I never knew Bill Monroe to use a drummer.Name? Pictures? Him using a drummer in his bandwould be very unusual.
The family I bought this kit from some 12 odd years ago has since moved,But I made that very statement to the man who's son who was selling the kit, he had passed away in the late 80's so I never got to meet the original owner, anyway the son brought out a photo album with picture after picture with Bill Monroe and his dad Playing on both drums and a Martin D28 prewar and he was performing on some of the kit I have pictured,the providence I can't prove but that's ok I saw the pic's for myself If ever I sale the kit it would not be part of the selling point since I have no proof of said statement's. when I first bought the kit it was wrapped in fabric White vinyl type 1930's wall paper with hide glue, and that was what the picture album showed, I have since taken the kit back to factory original. I was actually going to do an article in Not So Modern Drummer Magazine about the history of the kit and it's unique construction, but as I stated my source moved away while I was doing the restoration job, which took me almost a full year to complete. Another story the son told about his father was when he was with Bill Monroe after Earl Scruggs, stating that Bill Monroe had changed his picking style after the Scruggs stint, and he needed his father to follow his thumb for the beat now. which has some truth to the story as Monroe Did change his picking style after Earl Scruggs 3 finger picking had been introduced in the band. I did notice in the photos it was a very short time period simply due to how their where all the same costumes that the band was wearing. with the photos being black and white the colors are in ones guess, but it is what it is so I'm good with it as a cool Radio King kit.
