The Recording Academy has announced the newest additions to its Grammy Hall Of Fame, adding to this timeless list that now includes 826 titles.
Among the 28 recordings so honored is Bill Monroe’s October 1940 recording of Mule Skinner Blues released on the Bluebird label.
The song was one of eight numbers recorded during a session at the Kimball House Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, arranged by the Victor recording company. It featured Monroe singing solo accompanied by his own guitar playing. The Blue Grass Boys present were Clyde Moody (mandolin), Tommy Magness (fiddle) and Bill Wesbrook (bass).
Mule Skinner Blues was the A-side on the first record released from the session (Bluebird 8568) and was probably the best seller from the session. It was certainly the song that established Monroe as a fixture on the Grand Ole Opry.
By virtue of its popularity it also became a fixture in the Monroe repertoire.
The Grammy Hall Of Fame was created in 1973 to honour recordings of lasting significance that were issued prior to the 1958 inception of the Grammy Awards. The Hall is now open to any recording that has been in release for at least 25 years. New submissions are chosen annually by a special member committee of experts and historians drawn from all branches of the recording arts. Their recommendations are subject to approval by the Board of Trustees of The Recording Academy. The Grammy Hall Of Fame is unique in that it is open to all genres of music popular as well as specialized forms.
