bluegrass Europe. He wrote the annotated series I'm On My Way Back To Old Kentucky, a daily memorial to Bill Monroe that culminated with an acknowledgement of what would have been his 100th birthday, on September 13, 2011.