False Start Foreword xi

Acknowledgments xiii

PART I. INTRODUCTIONS

1. William Smith Monroe 3

2. Mark Gilbert Hembree 10

PART II. “MULESKINNER BLUES”

3. “You Just Might Have a Job” 15

4. “Shh! Shh! It’s Bill!” 18

5. Monroe Enterprises 19

6. The Blue Grass Boys 21

7. Getting My Bedclothes 27

8. Learning the Vernacular 28

9. The Crucible of Chatom 31

10. Comfort Level 1 34

11. A Gentle Side of Bill 35

12. “Back Home Again in Indiana” 37

13. Uncle Birch 39

14. “Doghouse Blues” 40

15. Proper Grooming and a Tip of the Hat 41

PART III. “BREAKING IN A BRAND-NEW PAIR OF SHOES”

16. Glory Is Fleeting 47

17. The Eye 50

18. More on the Bus 51

19. Road Cuisine 52

20. A Need-to-Know Bassist 55

21. The Beer Taboo 57

22. Hangover Management 59

23. Road Journal, February 1980 60

24. Who Is That Guy? 63

25. No, Really, Who the Hell Is That Guy? 64

PART IV. “HEAVY TRAFFIC AHEAD”

26. Kentucky Fried Festival, Louisville 69

27. Taking My Time Capsules 71

28. John Duffey 72

29. On to Pocatello! 73

30. Rooms/No Rooms 74

31. Of Gloves and Bananas 76

32. Pushing the Bus up Cumberland Gap 77

PART V. “MY LAST DAYS ON EARTH”

33. Master of Bluegrass 81

34. Back in the Saddle 84

35. Monroe Hangs Tough, But It’s Tough 85

PART VI. “ROCKY ROAD BLUES”

36. The Accidental Road Manager 101

37. West Coast Routing and Canadian Customs 103

38. Road Burns and the Right Rock 106

39. Rich Comes Along for the Ride 108

40. The Poker to End All Poker 110

41. Bill on Dolly, Wayne on Bill 112

42. Winning in Tahoe 113

43. Monroe Pays the Piper 114

44. The First Thing I’m Going to Do 115

45. Bean Blossom International 116

46. All Day at the Record Table 118

47. Bluegrass Death Trip 121

48. Bill Keeps Grinding 122

49. Checking on Paycheck 126

50. Mule Day, April 3, 1982, Columbia, Tennessee 128

51. Opening the Knoxville World’s Fair, May 1, 1982 129

52. Uncle Birch and Southern Funerary Traditions 131

PART VII. “PRECIOUS MEMORIES”

53. Taking the Gospel Shot 135

54. July 24–27, 1982 137

55. Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, via the Emergency Room 139

56. A Record-Breaking Diss 141

57. River Ranch Resort 143

58. Bill’s Birthday in Louisville 144

59. Country Hardball 146

60. McClure via Coeburn 149

61. Roll On Buddy 152

PART VIII. “OVER THE WAVES”

62. Hello, Ireland! 157

63. Bill Gets His Encore 160

64. A Wonderful School of Music 162

65. The Blue Grass Goys in Israel 163

PART IX. “LIVE AND LET LIVE”

66. Pittsburgh, Unplugged 169

67. Feats of Magic 170

68. PTL: Pass The Loot 172

69. Bluegrass and the Hippies 174

PART X. “ON AND ON”

70. Just Be Ready 179

71. Serving Notice 181

72. The Road Is Clear 183

73. Grand Ole Après 185

At Last, Thanks 187

Further Reading 193

Index 195