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On the surface, The Essential Bill Monroe: 1945-1949 seems like the perfect compilation, containing 40 tracks of Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys' Columbia recordings. However, the set wasn't executed with care -- no less than 16 of these songs are represented with alternate takes, not the original versions. Though these alternates are interesting, they don't have a place in a set like this, which purports to be an extensive introduction, not an exhaustive compilation of Monroe's complete recordings; the alternates would have been more acceptable if they were placed in conjunction with the master takes. Still, The Essential Bill Monroe is a necessary set for bluegrass historians, since it does contain the bulk of his groundbreaking '40s recordings, including versions of "Blue Moon of Kentucky," "Kentucky Waltz," and "Rocky Road Blues." It's just not quite as good as it could have been. (The 16 master takes that were not included on this box were later issued by Columbia as the single-disc 16 Gems collection.)
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Dude Ranch Sweethearts, Vocal - Robert R. "Chubby" Wise, Fiddle - Tex Willis, Guitar - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - David Akeman, Bass - Bill Monroe, Composer - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Bill Westbrook, Bass - Wilene "Sally Ann" Forrester, Acordeon - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1945. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Dude Ranch Sweethearts, Vocal - Robert R. "Chubby" Wise, Fiddle - Tex Willis, Guitar - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - David Akeman, Bass - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Bill Westbrook, Bass - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Wilene "Sally Ann" Forrester, Acordeon - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1945 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Dude Ranch Sweethearts, Vocal - Robert R. "Chubby" Wise, Fiddle - Tex Willis, Vocal - Tex Willis, Guitar - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - David Akeman, Bass - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Bill Westbrook, Bass - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Wilene "Sally Ann" Forrester, Acordeon - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1945 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Dude Ranch Sweethearts, Vocal - Clements, Composer - Clements, Lyricist - Robert R. "Chubby" Wise, Fiddle - Tex Willis, Baritone - Tex Willis, Guitar - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - David Akeman, Bass - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Bill Westbrook, Bass - Wilene "Sally Ann" Forrester, Tenor - Wilene "Sally Ann" Forrester, Acordeon - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1945 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Dude Ranch Sweethearts, Vocal - Robert R. "Chubby" Wise, Fiddle - Tex Willis, Guitar - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - David Akeman, Bass - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Bill Westbrook, Bass - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Wilene "Sally Ann" Forrester, Acordeon - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1945 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Dude Ranch Sweethearts, Vocal - Robert R. "Chubby" Wise, Fiddle - Tex Willis, Guitar - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - David Akeman, Bass - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Arranger - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Bill Westbrook, Bass - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Wilene "Sally Ann" Forrester, Acordeon - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1945. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Dude Ranch Sweethearts, Vocal - Robert R. "Chubby" Wise, Fiddle - Tex Willis, Guitar - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - David Akeman, Bass - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Bill Westbrook, Bass - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Wilene "Sally Ann" Forrester, Acordeon - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1945 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Dude Ranch Sweethearts, Vocal - Robert R. "Chubby" Wise, Fiddle - Tex Willis, Baritone - Tex Willis, Guitar - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - David Akeman, Bass - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Bill Westbrook, Bass - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Wilene "Sally Ann" Forrester, Tenor - Wilene "Sally Ann" Forrester, Acordeon - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1945 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1946 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Vocal - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Background Vocal - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - L. Flatt, Composer - L. Flatt, Lyricist - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1946. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Art Satherley, Producer - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Chubby Wise, Fiddle
Originally released 1946. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1946. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Baritone - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1946 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Arranger - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1946. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1946 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - J. Rodgers, Composer - J. Rodgers, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1946 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Vocal - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Art Satherley, Producer - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - L. Flatt, Composer - L. Flatt, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist
Originally released 1946. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Vocal - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1946 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Earl Scruggs, Baritone - Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Vocal - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Birch Monroe, Bass - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1946 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Vocal - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1946. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
DISC 2
Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Lester Flatt, Vocal - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Tenor - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1947 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Art Satherley, Producer - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lester Flatt, Vocal - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Earl Scruggs, Banjo - Howard Watts, Bass - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Chubby Wise, Fiddle
Originally Released 1947 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Lester Flatt, Vocal - Howard Watts, Baritone - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Tenor - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1947. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Lester Flatt, Vocal - L. Flatt, Composer - L. Flatt, Lyricist - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Tenor - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1947. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Lester Flatt, Vocal - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1947. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1947 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Lester Flatt, Vocal - L. Flatt, Composer - L. Flatt, Lyricist - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Tenor - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1947 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Lester Flatt, Vocal - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Tenor - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1947 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Earl Scruggs, Baritone - Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Vocal - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Arranger - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1947 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Earl Scruggs, Baritone - Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Vocal - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Arranger - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - H. Watts, Composer - H. Watts, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1947 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Earl Scruggs, Baritone - Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Vocal - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Arranger - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - L. Flatt, Composer - L. Flatt, Lyricist - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1947. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Arranger - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1947. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Vocal - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Arranger - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - L. Flatt, Composer - L. Flatt, Lyricist - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1947. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Arranger - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1947. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Arranger - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1947 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Earl Scruggs, Bass - Howard Watts, Bass - Lester Flatt, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Guitar - Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Arranger - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1947 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Malcolm Wiseman, Vocal - Malcolm Wiseman, Guitar - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Rudy Lyle, Bass - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1949 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Malcolm Wiseman, Vocal - Malcolm Wiseman, Guitar - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Tenor - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Rudy Lyle, Bass - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1949 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Malcolm Wiseman, Guitar - B. Monroe, Composer - B. Monroe, Lyricist - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Rudy Lyle, Bass - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1949 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Chubby Wise, Fiddle - Rudy Lyle, Bass - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys, Performer - Lawrence Cohn, Producer - Bill Monroe, Vocal - Bill Monroe, Mandolin - Malcolm Wiseman, Guitar - C. Carlisle, Composer - C. Carlisle, Lyricist - M. Foree, Composer - M. Foree, Lyricist - David Mitson, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Released 1949 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Album review
On the surface, The Essential Bill Monroe: 1945-1949 seems like the perfect compilation, containing 40 tracks of Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys' Columbia recordings. However, the set wasn't executed with care -- no less than 16 of these songs are represented with alternate takes, not the original versions. Though these alternates are interesting, they don't have a place in a set like this, which purports to be an extensive introduction, not an exhaustive compilation of Monroe's complete recordings; the alternates would have been more acceptable if they were placed in conjunction with the master takes. Still, The Essential Bill Monroe is a necessary set for bluegrass historians, since it does contain the bulk of his groundbreaking '40s recordings, including versions of "Blue Moon of Kentucky," "Kentucky Waltz," and "Rocky Road Blues." It's just not quite as good as it could have been. (The 16 master takes that were not included on this box were later issued by Columbia as the single-disc 16 Gems collection.)
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 40 track(s)
- Total length: 01:57:28
- Main artists: Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Legacy - Columbia
- Genre: Country
Originally Released 1945, 1946, 1947, 1949 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
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