SHELBYVILLE IL — The U.S. Postal Service will be selling the new Bluegrass stamp at the Chet Kingery Memorial Bluegrass Festival at the historic Chautauqua Auditorium at Forest Park in Shelbyville Illinois, Saturday May 11.

Festival attendees can purchase the stamps from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday and also get a special cancellation stamp at the festival. Licensed Bluegrass Stamp memorabilia will also be available for purchase. 

The Bluegrass Forever stamp was dedicated at the Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Museum at Owensboro, KY on March 15.

Bluegrass is a singularly American music style, born in the mid-20th century. It defies time, drawing inspiration from the past while also openly embracing innovation. The genre blends old-time folk and fiddle music with elements of blues, jazz, country and gospel. The signature sound of bluegrass relies on tight vocal harmonies, driving tempos, and perhaps most of all, outstanding musicianship.

Music historians generally agree that bluegrass as we know it originated with Bill Monroe (1911–1996). Drawing on old-time fiddle and church music as well as gospel, blues and jazz, Monroe fashioned a style that was both brand new and achingly familiar.

Stamp Design
Inspired by vintage bluegrass concert posters, the stamp art features four acoustic string instruments typical of bluegrass bands — guitar, five-string banjo, fiddle, and mandolin — below the word “Bluegrass.” Text at the top of the stamp reads “High Lonesome Sound,” the title of a 1963 documentary about Appalachian folk music and a familiar nickname for bluegrass.

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