Bill Monroe

Often credited as the Father of Bluegrass, Kentucky born guitar and mandolin player Bill Munroe can rightfully claim his place in country music's hall of fame. His band The Blue Grass Boys had over 150 musicians come and go over the years and these included names such as Earl Scruggs, Buck Trent, Don Reno, Stringbean and Sonny Osmond. Other names on the band's roster included fiddle players Tommy Magness, Chubby Wise, Vassar Clements, Kenny Baker and Bobby Hicks. These artists and many more ex-band members provided the musical foundation upon which Nashville's reputation was built. The Blue Grass Boys performed in various guises spanning 60 years of Munroe's recording career. During that time Munroe enjoyed significant chart success and collaborated with top country names such as Waylon Jennings and Emmylou Harris. His most successful song played under his own name was Kentucky Waltz which peaked at number three in 1946 but other Munroe compositions such as Blue Moon Of Kentucky were recorded by artsists including Paul McCartney, Patsy Cline and Elvis Presley. He continued to tour and perform right up until his death from a stroke in 1996 at the age of 85.