Bean Blossom: The Brown County Jamboree and Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Festivals (Music in American Life)

"Bean Blossom, Indiana--near Brown County State Park and the artist-colony town of Nashville, Indiana--is home to the annual Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival, founded in 1967 by Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass. Widely recognized as the oldest continuously running bluegrass music festival in the world, this June festival's roots run back to late 1951, when Monroe purchased the Brown County Jamboree, a live weekly country music show presented between April and November each year. Over the years, Monroe's festival featured the top performers in bluegrass music, including Jimmy Martin, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, the Goins Brothers, the Stanley Brothers, and many more. Thomas A. Adler's history of Bean Blossom traces the long and colorful life of the Brown County Jamboree and Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Festival. Adler discusses the development of bluegrass music, the many personalities involved in the bluegrass music scene, the interplay of local, regional, and national interests, and the meaning of this venue to the music's many performers--both professional and amateur--and its legions of fans." --Back cover Bean Blossom, Indiana -- near Brown County State Park and the artist-colony town of Nashville, Indiana -- is home to the annual Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival, founded in 1967 by Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass. Widely recognized as the oldest continuously running bluegrass music festival in the world, this June festival's roots run back to late 1951, when Monroe purchased the Brown County Jamboree, a live weekly country music show presented between April and November each year. Over the years, Monroe's festival featured the top performers in bluegrass music, including Jimmy Martin, Lester Fiatt, Earl Scruggs, the Goins Brothers, the Stanley Brothers, and many more Brown County history and roots Origins of the Brown County Jamboree (1939-1941) The Rund Family's Brown County Jamboree (1941-1951) Bill Monroe's Brown County Jamboree Park (1952-1957) Survivals, revivals, and arrivals (1958-1966) Building the festivals (1967-1968) The festival becomes a landmark (1969-1971) The festival's golden age (1972-1982) Festival people and lore Bill and James Monroe's festival park (1983-1997) Renaissance, continuity, and change (1998 and after).