Special Bill Monroe edition of Prairie Home Companion

Thanks to Roger Ryan of the Country Music Association of Ireland for forwarding two bluegrass news items: first, the renowned radio programme 'A Prairie Home Companion' with its founder, Garrison Keillor, will commemorate Bill Monroe with a special two-hour live performance on Saturday 5 Nov. 2011 at Murray State University's CFSB Center in Murray, KY. Former Blue Grass Boys taking part will include Roland White, mandolin; Blake Williams and Bob Black, banjo; Bobby Hicks, fiddle; Tom Ewing and Peter Rowan, guitar; and Mark Hembree, bass. Joining them will be Stuart Duncan and Kathy Chiavola. Full details are here.

Roger also sends this link to newsletter #314 (Oct. 2011) of County Sales of Floyd, VA, who for decades now have been the world's premier suppliers of recordings, books, and DVDs of bluegrass and old-time music. One of Ireland's living legends, record collector Rodney McElrea of Omagh, Co. Tyrone, gave an important impetus to the founding of County Sales. The eight-page newsletter lists and reviews many of the latest releases, with special attention to CDs issued to commemorate the Monroe centennial year.