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Motivated by my respect and admiration
for the “Father of
Bluegrass,” I have written this personal memoir about my days
as a member of Bill Monroe’s band, The Blue Grass Boys. Kristie,
my wife and musical partner, has given me a great deal of help on
this project, and without her encouragement the book would never
have been finished. Lots of other folks shared their personal recollections
with me during the writing of this book (which took nearly 4 years),
and I owe each of them a tremendous debt of gratitude. Judith McCulloh,
Assistant Director and Executive Editor of University of Illinois
Press, deserves special thanks: she holds the place of honor as my
primary supporter and mentor during this project.
“Come Hither to Go Yonder” is something I am very
proud of, and I hope all my fellow bluegrass music fans will enjoy
it. It’s my testament to the lasting influence of Bill Monroe
on my own musical career, as well as the careers of all bluegrass
musicians, and American music in general.
---Bob Black, Blue Grass Boy, 1974-1976
Reviews for Bob Black’s
book, Come Hither to Go Yonder: Playing Bluegrass with Bill Monroe
“…Poignant, expressive and enlightening…”
-- Randall Franks, The Chattooga Press
“…a vivid portrait of
Monroe as mentor, musical collaborator, boss, and friend.”
-- Michael Parrish, Dirty Linen
“Black writes clearly, in
an easy-to-read and entertaining style. His portrait of Monroe
is perceptive and
sensitive, valuable
because of its close perspective and also because Black has a different
take on the man than many previous Monroe documentarians. A must-read
for Monroe fans.
-- Casey Henry, Bluegrass Unlimited
“This is a stimulating and
thoroughly enjoyable book that I would recommend to anyone interested
in Monroe's
music."
-- Tom Adler, folklorist and bluegrass
historian
“This perceptive, highly readable,
entertaining memoir will be a joy to bluegrass lovers, banjo players,
and anyone
who is a
student of life.”
-- Murphy Henry, Banjo Newsletter
“This fascinating book not only tells of Bob’s two years
with Bill Monroe—which came at a pivotal time in Monroe’s
career—but also gives a fine portrait of a musician whose modesty,
talent, and spirit led him on a difficult but rewarding path.”
-- Neil Rosenberg, folklorist, historian
and author of Bluegrass: A History
“…beautifully written memoir…a fun, can’t-put-it-down
read…”
-- Mitch Finley, Inland Northwest Bluegrass
Association
“The book is an easy and very
enjoyable read, filled with anecdotes and serious glimpses of life
on the
road with the legendary
band leader. Any fan of Monroe will surely enjoy this well-written
book.”
-- Dave Freeman, County Records
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