Big Guns Salute Big Mon
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Dixie Chicks, Charlie Daniels, John
Fogerty, Bruce
Hornsby, Patty Loveless, Joan Osborne, Dolly Pardon, Ricky
Skaggs, Travis Tritt,
Steve Wariner, The Whites, Dwight Yoakam
Tip Their Hats in New Album to Bill Monroe, the Father of
Bluegrass
Big Mon Hits Record Stores Aug. 29
Nashville -- Big Mon, an all-star tribute album to Bill Monroe,
will be released Aug. 29. Produced by Ricky Skaggs, the musical
memorial to the Father of Bluegrass Music features performances
by The Dixie Chicks, Bruce Hornsby, Dolly Parton, John Fogerty,
Steve Wariner, Travis Tritt, The Whites, Patty Loveless, Charlie
Daniels, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Joan Osborne, Dwight Yoakham
and Skaggs. The Album is on Skaggs Family Records.
Monroe, who died in 1996, has the distinction of being a
member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame and the International Bluegrass Music Association
Hall of Honor. He also holds the Lifetime Achievement Grammy.
"He was such an influence," says Skaggs, "not just in bluegrass,
but in all kinds of American music--rock and roll, country. And as
a songwriter, he's so well-respected that we felt there needed to be
a nice tribute done to him by more than just bluegrass artists."
Featuring songs Monroe wrote and/or recorded, the Big Mon
program consists of "Darlin' Corey," by Bruce Hornsby; "Cry, Cry,
Darlin'," Dolly Parton; "Heavy Traffic Ahead," Steve Wariner;
"Close By," Patty Loveless; "Blue Moon of Kentucky," John
Fogerty; "Used To Be," the Whites; "Walk Softly," the Dixie
Chicks and Ricky Skaggs; "My Little Georgia Rose," Travis Tritt;
"I Am A Pilgrim, Charlie Daniels; "On The Old Kentucky Shore,"
Joan Osborne and Ricky Skaggs; "Blue Night," Mary Chapin
Carpenter; "Rocky Road Blues," Dwight Yoakam; and "Big Mon"
(an instrumental), by a group informally known as Red Hot Chili
Pickers.
The "Pickers" are an all-star group of bluegrass performers that
includes fiddlers Bobby Hicks, Stuart Duncan, Jason Carter and
Luke Bulla; banjoists J.D. Crowe, Bela Fleck, Jim Mills and Rob
McCoury; mandolinists Roland White, Sam Bush, Ronnie
McCoury and Ricky Skaggs; acoustic guitarists Del McCoury and
Bryan Sutton; and bassist Mark Fain.
Truly a cast of stars, the Big Mon headliners includes 10
Grammy winners, six Grand Ole Opry members, 11 platinum or
multiplatinum album-sellers and a member of the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame. |
