Birch Monroe

Born: 5/16/1901    Died: 5/15/1982

As a Blue Grass Boy: Birch Monroe was Bill Monroe's older brother. As a Blue Grass Boy, he played bass, sang bass vocal in quartets, and was occasionally featured on old-time fiddle numbers. He appears on four of Bill's recorded songs, singing bass.

Recording Sessions: 9/17/1946, 4/8/1950

Before and After: Birch played with Bill and Charlie in the 1930s, but did not join them when they turned professional as the Monroe Brothers. After their breakup he played with Charlie's band, the Kentucky Partners, before joining Bill. In the 50s he began managing the Brown County Jamboree, Bill's music park in Bean Blossom. He played as part of the house band, and regularly joined the Blue Grass Boys for a fiddle tune or gospel quartet when they played there.