front cover of The Bill Monroe Reader
The Bill Monroe Reader
Edited by Tom Ewing
University of Illinois Press, 2000

"Tell 'em I'm a farmer with a mandolin and a high tenor voice," Bill Monroe said. Known as the Father of Bluegrass Music, Monroe pioneered a whole new category of music and inspired generations of musicians and fans. Yet from his founding of the original bluegrass band through six decades of performing, he remained an enigmatic figure, a compelling mixture of fierce intensity, homespun modesty, and musical integrity. 

Determined to play the mandolin in a way it had never been played before, Monroe distinguished himself in the mid-1930s with the Monroe Brothers then began forming his own band, the Blue Grass Boys, in 1938. By the mid-1940s other bands were copying his sound, and a new style, bluegrass music, was born. While country music moved toward electrification, Monroe maintained his acoustic ensemble and developed his "high, lonesome sound," performing nearly up to his death in 1996. 

In this eclectic, richly illustrated reader, former Blue Grass Boy Tom Ewing gathers the most significant and illuminating of the many articles that have been written about Monroe. Through the writings of nearly sixty observers, interviewers, admirers, folklorists, and other scholars, along with Ewing's astute commentary, The Bill Monroe Reader offers a multifaceted view of one of the most influential country musicians of the twentieth century. 

Lively, heartfelt, and informative, The Bill Monroe Reader is a fitting tribute to the man and the musician who transformed the traditional music of western Kentucky into an international sensation.

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Ethnic Music on Records
A Discography of Ethnic Recordings Produced in the United States, 1893-1942. Vol. 1: Western Europe
Richard K. Spottswood
University of Illinois Press, 1990
This impressive compilation offers a nearly complete listing of sound recordings made by American minority artists prior to mid-1942. Organized by national group or language, the seven-volume set cites primary and secondary titles, composers, participating artists, instrumentation, date and place of recording, master and release numbers, and reissues in all formats. Because of its clear arrangements and indexes, it will be a unique and valuable tool for music and ethnic historians, folklorists, and others.
 
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logo for University of Illinois Press
Ethnic Music on Records
A Discography of Ethnic Recordings Produced in the United States, 1893-1942. Vol. 2: Slavic
Richard K. Spottswood
University of Illinois Press, 1990
This impressive compilation offers a nearly complete listing of sound recordings made by American minority artists prior to mid-1942. Organized by national group or language, the seven-volume set cites primary and secondary titles, composers, participating artists, instrumentation, date and place of recording, master and release numbers, and reissues in all formats. Because of its clear arrangements and indexes, it will be a unique and valuable tool for music and ethnic historians, folklorists, and others.
 
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logo for University of Illinois Press
Ethnic Music on Records
A Discography of Ethnic Recordings Produced in the United States, 1893-1942. Vol. 3: Eastern Europe
Richard K. Spottswood
University of Illinois Press, 1990
This impressive compilation offers a nearly complete listing of sound recordings made by American minority artists prior to mid-1942. Organized by national group or language, the seven-volume set cites primary and secondary titles, composers, participating artists, instrumentation, date and place of recording, master and release numbers, and reissues in all formats. Because of its clear arrangements and indexes, it will be a unique and valuable tool for music and ethnic historians, folklorists, and others.

Winner of the ARSC Award for Excellence in the Field of Recorded Country, Folk, or Ethnic Music, 1991.
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logo for University of Illinois Press
Ethnic Music on Records
A Discography of Ethnic Recordings Produced in the United States, 1893-1942. Vol. 4: Spanish, Portuguese, Philippines, Basque
Richard K. Spottswood
University of Illinois Press, 1990
This impressive compilation offers a nearly complete listing of sound recordings made by American minority artists prior to mid-1942. Organized by national group or language, the seven-volume set cites primary and secondary titles, composers, participating artists, instrumentation, date and place of recording, master and release numbers, and reissues in all formats. Because of its clear arrangements and indexes, it will be a unique and valuable tool for music and ethnic historians, folklorists, and others.
 
[more]

logo for University of Illinois Press
Ethnic Music on Records
A Discography of Ethnic Recordings Produced in the United States, 1893-1942. Vol. 5: Middle East, Far East, Scandinavian, English Language, American Indian, International
Richard K. Spottswood
University of Illinois Press, 1990
This impressive compilation offers a nearly complete listing of sound recordings made by American minority artists prior to mid-1942. Organized by national group or language, the seven-volume set cites primary and secondary titles, composers, participating artists, instrumentation, date and place of recording, master and release numbers, and reissues in all formats. Because of its clear arrangements and indexes, it will be a unique and valuable tool for music and ethnic historians, folklorists, and others.
 
[more]

logo for University of Illinois Press
Ethnic Music on Records
A Discography of Ethnic Recordings Produced in the United States, 1893-1942. Vol. 6: Artist Index, Title Index
Richard K. Spottswood
University of Illinois Press, 1990
This impressive compilation offers a nearly complete listing of sound recordings made by American minority artists prior to mid-1942. Organized by national group or language, the seven-volume set cites primary and secondary titles, composers, participating artists, instrumentation, date and place of recording, master and release numbers, and reissues in all formats. Because of its clear arrangements and indexes, it will be a unique and valuable tool for music and ethnic historians, folklorists, and others.
 
[more]

logo for University of Illinois Press
Ethnic Music on Records
A Discography of Ethnic Recordings Produced in the United States, 1893-1942. Vol. 7: Record Number Index, Matrix Number Index
Richard K. Spottswood
University of Illinois Press, 1990
This impressive compilation offers a nearly complete listing of sound recordings made by American minority artists prior to mid-1942. Organized by national group or language, the seven-volume set cites primary and secondary titles, composers, participating artists, instrumentation, date and place of recording, master and release numbers, and reissues in all formats. Because of its clear arrangements and indexes, it will be a unique and valuable tool for music and ethnic historians, folklorists, and others.
 
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