Monroe Mando Trial Pushed Back

The Kentucky trial over rights of possession of the mandolin Bill Monroe used to create bluegrass has been pushed back. The trial, which pits the Bill Monroe Bluegrass Foundation against Monroe’s son James, was set to begin this week but was postponed due to the illness of one of the lawyers involved. The younger Monroe sold the hallowed 1923 Gibson F-5 to the foundation in 2002 for $1.1 million. Only $162,500 was paid towards the debt after the foundation’s funding collapsed. James Monroe wishes to regain custody of the instrument so that he can sell it and pay off inheritance taxes.