Bill Vernon (July 4, 1937 – November 20, 1996) was an American

radio DJ A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile D ...

He was born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Kings County is the most populous Administrative divisions of New York (state)#County, county in the State of New York, ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

. In his early teens he became enamoured with

Bluegrass music Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the United States. The genre derives its name from the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. Like mainstream country music, it la ...

and publicized and promoted that genre in many ways. He was a DJ in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia; he wrote liner notes for around a hundred recordings. In 1973 he moved to Rocky Mount, Virginia. In 1994 and in 1998 he received the International Bluegrass Music Association's award for best liner notes, and that organization's certificate of merit in 1988. He compiled the country music chart for

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

magazine. He MC'd at many a bluegrass performance or festival, including

Bill Monroe William Smith "Bill" Monroe (; September 13, 1911 – September 9, 1996) was an American mandolinist, singer, and songwriter, who created the bluegrass music genre. Because of this, he is often called the " Father of Bluegrass". The genre take ...

's Bean Blossom Festival in Indiana, and festivals of Ralph Stanley and Carlton Haney. He served as editor for

Muleskinner News A muleskinner or mule skinner is a muleteer or mule-driver. The word may also refer to: * Muleskinner, the mascot of St. John's Military School, Kansas, U.S. * ''Muleskinner'', an alternate title for the album ''Jack Takes the Floor'' by Ramblin' ...

and wrote many articles on early bluegrass performers for that and other publications, including Bluegrass Unlimited. In 2004, he was honored by being inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Museum's Hall of Fame. He died on November 20, 1996, in Rocky Mount.

Quotes

* “When I feel the best, I want to hear bluegrass, and when I feel the worst, I have to hear bluegrass."

References

* "Profiles – High on Bluegrass," by Brenda McDaniel, in ''The Roanoker'', December 1981, for the above quote.

External links

Bluegrass Museum

IBMA awards
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vernon, Bill Radio personalities from New York City American radio DJs 1937 births 1996 deaths People from Rocky Mount, Virginia Masters of ceremonies Radio personalities from Virginia Radio personalities from New Jersey 20th-century American musicians