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Owensboro Bluegrass Museum Receives Extensive Collection from Colorado Judge

ALAN WARREN, via WKYU

The International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro has received an extensive collection of bluegrass CDs, LPs, cassette tapes, books and recorded radio shows.

The thousands of items are from Colorado judge H. Conway Gandy, who died two years ago.

Gandy never lived in the Kentucky, but his passion for the state’s signature music led him to make it available to others. One way he shared his passion was through a radio show he created.

Savannah Hall is the curator at the bluegrass museum in Owensboro. She said the collection includes recordings of Gandy’s broadcasts about his beloved bluegrass music.

“His radio show ‘Where It All Began’ delved into the roots of bluegrass music and how bluegrass comes from a country background, a jazz background, blues. So the collection he gave us includes all of that music as well.”

Gandy created digital and print versions of a very detailed catalog of the materials, said Hall.

“It has a complex numbered system, that he has all laid out, so at any point in time you could say, ‘Conway, we want to hear a song, can you play this particular song for us?’ And he could find it in an instant.”

Hall said  the new bluegrass museum that’s under construction will have a specific section on radio, so visitors will be able to listen to Gandy’s radio shows.

The collection filled about 60 boxes that were delivered to the Owensboro museum by Gandy’s son-in-law.

© 2017 WKU Public Radio

Rhonda Miller began as reporter and host for All Things Considered on WKU Public Radio in 2015. She has worked as Gulf Coast reporter for Mississippi Public Broadcasting, where she won Associated Press, Edward R. Murrow and Green Eyeshade awards for stories on dead sea turtles, health and legal issues arising from the 2010 BP oil spill and homeless veterans.
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