Bill Monroe BEST OF/20TH CENTURY

Personnel: Bill Monroe (vocals, banjo); Ricky Scaggs (vocals).
Recorded between 1954 and 1982. Includes liner notes by Joseph F. Laredo.
Digitally remastered by Jim Phillips (1999, MCA Music Media Studios, North Hollywood, California).
This is part of MCA's 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection series.
MCA's 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection is a good, basic collection of many of the best-known recordings of Bill Monroe's best-known songs, including "Blue Moon of Kentucky," "In the Pines," "New Mule Skinner Blues," "Uncle Pen," "I'm Sitting on Top of the World," "I Saw the Light," and "My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darlin'." These may not be his most historically important recordings, and undeniably there are some classic songs missing, but this should satisfy casual listeners on a tight budget. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

• Format: CD