Pendleton Vandiver
Encyclopedia
James Pendleton Vandiver (1869–1932) was a Kentucky fiddler
, born there shortly after the American Civil War
. He was uncle to bluegrass
musician Bill Monroe
, who immortalized him in a song, "Uncle Pen
".
Monroe used to hear his uncle playing fiddle on the hilltop where he lived, while Monroe put away his mules at night. He later said that Vandiver was "the fellow that I learned how to play from." Vandiver played fiddle at local square dances and social events, and his nephew backed him up, playing mandolin. Monroe's parents had both died by the time he was 16, and he lived part of the time with his Uncle Pen, in his two-room hilltop house in Rosine, Kentucky
. Vandiver had been crippled earlier, and he made some money with his music. Bill Monroe's biographer, Richard D. Smith writes, "Pen gave Bill more: a repertoire of tunes that sank into Bill's aurally trained memory and a sense of rhythm that seeped into his bones. Sometimes Bill played guitar behind his uncle, sometimes the mandolin." On September 13, 1973, a monument in honor of Uncle Pen was unveiled by Monroe at the Rosine Cemetery.
Bill Monroe left Vandiver another memorial, in the words of his song about his uncle:
Fiddler
A fiddler is a person who plays a fiddle or violin.Fiddler may also refer to:*Fabrangen Fiddlers, an American musical group founded in 1971*Tupolev Tu-28 "Fiddler", a fighter aircraft*Fiddler , a DC Comics villain...
, born there shortly after the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He was uncle to bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
musician Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe
William Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
, who immortalized him in a song, "Uncle Pen
Uncle Pen (song)
"Uncle Pen" is a song written by Bill Monroe about his uncle and musical mentor, Pendleton Vandiver. Besides Monroe, the song was recorded by Porter Wagoner in 1956 and Ricky Skaggs in 1984. "Uncle Pen" was Ricky Skaggs ninth number one single on the country chart...
".
Monroe used to hear his uncle playing fiddle on the hilltop where he lived, while Monroe put away his mules at night. He later said that Vandiver was "the fellow that I learned how to play from." Vandiver played fiddle at local square dances and social events, and his nephew backed him up, playing mandolin. Monroe's parents had both died by the time he was 16, and he lived part of the time with his Uncle Pen, in his two-room hilltop house in Rosine, Kentucky
Rosine, Kentucky
Rosine is an unincorporated town in Ohio County, Kentucky, United States. Bill Monroe, The Father of Bluegrass, is not only buried in the town but also memorialized with a bronze cast disk affixed to the barn where his music remains alive. The community was named for the pen name of Jenny Taylor...
. Vandiver had been crippled earlier, and he made some money with his music. Bill Monroe's biographer, Richard D. Smith writes, "Pen gave Bill more: a repertoire of tunes that sank into Bill's aurally trained memory and a sense of rhythm that seeped into his bones. Sometimes Bill played guitar behind his uncle, sometimes the mandolin." On September 13, 1973, a monument in honor of Uncle Pen was unveiled by Monroe at the Rosine Cemetery.
Bill Monroe left Vandiver another memorial, in the words of his song about his uncle:
- Late in the evenin' about sundown
- High on the hill and above the town
- Uncle Pen played the fiddle
- Lord, how it would ring
- You could hear it talk
- You could hear it sing
External links
- Photograph of Pendleton Vandiver's gravestone
- Biography of two influences on Bill Monroe, Pendleton Vandiver and Arnold Schultz
- Chapter one of Can't You Hear Me Callin': The Life of Bill Monroe, Father of Bluegrass by Richard D. Smith. Contains information on Vandiver family and a description of Uncle Pen.
- Video of Bill Monroe performing his song Uncle Pen at the Grand Ole Opery
- Genealogy page for James Pendleton Vandiver