For thoroughbred racing, it’s the Kentucky Derby. Golf has the Masters. The greatest spectacle in racing? The Indianapolis 500. "Traditional bluegrass? That’s Bean Blossom. Only a handful of bluegrass festivals have accomplished as much and lasted so long to have achieved first-name status among the bluegrass and old-time country faithful. Names like Galax, Winfield, and Telluride. To hear each, condensed to its geographic essence, evokes instantaneous recognition and perspective in bluegrass fans. Against that backdrop, Bean Blossom’s reputation is so potent, that American Songwriter magazine ..read more

5 Must-Visit American Bluegrass Festivals - BY JAY MCDOWELL - AMERICAN SONGWRITER MAGAZINE A bluegrass festival can be as small as a few campsites with some live music provided by the campers themselves, or it can attract 50,000 people gathered at multiple stages featuring some of the best musicians in the world. Often, there are workshops where the musicians talk about their instrument and how they approach it. It’s a very low-key atmosphere where festival attendees can interact with the musicians. Some of the best performances occur in the campsites after the main stages have gone dark. 1. B ..read more

First, let’s get through the obvious:   If you have never attended any music festival at the Bill Monroe Music Park (BMMP) in Beanblossom, Indiana, do so soon. The main stage is hallowed by both bluegrass and country music legends. It is a place that all fans of live music need to make a pilgrimage to visit. Hearing Sam Bush on that stage blowing up the hot summer night at the Americana Bean Jamboree (ABJ) was a real treat. If you haven’t seen Sam Bush live, shame, shame and get it done. He talked about jamming with John Hartford back in the day at BMMP and played three of his songs, I’m ..read more

Starting Bluegrass 45 was initially “just a fun thing to do”, Otsuka says, with their early performances taking place at a coffeehouse called Lost City in Kobe. Otsuka and the band recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of their first US tour, at Bill Monroe’s Bean Blossom Festival in Indiana. “We left Japan on 17 June 1971, and we got into Bean Blossom the next day,” says Otsuka. “By the second day, we were on stage.” He recalls seeing Ralph Stanley, whom the band had seen play in Japan only a month before. Along with Flatt & Scruggs, those were the only bluegrass acts they had watched ..read more

BEAN BLOSSOM, Ind. (AP) — A rustic southern Indiana music park founded by bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe is getting a state historical marker celebrating its musical heritage. The Indiana Historical Bureau will dedicate the marker June 7 outside Bill Monroe's Memorial Music Park and Campground at Brown County's Bean Blossom village. The marker titled "Brown County Bluegrass Music" will pay homage to bluegrass music's importance in Indiana. The dedication will be followed by a jam of Monroe's music. FULL ANNOUNCEMENT HERE ..read more