It just so happens one of bluegrass music’s biggest stars was named Bill Monroe and while he was a native of Kentucky, he established a big bluegrass festival down near Bloomington in a town called Bean Blossom.
That’s only an hour or so from us, so we decided to check it out. A quick day trip turned into a pretty great weekend. We drove down Friday to the Bill Monroe Memorial Music Park and Campground to catch some of the four-day festival. Well, after Gladys heard a few bands on Friday, she was hooked, and so was I. Since this isn’t our first rodeo, so to speak, we packed enough to stay overnight, and I’m glad we did. We stayed most of the day Saturday to listen to more great bands.
Several people we met there talked about how the first couple of days of the festival (it started that Wednesday) had some outstanding acts. A lot of people had pitched tents and some had rented cabins. Some of the nice folks there allowed us to move into their RV “neighborhood” and we had a grand ol’ time.
So, why did a man from Kentucky who was credited for creating bluegrass music start such a big event in, of all places, Bean Blossom, IN? Well, when he was a teenager in 1929, Bill Monroe moved to the area to work at an oil refinery. His brothers and some friends started a band, and they caught on pretty quickly. They were signed to a record contract in 1936. Monroe and his new band, The Blue Grass Boys, got pretty popular in the 40s and 50s and he himself performed all the way into the 1990s. He passed away in 1996 just shy of his 85th birthday.
Monroe’s legend lives on at the festival he started back in 1967. We had a great time listening to some of the old time groups and some of the younger guys who are keeping bluegrass music alive. We also enjoyed talking to some of the residents of Bean Blossom who remember when Monroe and his first band played at dances and parties and then became a big nationwide sensation. One longtime Bean Blossom resident said he couldn’t believe it when he was visiting family down in Atlanta and heard some of his hometown friends on the radio. It was like he knew celebrities!
What a big event, and what a great experience to meet some fellow Hoosiers. We saw some great acts, met some interesting people and this was all about an hour’s drive from home.
I’d encourage anyone, no matter their age, to pack up an RV (like my trusty Winnebago) and just head out on the road. Gladys and I have found out a great many times that you don’t always have to travel across the country to find an adventure or make some new memories. Sometimes, you can find all that just down the road.
Winnebago Bill
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