Word: mandolin
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...tune "Uncle Pen." Bill recalls that as the youngest member of a musical family, his choice of instruments was limited. Oldest brother, Birch, played the most coveted and to Bill always the most important instrument, the fiddle. Next in line, Charlie chose guitar. Bill, coming along last, chose the mandolin, a virtually unknown instrument in recorded country music at that time. Not content to borrow styles from other musicians, Bill created a unique way of playing the mandolin, incorporating chords which could be used for rhythm when the mandolin was not being played as a lead instrument. Bill Monroe...
...Virtuoso Mandolin...
Already Bill's virtuoso mandolin style was being noticed. It wasn't long before the brothers decided to go their separate ways, Charlie and Bill starting their own groups, the Kentucky Pardners and the Blue Grass Boys, respectively. From Bill's desire to honor his home state originated the name that gradually became associated with the music played by a number of groups which resemble Bill Monroe's in instrumentation and style...
...Dylan and their parents, the group had paid respects to two of the major forces in their musical lives. All five took to music young, and they were brought up singing and playing hymns and folk songs with their families. The only American, Levon, was playing mandolin, drums and guitar in his early teens, and once won first prize at a county fair, accompanied by his sister on a homemade washtub bass. Rick Danko, whose father is a Simcoe tobacco farmer, was given a mandolin at five and soon joined his three brothers at Saturday night musicales...