KENTUCKY, USA — The music produces images.
Listen to a bluegrass record and the common themes appear: family, relationships, God and the beautiful state from which this music was born. Kentucky is bluegrass music, and bluegrass music is Kentucky.
The International Bluegrass Music Association was founded in Owensboro, Kentucky in 1986. While the IBMA relocated to Nashville years ago, Owensboro has been the home of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum since 1991.
Fans, musicians and government officials raised funds and, working with the state, put together a plan for this state-of-the-art Hall Of Fame and Museum along the banks of the Ohio River in 2018.
Chris Joslin is the former executive director of the museum and is a musician who loves the genre of bluegrass music.
"Kentucky's a great state. It's known for a lot of things. A lot of folks know us for the great bourbon, thoroughbred horse racing, but something else that's really baked into our cultural heritage is bluegrass music," Joslin said. "I mean, bluegrass music is uniquely Kentucky. I mean, it gets its name from Kentucky, the bluegrass state. So, it definitely is linked to this state."
Bluegrass is unique in that we know where it began, we know who started it and we know where it grew as an art form.
"There's really an epicenter, ground zero, the headwaters, and it is Kentucky and western Kentucky in particular, because Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass music, is from this region. It wasn't just an issue of geography, but it was this area, the people, the music, the food, the culture that really shaped his creativity, that resulted in a form of American music, bluegrass music. We wanted folks to know that they can travel from anywhere around the globe – and they do – to engage with the authentic headwaters of bluegrass music," Joslin said. "Bill Monroe and others in those days, when it was taking shape, they were just weaving together part of their experience, like, you say, gospel music, you know, hoedown music from square dances. They were taking elements of popular music. They were hearing the blues and, you know, Tin Pan Alley music, and so all this coming together, and it's really indicative of the culture of America. It's really the American story."
This truly unique American story is highlighted by exhibits that show the influences of the art form, how it began and where it is now, a form of music played literally around the world. You'll see the stars of the past – Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and Ricky Scaggs – but you will also see examples of bluegrass now, furthered by artists like Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle and Sierra Hull.
In fact, people who got their start playing bluegrass are featured here, too. That includes people like Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, a name that might shock modern day bluegrass fans.
"If you're a bluegrass musician, you know about Jerry Garcia's love for bluegrass music. You know, he started in folk music and discovered bluegrass music, and was a great banjo player, and played a lot of bluegrass before the Dead, and then continued to play a lot of bluegrass even after the Dead with side projects," Joslin said. "And so, we've got this great temporary exhibit that tells that story. We have about a dozen of his instruments, images that have been under beds and in closets over years with his family members because they wanted to see that story told as well. So, it's been great."
Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Jerry Garcia exhibit
The Museum hosts guests from around the world, live and virtual concerts, lessons and even festivals. The staff here want this to be a place of learning and hands-on experience.
"We're an educational and cultural center, in essence. We want people to learn something when they come here, about the story of bluegrass music, or maybe even learn to play an instrument. What we're trying to encourage is just a deeper engagement with this story. It goes deeper than simply just entertainment. Live bluegrass music is very exciting, and I love that, but what we're trying to introduce folks to is that there is a connection, a human connection, around bluegrass music," Joslin said. "It's about the people, and it's about the community of bluegrass music, whether you live right here in this community, or whether your community is the other side of the country or the other side of the globe. And you know, we do that through exhibits here. We do that through a television show called 'My Bluegrass Story.' We do that through Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. We do it through some online programming as well. So, we don't want to be all things to all people, but we just want to help folks engage with this American music art form that we love so much."
When you visit the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum, you are just 45 minutes from the homeplace of Bill Monroe, the "Father of Bluegrass." Rosine, Kentucky is where Monroe grew up and where his family and his greatest musical influence, Uncle Pen, are buried in the Rosine Cemetery. You can also see the little country church where Monroe’s funeral was conducted or mail a letter home from the Bill Monroe Post Office.
There are places where you can sit down and pick a guitar or banjo to get into the feeling of the place.
Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: Bill Monroe Homeplace
You can also visit the nearby newly constructed “Uncle Pen’s Cabin” on the site of the original cabin of Bill Monroe’s Uncle Pen Vandiver.
Listen to the music, savor the images the notes produce in your mind and understand why this uniquely American art form is waiting for all of us to be loved, played and enjoyed for a lifetime.
More of Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky:
- Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: Visiting fabled horse parks
- Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: Finding giants at Bernheim Forest
- Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: Cabins on the cliffs and in the trees
- Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: Rail Explorers
- Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: Red River Gorge underground kayaking
- Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: Visiting the Woodsongs Radio Hour broadcast
- Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: Rocking with Rick Faris
- Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: Western Kentucky BBQ Trail
- Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: Berea College
- Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: Lake Cumberland — Houseboats
- Chuck's Big Adventure in Kentucky: National Corvette Museum, NCM Motorsports Park