Bill Knowlton’s Bluegrass Ramble
The Bluegrass Ramble is devoted to three hours of the best of bluegrass and old-time acoustic country music, both from national and regional bands and balladeers. The first Bluegrass band was formed in 1945 by country music pioneer Bill Monroe when he hired a young banjo picker from North Carolina named Earl Scruggs.
The Ramble also features 15-minute monthly radio performances by Canada’s Tom Wilson and Border Bluegrass, Bill and Maggie Anderson from Virginia, Central New York’s Diamond Someday and Kentucky’s Joe LaMay and Sherri Reese.
Knowlton, who lives in Liverpool, is known as “Mr. Bluegrass of Central New York.” He hosted the first all-bluegrass radio show in New York City in 1960. Knowlton arrived in Syracuse as a U.S. Air Force public affairs officer. In 1997, he was named “Broadcast Personality of the Year” by the International Bluegrass Music Association. He emcees at least 13 Bluegrass festivals every year and writes liner notes for bluegrass and old-time country music artists.
Bill Knowlton’s Bluegrass Ramble airs Sundays from 9 p.m. to midnight WCNY-FM 91.3 Syracuse, WUNY-FM 89.5 Utica, and WJNY-FM 90.9 Watertown.
