We posted some time ago with the news that James Monroe, son of Bill and a bluegrass musician in his own right, was planning to open a bluegrass music park and concert facility in Franklin, KY. The debut event at the new James Monroe Bluegrass Music Hall is scheduled for this week and weekend, April 19-22. It’s a four day festival with performances by Monroe and his band, The Midnight Ramblers, plus Larry Sparks, Mac Wiseman, The Grascals and Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press.
Of particular note is the fact that Bill Monroe’s Lloyd Loar-signed 1923 Gibson F5 mandolin will be on display during the festival. This celebrated icon of bluegrass history is on loan from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, who had acquired the mandolin in September of 2005.
You can find some more details on the festival in the online edition of The Franklin Favorite, a weekly newspaper in Franklin, KY. The article erroneously describes Sonny Osborne as deceased (at least it did when we checked it last), so do don’t be alarmed by that reference should you read the text.
