Bluegrass had its origins with the legendary Bill Monroe of Kentucky. Monroe played mandolin and his brother Charlie played guitar. The Monroe Brothers became regulars on Charlotte’s WBT beginning in 1936. This led to a RCA recording contract, however, by 1938 Charlie had left to form his own band called the Kentucky Pardners along with newcomer Lester Flatt of Overton, Tennessee.

Bill formed his legendary Blue Grass Boys and had landed a spot on the Grand Ole Opry by 1939, where he became a regular for the next 50 years.

Actually, the music we know as Bluegrass did not fully develop until 1945 when Bill signed with Columbia, recording his world famous “Kentucky Waltz.” By 1946 his band included Flatt on guitar, Earl Scruggs on banjo, Chubby Wise on fiddle and Howard Watts on bass.

In 1948 Flatt and Scruggs left to form their own band. Bill helped other bluegrass performers with their careers including Jimmy Martin, Vassar Clements, Buddy Spicher and banjoist Sonny Osborne. Bill also went on to record “Rawhide” and “Roanoke” in the 50s featuring his signature mandolin playing and “New Mule Skinner Blues” with his signature yodeling.

In the 1960s Bill became a star on the college campus folk singing tours. In 1967 he began his famous bluegrass festival at Bean Blossom, Indiana. In 1989 he celebrated his fiftieth anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Another famous bluegrass group was The Stanley Brothers of Virginia – Ralph and Carter. The Stanley Brothers have become famous for their raw, emotional duet and trio vocal harmonies.

After Carter’s death in 1966, Ralph formed another band which later included well known performers Keith Whitley on guitar and Ricky Skaggs on the mandolin. In 1980 Ralph performed with Emmylou Harris on his “The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn.”

Ricky Skaggs has returned to his roots and become one of the leading bluegrass performers and also, a spokesman for the music. Skaggs of Cordell, Kentucky began playing the mandolin at age five and was featured on the Flatt & Scruggs TV show by age seven. By age fifteen he was already a member of the Ralph Stanley band. He then went to work with the Country Gentlemen and even J.D. Crowe’s New South.

In the late 70’s, Skaggs joined with Emmylou Harris’s Hot Band. Afterwards he recorded for Durham, North Carolina’s Sugar Hill label, his highly acclaimed album “Sweet Temptation.” His real success came after signing with Epic. His recording of Bill Monroe’s “Uncle Penn” became the first bluegrass number by a solo artist to reach #1 on Billboard’s country chart. In 1982, Skaggs became the youngest member at the time to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.