OWENSBORO, KY: February 28, 2008 – The International Bluegrass Music Museum has now opened registration to its 2008 Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp. This popular, internationally attended camp coincides with the anniversary of Bill Monroe’s birth (he would have been 97 on September 13). Dates for this year’s camp are September 12-14.

Most of the full weekend of events will take place within the Museum, located at 117 Daviess Street, on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Owensboro, Kentucky. Campers will find themselves learning the performance style of this legendary musician, while being in a welcoming yet rarified environment surrounded by the history, artifacts, and collections of bluegrass music from around the world.

The Monroe-Style Camps have been designed for Monroe enthusiasts with a desire to immerse themselves in–and to assimilate–the highly acclaimed and unique performance style of the “Father of Bluegrass Music.” The 2008 Faculty includes these world-famous mandolinists: Richie Brown, Mike Compton, Bobby Osborne, Frank Wakefield and Butch Waller.

With a curriculum that focus on Monroe’s tone, historical influences, nuances, rhythm chop, implied melodies, right & left hand technique, utilization of blues music, translation of traditional fiddle tunes to mandolin, and the art of the waltz, this specialized camp is heaven to any mandolinist or budding mandolinist with an interest in Bill Monroe.

The camp also features an All-Star Faculty Concert wherein all five instructors will be accompanied by singer/guitarist, Tom Ewing. Ewing played with Monroe as one of his “Blue Grass Boys” from 1986 until 1996.

New to the camp this year is a field trip to the historic music barn in Monroe’s birthplace; Rosine, KY. Campers will enjoy a fish fry at the General Store next door to the barn, pose for a souvenir group photo, then join in a giant jam session with scores of musicians who attend the Barn jams on Friday nights.

More information as well as 2008 Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp Registration Forms are available at Bluegrassmuseum.org or by calling 888-MY-BANJO.