Bill Monroe: The Father of Bluegrass
On September 16, the Opry is celebrating Bill Monroe as a part of our Opry 100 Honors series. Taking the stage in tribute are Opry members Ricky Skaggs, Riders In The Sky, and Carly Pearce, along with the Del McCoury Band, The Kentucky Headhunters, and The Brothers Comatose in their Opry debut. It’s sure to be an exciting night as country and bluegrass legends come together to honor a true pioneer whose music forever changed the American soundscape.
HILLBILLY ROOTS
Long before the genre had an official name, Bill was an early forerunner of what was known as “old-time” music. It had a hillbilly style; born in Appalachia, with roots in Irish ballads, European folk dances, and African American traditions like jazz and blues.
Bill’s origins as a musician are rooted in family. The youngest of eight children, Bill learned folksongs from his mother Malissa and his fiddle-playing “Uncle Pen,” and he first played music on local radio with his brothers Charlie and Birch.
THE SOUND COMES TOGETHER
In 1939, Bill Monroe and his band, the Blue Grass Boys, headed to Nashville where they earned a spot on the Grand Ole Opry. Their lineup featured Bill’s mandolin alongside fiddle, guitar, and later, banjo.
By 1945, Bill had assembled the full foundation of a new sound. On December 8 of that year, he and the Blue Grass Boys—now featuring guitarist Lester Flatt and banjo player Earl Scruggs—took the stage at the Ryman, and a new musical style was born. By the 1950s, that style was known simply as “bluegrass,” a name forever tied to Monroe and his band.
CARRYING THE FLAME
Bill’s music has influenced countless artists—from the rockabilly rhythms of Elvis Presley, who covered “Blue Moon of Kentucky” during his one and only Opry appearance, to the psychedelic jams of the Grateful Dead, to modern bluegrass torchbearers like Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss.
Perhaps no one embodies Bill’s spirit more closely than Ricky Skaggs, featured on our September 16 lineup. At just six years old, Ricky was invited to play alongside Bill, sparking a lifelong bond. Decades later, Skaggs’ 1984 cover of “Uncle Pen” reached No. 1 in the charts, and he and Bill shared the Opry stage many times.
Bill Monroe’s “high lonesome sound” still echoes through the Opry today. On September 16, we celebrate not only this innovator who changed American music forever, but also the artists who continue to carry his sound into the future.
Stay In Touch
It's our biggest year yet! Don't miss any Opry 100 announcements, events, and exclusive offers for fans like you. Sign up now!