McCoury Music

Del McCoury’s Old Memories: The Songs of Bill Monroe is a tribute to Bill Monroe on his 100th birthday and – with all due respect – it’s likely the finest tribute yet to the father of bluegrass. Let’s be honest: No one has the musical chops and spirit to play like McCoury, who was famously Monroe’s one-time singer, and his A-list band featuring sons Ronnie (mandolin) and Rob (banjo), fiddler Jason Carter and bassist Alan Bartram. Skin-tight, raucously spirited playing on Monroe standards including, “Watermelon on the Vine” and “Y’all Come” plus rarities like “Train 45” help conjure images of Monroe throughout the album’s 16-tracks. Fans know, though, that the distinctive vocals and impeccable instrumentation can only belong to McCoury, who once again proves why he was revered long before he was inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame in 2011.