BILL MONROE 100TH CELEBRATION: LIVE AT BEAN BLOSSOM Album now Released!

Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum hosted VIP Album Release Celebration!
(Photo Gallery of this event here)

Rural Rhythm Records is proud to announce today’s new album release, BILL MONROE 100th YEAR CELEBRATION:  LIVE AT BEAN BLOSSOM recorded this past June at the Bill Monroe Music Park in Bean Blossom, Indiana during the 45th Annual Bill Monroe Memorial Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival.  Last Sunday, the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Renfro Valley, KY hosted a special CD Release celebration for this exciting new commemorative album. 

  Brand New Strings, who appear on this tribute album and have a previous Rural Rhythm release, NO STRINGS ATTACHED, opened the performance portion of the event with a fantastic set that highlighted the band’s incredible instrumental talents and vocal harmonies.

A stellar group of musicians who participated on the tribute album, plus more Rural Rhythm family of artists and friends, delighted the crowd with spectacular performances.  This All-Star BILL MONROE TRIBUTE BAND included the talents of Sammy Shelor, Steve Gulley, Dale Ann Bradley, Carrie Hassler, Audie Blaylock, Preston Schmidt (Brand New Strings); and Tony  Mowell (Blue Moon Rising). 

Sammy Shelor fresh off a recent performance on The Late Show with David Letterman (Lonesome River Band and special guest, Steve Martin) performed “Goldrush.”  Four-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year, Dale Ann Bradley sang “In Despair,” Carrie Hassler gave an amazing performance of“Blue Moon of Kentucky,” Audie Blaylock wowed the audience with “Cry, Cry Darling; ” and Steve Gulley, impressed all with his vocal talents on “Used to Be.”

2004 Kentucky Hall of Fame inductee, J. D. Crowe performed with bluegrass supergroup, J.D. Crowe & The New South closed out the show in grand fashion with more Monroe tunes like "Molly & Tenbrooks," and "Where you Gonna Hide?" - a song Dwight McCall's Dad recorded as Earl Taylor & Jim McCall on the Rural Rhythm label many years ago.  They also performed songs from Rickey Wasson’s solo album, plus numerous J. D. Crowe & The New South tunes.

Paul Berstein from Lexscape Productions, who handles all of the video work for the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame, was on hand filming this special event.

Sam Passamano, II, President of Rural Rhythm Records thanked the numerous people involved in the making of the album including a very special thanks to Dwight Dillman, owner of the Bill Monroe Music Park for hosting this live album recording and making this album possible. He also thanked Robert Lawson with the KHOF and their Board of Directors for hosting the event in their fabulous facility.  Many thanks went to Sammy Shelor, (album producer) along with all of the participating artists: Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Lonesome River Band, Lou Reid & Carolina, Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top Express, Ronnie Reno & The Reno Tradition, Audie Blaylock and Redline, Wasson & McCall, Blue Moon Rising, Grasstowne, Brand New Strings, Carolina Road and theBartley Brothers; on-site production staff Tom Feller and Dale Perry; Anthony Ladd (Kneelindesign) for the fabulous artwork; Sammy Passamano III (videographer) along with the rest of the Rural Rhythm Records team.  “But most of all we need to thank the Father of Bluegrass, Mr. Bill Monroe,” he said.

BILL MONROE 100TH YEAR CELEBRATION:  LIVE AT BEAN BLOSSOM is now available at fine retail outlets including:  Walmart, f.y.e. entertainment, Amazon, iTunes, Ernest Tubb Records Shops, County Sales, Music Shed, Rural Rhythm’s website, and wherever Bluegrass music is sold.

View many more photos from this EVENT here.

View videos from the LIVE AT BEAN BLOSSOM album recording held at the
Bill Monroe Memorial Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival here.