“Bill Monroe: Father of Bluegrass Music” is the latest DVD release from MVD Visual.

No single figure in American music so dominated a genre as did Bill Monroe with bluegrass.

MVD Visual has added to that legacy by releasing a DVD entitled “Bill Monroe: Father of Bluegrass Music.” The DVD, produced by Steve Gebhardt, features interviews and musical performances and clocks in at 90 minutes.

“Bill Monroe: Father of Bluegrass Music” features performances by Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys, Lester Flatt, Emmylou Harris, Paul McCartney, the Osborne Brothers, Dolly Parton, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, John Hartford and a once-in-a-lifetime Blue Grass Boys reunion featuring Del McCoury, Chubby Wise and Bill Keith.

The film features archival footage and rare 1990s performances from Monroe’s final years including many of the greatest songs from his six decades of recording, such as “Uncle Pen” and “Muleskinner Blues.” In addition, it offers unparalleled access to Bill Monroe telling his story in his own words.

Other interview subjects include the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia and country music legend Roy Acuff, in one of his final film appearances. Bill Monroe: Father of Bluegrass Music stands alone as the most intimate and detailed portrait of this unique musical innovator.

You can order a copy of “Bill Monroe: Father of Bluegrass Music” on DVD online from the MVD Visual store currently list at $14.96.

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Jim and Ailene Peva during Uncle Pen Days at Bean Blossom, IN. 2007. Photo by Rickey Lamb

I don’t know if it’s my age or if it’s the fact that this Midwestern winter has drug on longer than it should, but I’m ready for two things: bluegrass and Indiana. My thoughts take me back to my Indiana roots and my first Bean Blossom, back in the 1980s.

For Jim Peva, and his lovely wife Ailene, their history in the Bill Monroe memorial park and campground goes back much further. The story begins in 1961. Jim was interested in hiring entertainment for an annual banquet he was in charge of. Jim, Ailene and their 3 girls drove down to the Brown County Jamboree and on a handshake hired Bill Monroe to play for the banquet. The banquet took place in Terre Haute, Indiana on September 13, 1961, this happened to be Bill Monroe’s 50th birthday.

This began a 35-year friendship that continued until Monroe’s death in September of 1996.

I was very fortunate to spend several hours with Jim and Ailene during Uncle Pen Days, at Bean Blossom, in August of this past year. I can hardly count the number of times I was asked if I wanted a cold drink or wanted to stay for supper. Jim and Ailene made me feel like family, it’s no wondering their area is a haven of refuge for many people during the festivals.

Nestled in a spot amidst the trees, hidden behind all the vendors is a pleasant area where you will find the Peva’s charming camper. Circling a fire pit, there are 3 or 4 campers that form a hub for the entire goings on of the park. Many musicians and friends wander to visit and probably chow down with this delightful couple.

Here truly reigns the undisputed king and queen of Bean Blossom. Jim and Ailene are incredibly loving and caring people. It is no wonder everyone from performing artists to the current owners the Dillmans, hang out in this vicinity.

If you are ever lucky enough to spend time with them like I did, they will fill you with stories of Bill, all the artists, and the campground from the beginnings of the Bill Monroe era of ownership.

Lifetime pass for Bean Blossom that Bill Monroe presented to the Pevas Courtesy of Jim Peva

Jim showed me the document that Monroe presented to the Peva family after they helped bail Monroe out of a bind. “Bill was in Oklahoma”, says Jim Peva “and James Monroe was in a head on collision.” He continued, “it was very serious, someone was killed and James was hurt pretty bad. Bill wanted the gate watched. So we worked to collect the gate money for the festival going on at the time”. Jim mentioned that Bill Monroe wanted to pay them for taking charge. Not surprising to anyone who knows the Peva’s, they refused to take any money from Monroe.

As the fest that particular year drew to a close, Jim and Ailene were sitting at their trailer and here comes Monroe and his entire band, marching with instruments in hand. They gave a private concert and presented the Peva’s with a document. This document stated that Bean Blossom is always held in the month of June. It also says that the Peva’s friendship had meant so much through the years they would have a pass into the park and festival as long as Monroe was alive. This was signed by the father of bluegrass music, Bill Monroe.

I found it of great interest the Dillman Family, the current owners have continued to honor the Pevas as well. They continued to honor Bill Monroe’s wishes. This speaks a lot about the quality of people the Dillmans are. Jim informed me, “We never run out of firewood.”

When asked what his greatest memory was, Jim stated it was when he saw Bill Monroe welcome Lester Flatt, after a 20-some year feud, with a handshake. “It was like nothing ever happened,” confirmed Jim, “ the backstage emptied out, everyone wanted to see this special moment.”

When I asked Jim some of his favorite performers through the years, he mentioned he loved to hear Jim and Jesse McReynolds sing. He also loved the banjo playing of Raymond Fairchild, as well as the Stoneman family. He remembers the breakup of Reno and Smiley.

Jim Peva can tell you when the first festival was, back in June of 1967. He remembered when the new stage was built, when the old barn was torn down, and on and on. Not only does he have the memories, but unbelievable old pictures and tapes of past festivals. If there is a living historian for Bean Blossom festival it’s Jim Peva. If I couldn’t have been at the first couple decades of Bean Blossom I felt privileged to have the next best thing, a few hours with Mr. Peva.

Oh yeah also, if there is an official cook that everyone congregates to during the festival, its got to be Ailene Peva. The ham and beans she whipped up the day I was there sure smelled fantastic. Without a doubt, hordes of people flock to their campsite because of the love that flows from these two special people.

Bill Monroe and Jim Peva at Bill’s farm planting potatoes. Courtesy Jim Peva.

Bill Monroe and Jim Peva on the porch swing at Monroe’s Goodlettsville farm. Courtesy Jim Peva.

Jim Peva, Bill Monroe and Ailene Peva at Bean Blossom. Courtesy Jim Peva.

The Peva’s would tell stories that many people thought Bill Monroe was stuck up. He was very short with his responses at times with a simple yessir or nosir. Bill could be unapproachable. Jim mentioned, “Minnie Pearl was afraid to speak to him for 2 or 3 years after she started at the Opry. His problem was he couldn’t see very well, he didn’t intend to be stuck up or haughty.” He had poor eyesight; he didn’t like to wear his glasses. Ailene says that Monroe would come by and sit for a long spell and not say a thing. He appeared he liked to come there to escape from all the hassles in regards to organizational duties of the festivals. He would have just as soon been playing music.

Jim tells a story about a 3-hole outdoor privy they used to have on the site. There was a man’s side and a woman’s side. Jim decided to get up early to not interfere with anyone. He dumped his camper’s holding tank in the man’s side and it splashed extraordinarily loud and from the woman’s side he heard a loud scream. There was some gal in there. When he recounted the story to Monroe, Bill got quite a big kick out of it.

Jim recalls all the work that has been done to the campsite through the years. When the Monroe’s owned it they would get musicians, friends, and family involved in much of the brush clearing and work that needed to be done. The Dillman family has continued to make huge improvements to the site.

In 1988 Bill Monroe contemplated selling the campground and getting off the road. He stated the next year would be the last year. Everyone wanted to come; it was a huge year. That retirement never came to fruition.

There was talk that Bill Monroe always had an eye for women. There are numerous stories where Bill fancied a pretty gal. Even in talking about these sorts of things you get nothing but respect for Monroe, from Jim Peva. In the several hours I spent with the Pevas there was nothing but the utmost admiration, from them both, shown for Bill Monroe.

Jim and Ailene would at times visit Bill away from the park, at each other’s homes. Whenever they were in Kentucky or Tennessee, Bill Monroe always loved to eat at Shoney’s. Monroe might go to the Opryland Hotel by limousine but he never ate there. He consistently preferred Shoneys.

“He never put on airs,’ says the Pevas, “he considered himself just a farmer.” “If his music career had not taken off, he would have been a farmer” says Jim.

We discussed how many of the bluegrass bands seemingly dress haphazardly today and how Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys always dressed in suits and ties. “Bill Monroe didn’t like the image of country bumpkin”, says Jim. He continued, “Bill didn’t like bluegrass being referred to as hillbilly.”

Peva’s campaign to ensure the future of Bean Blossom.

Monroe loved kids and he always carried a pocketful of quarters to give away. Jim and Ailene were doting parents of 3 girls and now devoted grandparents. I saw pictures of all the Peva kids at various stages of their childhood and well into their adult years with Bill Monroe, as well as various legendary musicians. I thought to myself how lucky the Peva kids were to have had the quality of parents, who raised them in this artistic kind of environment.

As I looked through many of the pictures of artists who have performed at Bean Blossom I was astonished. Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, Keith Whitley and Marty Stuart were some of the up-and-comers years ago. These were not even the legends like Jimmy Martin, Peter Rowan, Ralph Stanley, and Bill Monroe himself, who floated around the area and hung out.

The afternoon I spent with the Pevas was one of the greatest afternoons in my life. Everybody at my campsite was wondering where in the heck I had been. I lost all track of time. Believe me; the time did not drag on at all. I felt I was lucky enough to make friends for the rest of our lives with these two wonderful, incredible people. This was not unlike the meeting between the Pevas and Bill Monroe, which transpired 46 years prior. It was destiny that brought these families together and the stars had aligned for my meeting these two charmers.

This is just a beginning of the stories to be told by the Peva family. Jim Peva published a book, in 2006, “Bean Blossom: Its People and Its Music.” There are some of the great pictures from the Peva scrapbook and even more of the wonderful stories.

Editor’s Note: Jim Peva is the driving force behind a campaign to ensure the Future of Bill Monroe’s Memorial Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival. The current owners of the campground and festival have had the facilities for sale for some time and Peva is spearheading a campaign to ensure that the facilities next owner’s commit to the future of the Bean Blossom bluegrass festival for the next generation of fans. You can visit www.savebeanblossom.com for more information and to sign the online petition as a show of support for Mr. Peva’s endeavor.

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