Interview with Peter Rowan, June 4, 2011
Project: Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Peter Rowan discusses his childhood in Boston, Massachusetts and how he came to be interested in bluegrass, country, and folk music amid the social and musical climate of the 1950s and 1960s. He discusses his introduction to bluegrass and joining Bill Monroe's band the Blue Grass Boys in the 1960s. Throughout the interview he discusses at length his relationship with Monroe, which was at time both rewarding and difficult. He describes Monroe's personality and attitude. He discusses writing songs with Monroe, touring with him, and recording with him as well as being his manager for a time. He talks about why he eventually left the Blue Grass Boys and discusses his subsequent bands and projects, including Earth Opera, Seatrain, Old & In the Way, and Muleskinner, among others. He discusses the influence of Bill Monroe and bluegrass upon his life and music career.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
Interview Date
Interview Keyword
Music fans. Music audiences Music--Instruction and study. Music--Economic aspects. Monroe, Bill (Artist) Bill Monroe (Artist) Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist) Music festivals. Bluegrass festivals Old and In the Way (Artist) Old & In the Way (Artist) Walls of Time (Song) Muleskinner (Artist)Interview LC Subject
Bands (Music) Bluegrass music. Bluegrass musicians Communities in music Country music. Folk music. Folk songs. Music. Musical groups. Musical performance Musicians Music--Performance. Old-time music. Music business Songs. Popular music--Writing and publishing. Lyric writing (Popular music) Sound recordings. Sound studios Sound--Recording and reproducing Records.Interview Rights
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.Interview Usage
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.Restriction
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.
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Rowan, Peter Interview by Paul Congo. 04 Jun. 2011. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Rowan, P. (2011, June 04). Interview by P. Congo. Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Rowan, Peter, interview by Paul Congo. June 04, 2011, Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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