CYBERGRASS The Internet Bluegrass Music News Magazine - ROMP 2009 - The Pioneers of Bluegrass Music Gathering June 24-27

The International Bluegrass Music Museum will hold their annual River of Music Party, affectionately known as ROMP, this June 24-27 in Owensboro, Kentucky. The Pioneers of Bluegrass Music Event is also a big part of this year's musical festival. There will be jamming, shows, and a whole lot more. For those purchasing a new Museum Membership, they can also receive a 3-day pass to ROMP for only $30 -- a 50% savings!

The Pioneers of Bluegrass Music currently scheduled to attend the gathering event at ROMP will include Eddie & Martha Adcock, Herb Applin, Homer Bailes, Kenny Baker, Gloria Belle, Lloyd Bell, Bud Brewster, Fletcher Bright, Donnie Bryant, Bill Clifton, Jimmy Cox, Noah Crase, J.D. Crowe, Ward Eller, Tony Ellis, Tom Ewing, Ernest Ferguson, Pete Goble, Melvin Goins, Bill Grant, Tom Gray, Scott Hambly, Al Hawkes, Aubrey Holt, Tom Holt, George "Speedy" Krise, Pete Kuykendall, Katie Laur, Lance LeRoy, Wade & Julia Mainer, Mac Martin, Gerald McCormick, Haskel McCormick, William McCormick, LeRoy Mack McNees, Jesse McReynolds, Bonnie Lou Moore, Dewey Murphy, John Murphy, Bobby Osborne, Sonny Osborne, Hisashi Ozaki, Yasushi Ozaki, Carl Pagter, Bud Reed, Dave Reed, Ralph Reed, Tommy Scott, George Shuffler, John Shuffler, Jim Smoak, Larry Sparks, Roger Sprung, Dave Verny, Butch Waller, Roland White and Paul Williams. The Museum is hoping there will be even more to come!

ROMP features many important Bluegrass Music events including the Video Oral History Project (VOHP) that is capturing video interviews with Bluegrass Music's 1st and 2nd generation artists. This project aims to capture and preserve these artist's personalities, stories and musical style for future generations to appreciate and study. Completed documentaries may be viewed at the museum.

Bluegrass Time: A Musician's Photographs of the Early Days of Bluegrass Festivals will have its premiere exhibit featuring photos in the book. The exhibit runs through June 15, 2010. The book is a 64 page collection reslendant with photos that will bring back memories of your own. Te foreward is by Rhonda Vincent and the introduction is by Fred Bartenstein. The book will be available for purchase at the museum gift shop for only $25 and proceeds help the International Bluegrass Music Museum too!

While you are attending ROMP, you may also visit the Birthplace of Bill Monroe, the father of Bluegrass Music. It's only a 30 minute drive from Owensboro to Rosine, Kentucky where Mr. Bill Monroe was born, grew up and is buried along with his parents and his Uncle Pen. Visit the homeplace, grave sites, the Rosine Barn and General Store and even the Bill Monroe Post Office.