I’m Going Back To Old Kentucky #82

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 21, 2001 The estate sale and auction of the Bill Monroe memorabilia took place at the new Country Music Hall Of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee. Among the items available were Monroe’s six mandolins, stage wear, furniture and household treasures from his house and farm. *
  • December 21, 2004 President Bush signed into law H.R. 4968, which designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 25 McHenry Street, Rosine, Kentucky, as the Bill Monroe Post Office. **

* The sale of selected mementos took place on the Friday (12/21), while more valuable items were auctioned on the Saturday (12/22).

** United States Postal Service Kentuckiana District Manager Ann C. Wright and The Honorable Ron Lewis, U.S. Representative for the Second Congressional District of Kentucky, officially renamed the Rosine, Kentucky Post Office the ‘Bill Monroe Post Office Building’ on August 23, 2005.

Monroe’s son, James, assisted in the renaming of the Post Office Building,

Local dignitaries were in attendance and the Wesley Phelps Memorial VFW Post 5766 Color Guard raised the Flag for the ceremony, during which a plaque detailing the new name for the Post Office was unveiled.

Footnote: If you would like to see the United States Postal Service issue a stamp to commemorate the life and work of Bill Monroe, please write to:

Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee Stamp Development
US Postal Service
1735 North Lynn Street
Room 5013
Arlington, Virginia 22209-6432

Petitions in support of this effort can be sent to the same address.

There is also an organization, The Bill Monroe Stamp Campaign, committed to bringing this about. They can be reached at www.billmonroestamp.org, where you can download petition and sample letter forms.

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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.