Blue Moon of Kentucky

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"Blue Moon of Kentucky" is a waltz written in 1947 by bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and recorded by his band, The Blue Grass Boys. The song has since been recorded by Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline,[1] Ronnie Hawkins, Rory Gallagher, LeAnn Rimes, Paul McCartney, Boxcar Willie, Ray Charles and others.

[edit] Recording history

Bill Monroe wrote the song in 1947, but recorded it for three years later. Carl Perkins played an uptempo version of this song in his early live performances. [2] When the just starting out Elvis Presley, along with Bill Black and Scotty Moore, completed a take of the song in July of 1954, Sun Records owner Sam Phillips exclaimed, "BOY, that's fine, that's fine. That's a POP song now!." Presley responded, "That sounds like Carl Perkins!" Elvis ‘56 DVD

Elvis Presley's version went to number one on the country charts across the American South in 1954. This song was the second recorded by Presley, and released by Sun Records. According to guitarist Scotty Moore, it was bassist Bill Black who began playing an irreverent version of the song during an up until then unproductive recording session to produce a second side for the previously recorded "That's Alright Mama". Presley and Moore then joined in.

Ralph Stanley and Carter Stanley recorded version of the song they tracked at Monroe's urging in 1954 shortly after Presley's hit version was released. their take on the song neatly bridges the stylistic gap between Monroe's and Presley's approaches.[3]

"Blue Moon of Kentucky" is the official bluegrass song of Kentucky. In 2002, Monroe's version was one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.

Later, in the 1960s, the song was covered by instrumental pop band The Tornados; it was one of the few songs that the band ever recorded which employed vocals. Another cover version was released by the Kentucky Headhunters on their 1993 album Rave On!!.

A splendid version, although rather nervous, was recorded in 1994 by the late Rory Gallagher during the Montreux Jazz Festival, as a part of a medley. This version was released 9 years later in the Wheels Within' Wheels album, in 2003.

In 1995, the remaining Beatles, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr performed an impromptu 4/4 version of the song that was eventually released on the Bonus DVD of The Beatles Anthology video release.

In 2002, "Blue Moon of Kentucky" appeared on King of the Hill (Season 6, Episode 9: The Bluegrass is Always Greener)

In 2003, CMT ranked "Blue Moon of Kentucky" #11 on its 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music.

In 2000, John Fogerty recorded a version of this tune on Ricky Skaggs and Friends' "Big Mon" tribute album to Monroe. This C&W version begins with a few seconds of the original recording.

In 2006 The Living End, recorded a cover of Blue Moon of Kentucky on their Long Live The Weekend - EP.

In January 2008, late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien led the house band, Max Weinberg and The Max Weinberg 7 in a rendition of the song on Late Night With Conan O'Brien.[4]

[edit] External links