Urban Monroes drop William’s Still Alive

Perdue-Discharge-1865-FrontNot every bluegrass song has a deep meaning, nor a longstanding historical reference. But with William’s Still Alive, the new single from Portland’s Urban Monroes, we get both.

Written by the Monroes’ Fran Kent, the song describes her discovery of a document from 1865 that marks her great-great-great-grandfather’s separation from the Union Army in Vicksburg, MS. William F. Perdue had spent three years as a soldier, having survived a brutal, bloody war that left more than 600,000 Americans dead, and almost twice as many wounded.

Urban MonroesAs the song continues, Fran tells of the emotions she felt in coming face-to-face with an ancestor she never knew, even as she held in her hand something he had carried personally as the war ended. She reports that it was a powerful thing, almost exactly 150 years after the document was drafted.

Here’s a taste…

 

William’s Still Alive will be included on the band’s next album, but is available now to radio programmers through Airplay Direct.

Share this:

About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.