Bluegrass Battle Over
Bill Monroe’s Name

Campbell “Doc” Mercer is throwing an annual festival celebrating the life and music of Bill Monroe but without the name of the “Father of Bluegreass Music” to promote it.

Mercer, the head of the Jerusalem Ridge Foundation, is locked in a legal fight with Ohio County, Kentucky, and its industrial foundation about whether he was ever given the legal right to use Monroe’s name for commercial purposes.

The Kentucky Court of Appeals is set to hear arguments in the case Nov. 19.

Mercer’s weekend festival started Oct. 4 near Rosine in western Kentucky. He contends the county granted him the rights to use Monroe’s name in 2001.  

The county says there was never any intent to allow Mercer to use Monroe’s name and likeness.