Wisconsin musician Mark Hembree looks back on his time with bluegrass icon.
The Mark Hembree Band is a prominent name in the bluegrass music circuit in Wisconsin. The band is led by Mark Hembree, a skilled upright bass player with years of experience in the music industry. Norman Gilliland, from WPR, had a conversation with the talented musician from Oconomowoc about his stint playing alongside another bluegrass icon, Bill Monroe.
On a leisurely day outside the Stoughton Opera House, I engaged in a chat with a gentleman sporting a weathered Stetson and the charm of a laid-back Sunday demeanor. Our conversation soon veered towards the roots of bluegrass music – a rich tapestry interlacing African American blues, Jazz, Irish ballads, and dance tunes.
It’s intriguing to note that one man is credited with defining and christening the genre of bluegrass as we know it today. In the 1940s, Bill Monroe, hailing from Kentucky, alongside his band The Blue Grass Boys, amalgamated the pivotal elements that became synonymous with bluegrass music. The inclusion of acoustic instruments like the mandolin, banjo, fiddle, guitar, and bass, coupled with breakneck tempos, intricate vocal harmonies, and dazzling solos, or breakdowns, came to epitomize bluegrass music.
Mark Hembree, residing in Oconomowoc, was part of Bill Monroe’s band between 1979 and 1984; he handled the bass duties and lent his voice to the ensemble. Hembree’s journey with Monroe was so impactful that it spurred him to pen down his experiences in a book titled “On the Bus with Bill Monroe: My Five-Year Ride with the Father of Bluegrass.” The audition phase for joining Monroe’s band was the first of many unforgettable experiences that he encountered during that time. The reminiscences of those years spent with Monroe are etched vividly in Hembree’s memory, starting with the audition process itself.
Being a part of Bill Monroe’s cadre meant a lot more than just playing music; it was about being immersed in the very essence of bluegrass music history. According to Hembree, each day wasn’t just a performance; it was about living and breathing the spirit of bluegrass with one of its founding fathers. The privilege of witnessing Bill Monroe in his element, crafting those signature breakdowns and presenting an enchanting display of musical artistry, was nothing short of an honor for Hembree.
The impact of Bill Monroe’s music and persona was far-reaching; it transcended geographical boundaries and resonated with audiences worldwide. Hembree’s association with Monroe was a pivotal juncture in his musical career, one that steered his musical journey in a direction he had never imagined. The time spent with Monroe and The Blue Grass Boys was a transformative phase that not only honed Hembree’s skills as a musician but also instilled in him a profound appreciation for the roots and legacy of bluegrass music.
In essence, the legacy of Bill Monroe and his contributions to the genre of bluegrass continue to reverberate through the annals of music history, with musicians like Mark Hembree embodying the spirit of bluegrass and carrying forward the torch of this rich musical tradition.