Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys - The Father Of Bluegrass: The Singles Collection 1940-60 (CD)

Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys - The Father Of Bluegrass: The Singles Collection 1940-60 / Bill Monroe was a mandolin player, singer, songwriter and bandleader who, with his band The Bluegrass Boys, basing their name on the characteristic blue grass of the Kentucky landscape. In so doing, he effectively gave his name to an entire sub-genre of music - Bluegrass - which did not really exist under that name before he made his unique mark on the country scene in the 1940s. With it's roots in Celtic music and old-time fiddle music for dancing, it also borrowed from blues and jazz, and was characterised by impressive high-speed virtuoso musicianship, with his band during this era providing a career platform for Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. This 80-track 3-CD collection comprises selected A & B sides from his releases on Bluebird, Columbia and Decca from this era, and includes at least one side of just about all his releases. It features all his career hits in the US country chart, including the No. 3 "Kentucky Waltz", the No. 5 "Footprints In The Snow", and the Top 15 hits "Little Community Church", "Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong", "Wicked Path Of Sin", "Toy Heart", "When You Are Lonely", Poison Love" and "Gotta Travel On". As an original pioneer of the genre, his music is essential listening for every fan of bluegrass, and this substantial overview of the first two decades of his band's career offers an enlightening and enjoyable insight into the roots of bluegrass.

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. Mule Skinner Blues
2. No Letter In The Mail
3. Katy Hill
4. I Wonder If You Feel The Way I Do
5. Blue Yodel No.7
6. Orange Blossom Special
7. Coupon Song
8. Shake My Mother's Hand
9. Honky Tonk Swing
10. Rocky Road Blues
11. Kentucky Waltz
12. True Life Blues
13. Footprints In The Snow
14. Mansions For Me
15. Blue Yodel No. 4
16. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
17. How Will I Explain About You
18. I'm Travelin' On And On
19. Sweetheart, You Done Me Wrong
20. My Rose Of Old Kentucky
21. I Hear A Sweet Voice Calling
22. Little Community Church
23. That Home Above
24. Wicked Path Of Sin
25. Summertime Is Past And Gone

Disc: 2

1. When You Are Lonely
2. It's Mighty Dark To Travel
3. Toy Heart
4. Bluegrass Breakdown
5. Remember The Cross
6. Heavy Traffic Ahead
7. I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky
8. Molly And Tenbrooks
9. Girl In The Blue Velvet Band
10. Travelin' This Lonesome Road
11. My Little Georgia Rose
12. The Old Fiddler
13. Boat Of Love
14. Memories Of You
15. Uncle Pen
16. On The Old Kentucky Shore
17. Poison Love
18. River Of Death
19. Prisoner's Song
20. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
21. Rotation Blues
22. I'll Meet You In Church Sunday Morning
23. Sugar Coated Love
24. Brakeman's Blues
25. The First Whippoorwill

Disc: 3

1. Letter From My Darling
2. I'm On My Way To The Old Home
3. When The Cactus Is In The Bloom
4. A Mighty Pretty Waltz
5. In The Pines
6. Walking In Jerusalem Just Like John
7. Cabin Of Love
8. Little Girl And The Dreadful Snake
9. I Hope You Have Learned
10. Changing Partners
11. Get Up John
12. Happy On My Way
13. Close By
14. I'm Working On A Building
15. Cheyenne
16. Let The Light Shine Down On Me
17. Put My Little Shoes Away
18. On And On
19. Sitting Alone In The Moonlight
20. A Fallen Star
21. Four Walls
22. I'm Sittin On Top Of The World
23. Scotland
24. Gotta Travel On
25. Tomorrow I'll Be Gone
26. Lonesome Wind Blues
27. Precious Memories
28. Linda Lou
29. Flowers Of Love