Country Love, Day 21: Will You Be Loving Another Man

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Welcome to bluegrass love! Today’s entry in the country side of songs with “love” in the title dips into bluegrass music. Back then, just as in the rockabilly days, it was hard to put a dividing line between things. As a result, you have a number of bluegrass artists in the Country Music Hall of Fame...as well as “Daddy” in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an “early influence. Well, here’s Daddy! Will You Be Loving Another Man - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys Another one you’ve at least heard of! And most people know one of his songs, thanks to Elvis (“Blue Moon of Kentucky”). And the guy who co-wrote the song? You’ve heard of him, too! Come’n listen to a story ‘bout a man named Jed..... While there were probably more Blue Grass Boys (and yes, Monroe’s terminology had that as two words, just as the blue grass he named it for is two words...just the adjective is one word. Confused? Me too!) than US Marines in the same time frame (Monroe had a temper and was a perfectionist, so people came and went quickly), this era was considered THE definitive band, not just for Monroe but for all of bluegrass music. Band members during this era were Lester Flatt (co-writer and vocalist on this song), Earl Scruggs on banjo (trivia: he replaced Dave Akeman on banjo, the man better known as Stringbean), Chubby Wise (co-writer of “Orange Blossom Special”), and Cedric Rainwater (who later played with Hank Williams). Monroe had other greats in his band over the years, but that was a dynamite lineup. And here’s part of the fruits of their labor: a song about a man who’s called into the Army, worried that he’s gonna get a “dear John” letter. Classic Monroe, classic bluegrass, classic music. Will You Be Loving Another Man Written by Bill Monroe and Lester Flatt Recorded by Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys Released as a single, 1946 Don’t say you’re sorry: