Bill Vernon

Who was Bill Vernon?

Bill Vernon was born on July 4, 1937 in New York, NY; He died on November 20, 1996 in Rocky Mount, Virginia. In his early teens he became enamoured with Bluegrass music 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 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 magazine. He MC'd at many a bluegrass performance or festival, including Bill Monroe's Bean Blossom Festival in Indiana, and festivals of Ralph Stanley and Carlton Haney. He served as editor for Muleskinner News 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.