Carlton Haney, 1928-2011

What Bill Monroe plays is bluegrass, and what everybody else plays is just a copy of him. (Carlton Haney, 1971)

Carlton L. Haney of North Carolina, manager, promoter, event organiser, and one of the most influential figures in bluegrass history, has died in hospital, as recorded on today's Bluegrass Blog. He was inducted into the IBMA Hall of Fame in 1998, and into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame in 2008. A good account of many of the reasons for his being in both is in Richard F Thompson's post on the BB at the time of the 2008 induction (read it here); and an illuminating biographical account by Fred Bartenstein, who worked closely with him and knew him very well, is also on the IBMM website.

Carlton Haney was indeed a larger-than-life figure; too much so for the BIB to attempt to do him justice. The Bluegrass Blog will be publishing more about him in the coming days.

Update 18 Mar.: A fine obituary by Kevin Lynch, with input from Fred Bartenstein and with notable links, is on the European Bluegrass Blog.