Customer Reviews

Big Mon: The Songs Of Bill Monroe

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Bill Monroe was truly the father of bluegrass. I know he would be proud and happy with this tribute album. Mary Chapin Carpenter's rendition of "Blue Night" showcases her extraordinary talent. Whoever decided to pair up Joan Osborne and Ricky Skaggs for the duet "On the Old Kentucky Shore" showed a stroke of genius! John Fogerty's "Blue Moon of Kentucky" knocked me over. I was not disappointed in a single cut on this album. Each artist conveys a love of the music they're singing and shows great respect for the "Big Mon" - the great Bill Monroe. I just cannot recommend it highly enough! I believe any bluegrass fan will enjoy this album for years and years.

On this tribute to Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs could have assembled an all-star cast of some of bluegrass music's finest pickers [which he does on the instrumental "Big Mon"], instead he chose to show the kind of influence Monroe had on not just bluegrass but popular music. So what you get is a wide spectrum of artists.

Popster Burce Hornsby does a fine interpretation of "Darlin' Corey." [His bluegrass talents were first heard on Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. 2.] Dolly Parton adds her wonderful vocal to "Cry, Cry Darlin'." The Whites' gorgeous harmonies make "Used To Be" a pure joy. Skaggs' mandolin adds a haunting quality to his duet with the Dixie Chicks on "Walk Softly." In addition to his solid reading of "My Little Georgia Rose," Travis Tritt plays a banjo(!) solo. Perhaps the biggest suprise is the duet with Skaggs and Joan Osborne on the moving "On the Old Kentucky Shore." But John Fogerty steals the show with his rockabilly performance of "Blue Moon of Kentucky."

Sure, bluegrass purists will be disappointed with this album, but if you're looking for an album to show how deep and far-reaching Bill Monroe's impact was on music, this album is a winner. RECOMMENDED

This is "Ultimate Bluesgrass", some of todays greatest artists and performers paying tribute to the icon of "good ole down-home" music, Bill "Father of Bluegrass" Monroe! Been noted, Bill played the mandolin with a rock n' roll heart, style was emotional and ecstatic, his signature song "BLUE MOON KENTUCKY", redone by Elvis on his initial recording, often cited as the first "rockabilly" record.

Bill's contribution and influence on Rock N' Roll, was recognized with his induction, into the "ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM" in 1997.

There isn't a country artist today, who doesn't owe Bill a debt of gratitude, because of his great talent, we have his music and memory living on forever.

Stand outs: "BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY" by John Fogerty, is priceless, "USED TO BE" by The Whites, just grinning and picking, what talent, "MY LITTLE GEORGIA ROSE" by Travis Tritt, wonderful performance, takes you back, where the tall pines grow, "ON THE OLD KENTUCKY SHORE", we hear Joan Osborne & Ricky Skaggs, singing near the Ohio River, just wonderful.

Highlight: "BIG MON", last track, some of the best, paying tribute to this legendary figure - "Father of Bluegrass" - Mr. Bill Monroe!

Entire album, is a lifetime of memories through music, wonderful human being - "Big Mon" The Songs of Bill Monroe!

Total Time: 45:24 on 13 Tracks/ Skaggs Family Records - SKFR CD 1002 (2000)

Big Mon is an excellent collection of Bill Monroe covers. Personally, my favorites are Cry, Cry Darlin' by Dolly Parton and Walk Softly by the Dixie Chicks. Dolly Parton and Natalie Maines have the perfect voices for Monroe's music and it is a beautiful fit.

Really there are no words to explain the greatness of this cd...I bought it for the dixie chicks singing the "Walk Softly" track, and after listening to the rest of the cd, I fell in love with it! Darlin' Corey is absolutely perfect, and Cry Cry Darlin is just right...you couldn't ask for a more well put together album. Ricky Skaggs did an excellent job with producing and playing in it. All of the performers seemed to capture what bill monroe would have wanted. All in all, I would never give this cd up...it's a permanent part of my collection.

I have been a fan of Bill Monroe and Ricky Scaggs for as long as I have been listening to music (+/-40 years). Ricky has done Bill proud on his covers of Mr Monroe's tunes. Bill's music has always stood the test of time and a little electricity just makes it that much better. All the artists were terrific on their selections with Bruce, Steve, the Chicks, and Travis standing out in my mind. Kudos to all the artists who paricipated in this tribute. This is another slice of what we call "American music". If you like Bluegrass, get it!

A 30 second cut of the Big Mon's (Bill Monroe's) original version of Blue Moon of Kentucky fades as John Fogerty's masterful, rocking style takes quick charge of the song. For all Fogerty fans: this cut alone is worth the price of the CD. Hornsby's Darlin' Corey is haunting. Dolly Parton's distinctive voice is a perfect fit with Cry, Cry Darlin'. The entire CD, packed with big names, is a aural treat for all bluegrass fans.

When I first saw Ricky Skaggs and friends on tv, from the Grand Ole Opry performing songs from this cd, I knew it was a must have. The quality of the musicians that play on these tracks are of the highest quality and read like a who's who of Bluegrass, country and rock music. Ive had the pleasure of seeing many of these artists in concert over the years including the Big Mon himself in Omaha durring the late 80s. This effort by Ricky Skaggs is an unparalleled success. From the first track with Bruce Hornsby to John Fogarty's rockabilly version of "Blue Moon of Kentucky", through Travis Tritt doing his rendition of "My Little Georgia Rose," (My favorite) to the instrumental finale this cd is destined to be an instant Bluegrass classic. There isn't a bad track on the cd. I would highly recomend this selection to anyone who is even a modest Bluegrass or Country fan. Bluegrass Rules, G. Roy Chandler

Bill Monroe may be the single most influential artist ever to record a bluegrass song. The very name bluegrass came from his Bluegrass Boys band. When Ricky Skaggs was a child he met Bill Monroe and even got to play Monroe's mandolin. Ricky looked up to Mr. Monroe and obviously wanted to do a tribute to him. Skaggs has taken contemporary singers and musicians and combined them on an album that is truely a great memorial. My favorite song is the Travis Tritt rendition of "My Little Georgia Rose". Travis, you would make a great bluegrass singer. This is a very good album and I would recommend it to anyone who likes bluegrass.

I love this cd. Had one from a friend and I played it to death, I guess. I've shared this with people and they love it. Nice variety of artists and the arrangements and instumentation are fantastic.