Bill Monroe Discography

78/45 RPM Singles

Year Title Label Number Notes
1940 Mule Skinner Blues / Six White Horses Bluebird Bb 8568
1940 No Letter In the Mail / Cryin’ Holy Unto My Lord Bluebird Bb 8611
1940 Dog House Blues / Katy Hill Bluebird Bb 8692
1940 I Wonder If You Feel the Way I Do / Tennessee Blues Bluebird Bb 8813
1941 Blue Yodel No.7 / In the Pines Bluebird Bb 8861
1941 The Coupon Song / Orange Blossom Special Bluebird Bb 8893
1941 Shake My Mother’s Hand For Me / Were You There Bluebird Bb 8953
1941 Honky Tonk Swing / Back Up and Push Bluebird Bb 8988
1945 Rocky Road Blues / Kentucky Waltz Columbia 20013
1945 True Life Blues / Footprints In the Snow Columbia 20080
1946 Mansions For Me / Mother’s Only Sleeping Columbia 20107
1946 Blue Yodel No.4 / Will You Be Loving Another Man? Columbia 20189
1946 Goodbye Old Pal / Blue Moon of Kentucky Columbia 20370
1946 Blue Grass Special / How Will I Explain About You Columbia 20384
1947 Shine Hallelujah Shine / I’m Travelin’ On and On Columbia 20402
1947 My Rose of Old Kentucky / Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong Columbia 20423
1947 I Hear A Sweet Voice Calling / Little Cabin Home On the Hill Columbia 20459
1947 That Home Above / Little Community Church Columbia 20488
1947 Summertime Is Past and Gone / Wicked Path of Sin Columbia 20503
1948 It’s Mighty Dark To Travel / When You Are Lonely Columbia 20526
1948 Toy Heart / Bluegrass Breakdown Columbia 20552
1948 The Old Cross Road / Remember the Cross Columbia 20576
1948 Heavy Traffic Ahead / Along About Daybreak Columbia 20595
1948 I’m Going Back To Old Kentucky / Molly and Tenbrooks Columbia 20612
1949 The Girl In the Blue Velvet Band / Bluegrass Stomp Columbia 20648
1949 Can’t You Hear Me Calling / Travelin’ This Lonesome Road Columbia 20676
1950 New Mule Skinner Blues / My Little Georgia Rose Decca 46222
1950 The Old Fiddler / Alabama Waltz Decca 46236
1950 I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome / Boat of Love Decca 46254
1950 Bluegrass Ramble / Memories of You Decca 46266
1950 Uncle Pen / When the Golden Leaves Begin To Fall Decca 46283
1951 On the Old Kentucky Shore / Poison Love Decca 46298
1951 Lord Protect My Soul / River of Death Decca 46305
1951 Kentucky Waltz / Prisoner’s Song Decca 46314
1951 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot / Angels Rock Me To Sleep Decca 46325
1951 Rotation Blues / Lonesome Truck Driver’s Blues Decca 46344
1951 I’ll Meet You In Church Sunday Morning / Get Down On Your Knees and Pray Decca 46351
1951 Highway of Sorrow / Sugar Coated Love Decca 46369
1951 Brakeman’s Blues / Travelin’ Blues Decca 46380
1951 Christmas Time’s A-Coming / The First Whippoorwill Decca 46386
1952 Raw Hide / Letter From My Darling Decca 46392
1952 I’m On My Way To the Old Home / The First Whippoorwill Decca 28045
1952 When the Cactus Is In Bloom / Sailor’s Plea Decca 28183
1952 Pike County Breakdown / A Mighty Pretty Waltz Decca 28356
1952 Footprints In the Snow / In the Pines Decca 28416
1953 You’re Drifting Away / Walking In Jerusalem Decca 28608
1953 Cabin of Love / Country Waltz Decca 28749
1954 Memories of Mother and Dad / The Little Girl and the Dreadful Snake Decca 28878
1954 I Hope You Have Learned / Wishing Waltz Decca 29009
1954 Y’all Come / Changing Partners Decca 29021
1954 Get Up John / White House Blues Decca 29141
1954 Happy On My Way / He Will Set Your Fields On Fire Decca 29196
1955 Blue Moon of Kentucky / Close By Decca 29289
1955 I’m Working On A Building / A Voice From On High Decca 29348
1955 Cheyenne / Roanoke Decca 29406
1955 Wait A Little Longer, Please Jesus / Let the Light Shine Down On Me Decca 29436
1956 Put My Little Shoes Away / Wheel Hoss Decca 29645
1956 On and On / I Believed In You Darling Decca 29886
1957 You’ll Find Her Name Written There / Sitting Alone In the Moonlight Decca 30178
1957 A Fallen Star / Four Walls Decca 30327
1958 Molly and Tenbrooks / I’m Sitting On the Top of the World Decca 30486
1958 Sally-Jo / Brand New Shoes Decca 30647
1959 Panhandle Country / Scotland Decca 30739
1959 Gotta Travel On / No One But My Darlin’* Decca 30809
1959 Tomorrow I’ll Be Gone / Dark As the Night, Blue As the Day Decca 30944
1960 Lonesome Wind Blues / Come Go With Me Decca 31031
1961 Precious Memories / Jesus Hold My Hand Decca 31107
1961 Linda Lou / Put My Rubber Doll Away Decca 31218
1961 Blue Grass Part 1 / Flowers of Love Decca 31346
1962 Toy Heart / Danny Boy Decca 31409
1963 Blue Ridge Mountain Blues / How Will I Explain About You Decca 31456
1963 There Was Nothing We Could Do / Big Sandy River Decca 31487
1963 New John Henry Blues / Devil’s Dream Decca 31540
1964 Darlin’ Corey / Salt Creek Decca 31596
1964 Shenandoah Breakdown / Mary At the Home Place Decca 31658
1965 Jimmie Brown, the Newsboy / Cindy Decca 31802
1965 I Live In the Past / There’s An Old, Old House Decca 31878
1966 Going Home / Master Builder Decca 31943
1967 When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again / Pretty Fair Maiden In the Garden Decca 32075
1968 Train 45 / Is the Blue Moon Still Shining Decca 32245
1968 The Gold Rush / Virginia Darlin’ Decca 32404
1969 I Haven’t Seen Mary In Years / Crossing the Cumberlands Decca 32502
1969 Fireball Mail / With Body and Soul Decca 32574
1970 Bonny / Sweet Mary and the MIles In Between Decca 32645
1970 Walk Softly On My Heart / McKinley’s March Decca 32654
1971 Going Up Caney / Tallahassee Decca 32827
1972 My Old Kentucky and You / Lonesome Moonlight Waltz Decca 32966
1973 Foggy Mountain Top / Tall Pines MCA Records 40006
1973 Down Yonder / Swing Low, Sweet Chariot MCA Records 40220
1977 My Sweet Blue Eyed Darling / Monroe’s Blues MCA Records 40675

Studio albums

Year Title Label Number Notes
1958 Knee Deep In Bluegrass Decca DL 8731 Reissued in UK as Brunswick 8259
1959 I Saw the Light Decca DL 8769 Reissued as MCA 527
1961 Mr Bluegrass Decca DL 4080 Reissued as MCA 82
1962 Bluegrass Ramble Decca DL 4266 Reissued as MCA 88
1963 Bluegrass Special Decca DL 4382 Reissued as MCA 97 Reissued in UK as Brunswick 8579
1964 I’ll Meet You In Church Sunday Morning Decca DL 4537 Reissued as MCA 226
1967 Bluegrass Time Decca DL 4896 Reissued as MCA 116
1972 Uncle Pen Decca DL7 5347 Reissued as MCA 500
1973 Bill & James Monroe – Father and Son MCA Records 310
1974 Road of Life MCA Records 426
1976 Weary Traveller MCA Records 2173 Reissued as MCA 707
1977 Bluegrass Memories MCA Records 2315 Reissued as MCA 872
1978 Bill & James Monroe – Together Again MCA Records 2367 Reissued as MCA 633
1981 Master of Bluegrass MCA Records 5214
1983 Bill Monroe and Friends MCA Records 5435
1985 Stars of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame MCA Records 5625
1987 Bluegrass ‘ 87 MCA Records 5970 Reissued as MCA 31310
1988 Southern Flavor MCA Records 42133
1991 Cryin’ Holy Unto the Lord MCA Records 10017

Compilations

Year Title Label Number Notes
1961 The Great Bill Monroe Harmony HL 7290
1962 My All Time Country Favorites Decca DL 4327 Reissued in Japan as Decca 5086
1962 The Father of Bluegrass Music RCA Camden CAL 719 Reissued as RCA ACL 7059
1964 Bill Monroe’s Best Harmony HL 7315
1964 Songs With the Bluegrass Boys Vocalion VL 3702 Reissued as Coral CB 20099
1965 Bluegrass Instrumentals Decca DL 4601 Reissued as MCA 104
1965 The Original Bluegrass Sound Harmony HL 7338
1965 Bluegrass Style Vocalion VL7 3870 Reissued as Coral CB 20077
1966 The High Lonesome Sound Decca DL 4780 Reissued as MCA 110
1968 Greatest Hits Decca DL7 5010 Reissued as MCA 17
1969 Bill Monroe & Charlie Monroe Decca DL7 5066 Reissued as MCA 124
1969 A Voice From On High Decca DL7 5135 Reissued as MCA 131
1970 16 All-time Greatest Hits Columbia CS 1065
1970 Kentucky Bluegrass Decca DL7 5213 Reissued as MCA 136
1971 Country Music Hall of Fame Decca DL7 5281 Reissued as MCA 140
1973 Greatest Hits MCA Records 5023 Japanese issue
1974 Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys 1950-60 MCA Records 9224-27 4 vol.; Japanese issue –
1975 The Best of MCA Records 2 4090 Double album
1975 Bluegrass Special Vol.1 BS 1 French issue
1976 Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys 1950-72 MCA Records 9269-71 3 vol; Japanese issue –
1976 Bluegrass Special Vol.2 BS 3 French issue
1976 Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys Vol.1 CBS Sony 20AP11 Japanese issue
1976 Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys Vol.2 CBS Sony 20AP12 Japanese issue
1976 New Greatest Hits CBS Sony 20AP27 Japanese issue
1977 Sings Bluegrass, Body and Soul MCA Records 2251 Reissued as MCA 708
1978 With Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs Rounder SS 06
1980 Classic Bluegrass Recordings Vol.1 County CCS 104
1980 Classic Bluegrass Recordings Vol.2 County CCS 105
1980 Country Hall of Fame Coral CDL 8505 UK issue
1981 Singles Collection Vol.1 MCA Records VIM 4068 Japanese issue
1981 Singles Collection Vol.2 MCA Records VIM 4069 Japanese issue
1981 Singles Collection Vol.3 MCA Records VIM 4070 Japanese issue
1981 Singles Collection Vol.4 MCA Records VIM 4071 Japanese issue
1983 Bill Monroe 1950-54 Collector’s Classics CC 18 German issue
1984 Bill Monroe Columbia FC 38904
1985 Classic Bluegrass Instrumentals Rebel 850 Canadian issue
1987 In the Pines Rebel 853 Canadian issue reissued as County CCS 114
1989 At His Best Hollywood HCD 409 Reissued on Classic World Production as Greatest Hits
1989 Bluegrass 1950-1958 Bear Family BCD 15423 4 vol; German issue
1991 Bill Monroe MCA Records D 10082 Part of the Country Music Hall of Fame series
1991 Mule Skinner Blues RCA Victor 2494-2-R Reissued as Country Legends
1991 Bluegrass 1959-1969 Bear Family BCD 15529 4 vol; German issue
1992 The Essential Columbia C2K 52478 Double album
1994 The Music of Bill Monroe 1936-94 MCA Records D4 11048 4 vol.
1994 Bluegrass 1970-1979 Bear Family BCD 15606 4 vol; German issue
1996 16 gems Columbia CK 53908
1997 Bluegrass Breakdown Javelin PRACD 4003
1997 The Father of Bluegrass Music RCA Victor BVCP 7464 Japanese issue
1998 The Early Years Vanguard VCD 79518
1999 The Best of MCA Records 088170109-2
1999 The Best of MCA Records MCF 2696
1999 Blue Grass Special Memories Raintree RR 599
1999 Lookin’ Back Silver Eagle SEA 70007
1999 Father of Bluegrass: the Early Years ASV AJA 5298 1940-47; UK issue
2000 American Traveler County CCS 119
2000 The Father of Bluegrass Castle Pulse PLS 359 UK issue
2001 Mansions For Me Music Mill Entertainment MME 71007
2001 36 All-time favorites Universal Music 3 vol.
2002 The Very Best of MCA Records 088112982-2 Reissued as The Definitive Collection
2003 All the Classic Releases 1937-1949 JSP 7712 4 vol.; UK issue
2003 Gotta Travel On MCA Records MCLD 19403
2003 Bill Monroe Anthology 1950-81 MCA Records 088113207-2
2003 Blue Moon of Kentucky 1936-49 Bear Family BCD 16399 6 vol; German issue
2003 Blue…Blue…Bluegrass Black Cat BCCD 0074 Czech issue
2004 The King and the Father Music Mill Entertainment MME 70048
2004 The Gospel Spirit MCA Records 290702
2004 Far Across the Blue Water Bear Family BCD 16624 4 vol; German issue
2005 Shady Grove Fruit Tree FT 843 Italian issue
2005 Nine Pound Hammer Tomato TMT 2154
2005 I Saw the Light Universal Music B0004618-02
2007 My Last Days On Earth 1981-84 Bear Family BCD 16637 4 vol; German issue
2009 Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys JSP 77119 4 vol.; UK issue

Live albums

Year Title Label Number Notes
1973 Bean Blossom MCA Records 2 8002 Double album
1975 Bill Monroe & Doc Watson – Sings Country Songs FBN 210
1976 Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Festival Country Music Magazine CM 1039
1979 Bean Blossom ‘ 79 MCA Records 3209 Reissued in Japan as MCA VIM 6222
1980 Radio Shows 1946-48 Country Canada BGC 80 Canadian issue
1981 Orange Blossom Special Stack-O-Hits 9001 Reissued in Germany as Aston 20018
1982 Live Radio Country Road CR 02 Canadian issue
1989 Live At the Opry MCA Records 076742228620
1993 Live Recordings 1956-69 Vol.1 Smithsonian Folkways 40063
1993 Bill Monroe & Doc Watson – Live Duet Recordings Smithsonian Folkways 40064 1963-1980
1999 Live From Mountain Stage Blue Plate Music BPM 400
2001 Live Vol.1 Rural Rhythm RHY 1015
2002 Live At Vanderbilt Bear Family BCD 16614 German issue
2003 Two Days At Newport 1963 AndMoreBears AMD 25001
2004 Live At Mechanics Hall Acoustic Disc ACD 59
2005 200th Show At the Brown County Jamboree Barn No Label No #