This post is another contribution from Richard Thompson, who has provided several special pieces to The Bluegrass Blog as we recall Bill Monroe today.

In light of this ten year anniversary, many aficionados have organised special events to mark the occasion. Last night there were concerts in Athy, County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, and at the Freight & Salvage Coffee House in Berkeley, California.

This evening the Redwood Bluegrass Associates are promoting a tribute to Bill Monroe in Mountain View, California. The concert will feature a band led by Butch Waller, with brother Bob, Larry Cohea, Keith Little, Ed Neff, Paul Shelasky and Steve Pottier in support.

The first of the International Bluegrass Music Museum sponsored Monroe-style mandolin camp has an added attraction in the form of a Saturday night concert in Owensboro, Kentucky. The faculty concert will take place at Woodward’s Caf?…¨Ôø? adjacent to the museum, 117 Daviess Street, in the RiverPark Center Complex. This event features Mike Compton, Skip Gorman, David Long, Red Henry, Chris Henry and Tom Ewing.

In Nashville the Grand Ole Opry tonight will have a strong bluegrass presence in form of The Del McCoury Band, Bobby Osborne and the Rocky Top X-Press and Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys. I expect Bill Monroe will be remembered during the evening.

I am sure that there will be many locally-advertised events elsewhere throughout the world.

The Tuesday Night Opry on September 26 will stage this year’s Bill Monroe Bluegrass Celebration Signature Show with The Grascals, Alecia Nugent, Cherryholmes, Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Rhonda Vincent, Jim Lauderdale, and more. This event takes place while many IBMA members are gathered in Nashville for the IBMA WOB convention. As this event takes place just a couple of days prior to Fan Fest there will be a considerable number of bluegrass business professionals and fans who can attend to honour Bill Monroe.