Monroe Crossing

When you listen to this band, you'll think, They've been around for ages--and you'll be right. Combined, the members of this band have been providing sheer musical entertainment for over a century. Although they each come from amazingly diverse musical backgrounds, all have one common denominator: the drive and intensity that is unmistakably Bluegrass. This band makes no attempt to hide its traditional roots while yet speaking to today's audience. Whether you are looking for a touch of the classics, a dose of the blues, a heartfelt original, or the reverent gospel, you will find all that and more in Monroe Crossing.

While each member could be an instrumental star in his own right, the group tends to focus on vocals, with all five members lending to the carefully arranged lead and harmony parts. Also unique to this band is its ability to provide an entertaining show without losing an ounce of class.
Recognized as a top Bluegrass & old-time country act, Monroe Crossing has assembled a powerhouse lineup of stellar musicians who are turning heads nationally.

In 2000, every member of Monroe Crossing was nominated for Bluegrass and/or Related Music Instrumentalist of the Year on their respective instruments by The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association, with Matt Thompson, Art Blackburn and Benji Flaming winning the mandolin, guitar and banjo awards. And Lisa Fuglie won the award for Female Vocalist of the Year in the Related Music category.

Additional Monroe Crossing nominations went to:

Blackburn for Male Bluegrass Vocalist of the Year
Blackburn for Songwriter of the Year
Fuglie for Female Bluegrass Vocalist of the Year
Fuglie for Fiddle Player of the Year in the Bluegrass and Related Music categories
Fuglie for Mandolin Player of the Year in the Related Music category
Fuglie for Multi-Instrumentalist of the Year
Mark Anderson for Bassist of the Year in the Bluegrass and Related Music categories
and to Monroe Crossing for Bluegrass Band of the Year!

Monroe Crossing is available for events large or small, public or private, plugged in or acoustic. We've appeared at town & community celebrations, conventions, rendezvous, clubs, festivals, county & state fairs, parks, churches, concerts, weddings and more! We offer traditional & original Bluegrass, old-time string music, Gospel shows, hands-on workshops, or lively Square Dances with instruction!

Whether your audience is made of Bluegrass fans or not, you'll find Monroe Crossing provides a musical experience that will be thoroughly enjoyed and long-remembered.

Meet the band...

Benji Flaming

From Minneapolis, Monroe Crossing's newest member is18-year-old Benji Flaming. He has been described as a Banjo Prodigy by Minnesota Monthly magazine. Winner of the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association's Banjo Player of the Year award in 2000 (in the
Related Music category), Benji is nationally recognized for his unique and innovative solo banjo music. As a soloist performing many original tunes--some merely improvisational sketches--he takes the audience on a musical exploration of a melody line or chord progression. With Monroe Crossing, his unique contemporary interpretations of traditional Bluegrass banjo create an exciting and fresh sound without sacrificing the drive and energy that is the band's hallmark. Also a vocalist, Benji lends his baritone harmonies to Monroe Crossing's songs and a capella arrangements.

Matt Thompson

After a young Matt Thompson stumbled upon a Bill Monroe record entirely by chance, he instantly fell in love with this incredible sound and proceeded to order Monroe record after Monroe record. The mandolin became Matt's instrument of choice, and Bluegrass quickly became a huge part of his life. Within two years he joined his first group, The Bluegrass
Connection, and took first place at the 1982 Minnesota State Fair talent contest. Later bands included River Basin Bluegrass and the Inside Track. In 1997 he co-founded True Blue. This band performed on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion, and in 1999 was the first Minnesota-based Bluegrass band to showcase at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) convention in Louisville, KY. Now Matt has returned to his traditional roots with
Monroe Crossing, where you will hear his heart and soul in every note.

Art Blackburn

Called a font of creative flatpicking for decades by Inside Bluegrass magazine, Art brings to the band 30 years of experience and a true love for the roots of the music. Not one to sit idly on the sidelines, Art has had his hand in nearly all aspects of the music business. Besides being a fine songwriter and superb guitarist, Art has contributed to the growth of Bluegrass as a board member of the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association. He has demonstrated
his versatility as a booking agent, both with his own bands and for others, as well as procuring national talent for area concerts. As band leader of Art & Sandi's Pretty Good Band, Big Skyota, and The Pretty Good Bluegrass Band, Art brought together some of the finest musicians in the Twin Cities and provided entertainment to tens of thousands all over the
upper Midwest. It was in fact the creative persistence of Art Blackburn that was the genesis of Monroe Crossing. Today Art's powerful voice, exquisite flatpicking and thoughtful writing lend a fresh originality to the tradition on which the band is founded.

Mark Anderson

Mark came to Bluegrass after twenty years playing bass and drums in a series of alternative groups. In the winter of 1995, some friends suggested he get a string bass and bring his alternative fervor to the Bluegrass community. He quickly realized he had found a home and joined Art Blackburn in Art & Sandi's Pretty Good Band and The Pretty Good Bluegrass Band. Mark also performs with Lisa Fuglie as a duet and in several other groups including the oddly named parlor music group, Deadly Nightshade Family Singers. No matter the style or venue, Mark's earthy drive is unmistakably his own and sure to set the feet tapping.

Lisa Fuglie

Bluegrass' roots are deep and wide. Springing from a musical family living in Nigeria, Lisa learned mandolin from an old Bill Monroe 78rpm. The record is gone but the spirit of Bluegrass mixed with local stylings make Lisa's performance a cross-continental and cross-cultural experience. Excelling on all the stringed instruments, she plays fiddle with Monroe Crossing, but her talents don't end there. She is a prolific songwriter, solo performer, studio musician and educator who shares her talents with a diverse range of groups including Deadly Nightshade Family Singers. Lisa plays with the drive and intensity that defined Bluegrass fiddle, but listen closely and you will hear a world of experience.