Every September I spend some time thinking about one of my musical heroes, Bill Monroe. I know it sounds a little odd, but Bill was born in the Month of September, 1911 on the 13th., and also died in the Month of September, in 1996, on the 19th. He left an amazing musical inheritance, and if you are not familiar with his music, I would encourage you to check him out. Nowadays, with Google, there's no excuse for anyone to remain in the dark about any artist, no matter how obscure they may appear to be at first. I had the good fortune to meet Bill on several occasions, most notably in Cork in the early 80s, during the Carling Country Music Festival. We spent a weekend together, and I will write about that experience in a future blog. Next year, 2011, will be the Centenary of his birth, and I hope to release a new CD, with at least one new song in his honour, and also to celebrate his life's music with a special Concert in Carlow. Niall. 19 September, 2010.