The U.S. Postal Service Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee is currently considering Bill Monroe as a subject for a commemorative stamp. No date for the final decision has been given. There is no way of knowing what level of support it will take to make this a reality, i.e., no magic number is given for the amount of letters or petition signatures needed. What is clear is that now is the time for the Bluegrass Community to work together and ask the U.S. Postal Service to honor Bill Monroe and Bluegrass music. The 100th anniversary of Monroe's birthday will be September 13, 2011. Wouldn't that be the perfect day for the stamp to be issued?

Here's what Bluegrass fans and professionals can do to help:

Download This Petition and take it to the next jam session, concert or festival you attend. It's not the number of signatures that is important but the authenticity of your petition. Once your petition is completed, mail it to:

Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee
c/o Mr. Terrance W. McCaffrey
Manager of Stamp Development
U.S. Postal Service
1735 N. Lynn Street #5013
Arlington, VA 22209-6432

This petition will be made available for you at the June TBMA concert by Colleen Hitt, TBMA President. If you are a Web Master, add a link to this information on your web site. Email this information to your friends and ask them to participate.

Additionally, Bluegrass professionals — musicians, luthiers, promoters, educators, writers, radio announcers, record company executives, or anyone who makes a living working in the Bluegrass industry — should write a letter to the committee outlining how Bluegrass contributes to the arts and to the economy. Again, A Sample Letter can be downloaded.

In case you don't have a computer to download this letter, copies will be made available to you at future TBMA concerts.

(Web Master Note: Both download links above open Adobe "pdf" documents in your Internet Browser program. Once opened, they can either be printed or saved through pointing to "File" then "Save As..." or "File" then "Print".)