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Monroe, Bill

(Encyclopedia)Monroe, Bill (William Smith Monroe), 1911–96, country singer, musician, and songwriter, often called the “father of bluegrass,” b. Rosine, Ky. A m...

Judd, Orange

(Encyclopedia)Judd, Orange, 1822–92, American agricultural editor and publisher, b. near Niagara Falls, N.Y., grad. Wesleyan Univ., 1847. At Wesleyan he built (1871) the Orange Judd Hall of Natural Science and se...

Haggard, Merle Ronald

(Encyclopedia)Haggard, Merle Ronald, 1937–2016, popular and influential American country singer-songwriter, b. Oildale, Calif. The outlaw poet of country music, he grew up in poverty and turned to petty crime as ...

Bujumbura

(Encyclopedia)Bujumbura bo͞oˌjəmˈbo͝orˈə [key], city, commercial capital of Burundi and capital of Bujumbura Mairie ...

Ituraea

(Encyclopedia)Ituraea ĭtyo͝orēˈə [key], ancient country on the northern border of Palestine. According to tradition, Jetur, the son of Ishmael, was its founder. Ancient geographers are not agreed as to the exa...

Williams, Hank

(Encyclopedia)Williams, Hank, 1923–53, American country singer and songwriter, b. near Georgiana, Ala., as Hiram Williams. He is widely regarded as the leading figure in the history of country music (see country ...

Atkins, Chet

(Encyclopedia)Atkins, Chet (Chester Burton Atkins), 1924–2001, American country guitarist, singer, and record company executive, b. Luttrell, Tenn. Part of a musical family, he played fiddle and guitar as a young...

Cash, Johnny

(Encyclopedia)Cash, Johnny, 1932–2003, American singer and songwriter, b. Kingsland, Ark. Born to a farm family, he went to Memphis in 1955 and recorded such hits as “I Walk the Line” (1956) and “Ring of Fi...

Grand Ole Opry

(Encyclopedia)Grand Ole Opry, weekly American radio program featuring live country and western music. The nation's oldest continuous radio sho...

Congo, Republic of the

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Congo, Republic of the, republic (2015 est. pop. 4,996,000), 132,046 sq mi (342,000 sq km), W central Africa; also known as the Congo Republic. Congo is bordered on the west by Gabon; on the no...