Born on This Day in 1911, “The Father of Bluegrass” and the Original Singer Behind an Elvis Presley Classic

Bill Monroe transmuted childhood tragedy into an entirely new genre of music. The original singer of the popular Elvis Presley hit “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” Monroe blended “Scottish bagpipes and ole-time fiddlin,” creating what would become known as bluegrass (named for foliage common to his home state.) On this day in 1911, the “Father of Bluegrass” was born near the small town of Rosine, Kentucky.

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The youngest of eight children, William Smith “Bill” Monroe grew up in a musical home. However, his birth order relegated him to the less glamorous role of mandolin player, as his older brothers had already claimed fiddle and guitar. Ironically, had Monroe been born earlier, bluegrass as we know it may have never existed.

Orphaned by age 17, Monroe bounced between relatives’ homes before landing with his uncle, Pendleton Vandiver. He often accompanied Vandiver to dances where his uncle played the fiddle, which would eventually inspire his 1950 composition “Uncle Pen.”

The Man Who Mentored Bill Monroe

In fact, it was through his Uncle Pen that Bill Monroe met his other biggest inspiration. Vandiver hired fiddler and guitarist Arnold Shultz to play guitar at dances. A 12-year-old Monroe followed Shultz around until the older man finally relented and began giving him gigs.

“[Shultz] had a way of doing these kinds of transitional runs between chords. He added more rhythm and syncopation,” said dentist and renowned mandolin player Richard Brown, who helms the International Bluegrass Foundation’s Arnold Shultz Fund. “I’m sure Bill picked that up because Bill liked that more of a driving beat.”

Bringing Bluegrass into Being

Performing with elder sibling Charlie as one half of the Monroe Brothers, Bill scored a gospel hit with 1936’s “What Would You Give in Exchange For Your Soul?” After recording more than 60 tracks during a two-year period, the brothers parted ways in 1938. Soon after, Bill would form the earliest edition of the Blue Grass Boys, where the genre gets its name.

Impressing Grand Ole Opry founder George D. Hay with his spirited take on Jimmie Rodgers’ “Mule Skinner Blues,” Monroe earned a spot at country music’s most hallowed institution. As the Blue Grass Boys lineup evolved, so, too, did Monroe’s sound. In 1945, all the modern-day elements we now recognize as bluegrass converged when rhythm guitarist Lester Flatt and banjo player Earl Scruggs joined the band. They joined fiddlers Howdy Forrester and Chubby Wise, bassists Joe Forrester and Howard Watts, and Monroe on the mandolin.

The Father of Bluegrass also became a fixture in the White House, playing for four consecutive presidents, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton.

Bill Monroe died on September 9, 1996, in Springfield, Tennessee, just four days shy of his 85th birthday.

Featured image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images