The Associated Press is reporting that James Monroe, son of the Father of Bluegrass Music, is selling the concert hall he has been running near the Kentucky/Tennessee state line, about 40 miles north of Nashville.

The son of the late bluegrass legend Bill Monroe is selling the music hall he opened two years ago near the Tennessee state line, saying the duties of running the venue conflicted with his own musical career.

“We’ve had two incredible concert seasons with sellout crowds for such artists as Gene Watson, Lorrie Morgan, Vern Gosdin, Jimmy Dickens and Bill Anderson. It’s really succeeded beyond my expectations,” James Monroe, a bluegrass musician, said in a statement.

Read the full AP piece online.

Thanks to the folks at The Mandolin Cafe, where we first saw this story about the rebirth of a stage show featuring the music and life story of Bill Monroe. The show is titled Back to Bean Blossom: The Life and Music of Bill Monroe, and will feature a mix of musical performance, visual images and live narration. It is scheduled to be presented on November 18, 2005 at the Basile Theatre/Indiana History Center in Indianapolis, IN as part of their Sounds Of Indiana concert series.

We were able to reach a number of the folks involved in this program for some background on its creation and evolution, as well as the “back story” of Bill Monroe and the state of Indiana.

This show is the brainchild of Indianapolis mandolinist Mike Butler, who was inspired to pursue this venture after he participated as a performer in a similarly themed presentation for Indianapolis area blues players staged by the Indiana History Center. He approached them about a program on Bill Monroe, and with an eye towards Monroe’s “Indiana connection,” they agreed that the show would go forward under their auspices. (more…)