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| | Bill Monroe | Blue Moon of Kentucky [Sony] | MTV |
 | | He invented the style, invented the name, and for the great majority of the 20th century, embodied the art form. |
 | | Beginning with his Blue Grass Boys in the '40s, Monroe defined a hard-edged style of country that emphasized instrumental virtuosity, close vocal harmonies, and a fast, driving tempo. |
 | | The musical genre took its name from the Blue Grass Boys, and Monroe's music forever has defined the sound of classical bluegrass -- a five-piece acoustic string band, playing precisely and rapidly, switching solos and singing in a plaintive, high lonesome voice. |
| www.mtv.com /music/artist/monroe_bill/albums.jhtml?albumId=153710 (132 words) |
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