Bluegrass Ramble is an album by Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys, released by Decca on 11 June 1962 (DL 4266 in mono, DL 74266 in stereo). Its twelve tracks were recorded over four sessions in November and December 1961 at Bradley Film & Recording Studio in Nashville, with Owen Bradley producing. MCA reissued it in 1973 as MCA-88.
Monroe played mandolin and Bessie Lee Mauldin bass on every track, and the rest of the band changed from session to session. On 9 November, with Jimmy Maynard on guitar and Curtis McPeake on banjo, Vassar Clements and Buddy Spicher both played fiddle on “Little Maggie,” “Toy Heart” and “I’m Going Back to Old Kentucky.” “Toy Heart” and “I’m Going Back to Old Kentucky” were new versions of Monroe songs first released in 1949. The next day Benny Williams was the only fiddler, on “Live and Let Live,” “Nine Pound Hammer” and “Shady Grove.” On 30 November Maynard was away, so Williams switched to guitar, and Tony Ellis on banjo and Bobby Joe Lester on fiddle joined Spicher for “Danny Boy,” “Cotton Fields” and “Journey’s End.” Maynard was back on 4 December, when the band recorded three instrumentals with Ellis and Lester: “John Hardy,” “Old Joe Clark” and “Bugle Call Rag.” Monroe picked them after hearing Ellis play them on the banjo.
Nothing from the album was released as a single beforehand. “Toy Heart,” backed with “Danny Boy,” followed at the start of July 1962.
Tracklist
- 1 The Long Bow 2:46
- 2 Mighty Dark to Travel alt version 2:38
- 3 Music Valley Waltz 2:58
- 4 Jekyll Island 2:33
- 5 The Old Cross Roads 4:08
- 6 The Old Brown County Barn alt version 2:45
- 7 Stay Away From Me 2:16
- 8 Bluest Man In Town 4:06
- 9 Angels Rock Me to Sleep alt version 2:28
- 10 Dancin' In Brancin' 2:33
- 11 Live and Let Live Source Recording 2:39
- 12 Little Maggie alt version
- 13 Nine Pound Hammer alt version
- 14 Shady Grove alt version 2:06
