The Bluegrass Conspiracy by Sally Denton is a true crime book that delves into the dark world of drug trafficking and corruption in Kentucky. The book chronicles the life and death of ex-narcotics officer Drew Thornton, who parachuted to his death in September 1985 carrying thousands in cash and 150 pounds of cocaine. Thornton was also detailed in a Discovery Channel double-length episode of The FBI Files named “Dangerous Company” in 2003. His death served as the inspiration for the book, which also explores the life and death of State Policeman Ralph Ross, who fought against an international web of corruption. The Bluegrass Conspiracy is a convoluted story that requires notes to keep up with all the players, including Thornton and “The Company” he served. The book is a gripping account of power, greed, drugs, and murder, providing a detailed account of the corruption in Kentucky.
📹 Corruption in the Lexington Kentucky Police Department: The Bluegrass Conspiracy Story
The Bluegrass Conspiracy story is told in this video. A story of cops gone bad in Lexington, Kentucky. Before Vic Mackey and The …
What is the book bluegrass conspiracy about?
The Bluegrass Conspiracy by Sally Denton is a true crime book that delves into the dark world of drug trafficking and corruption in Kentucky. The book follows Drew Thornton, a lawyer and former police officer, who becomes involved in drug trafficking, smuggling marijuana from Jamaica and cocaine from Lexington to Colombia. Thornton’s story is intertwined with other key players in the Kentucky drug trade, including Andrew Carter Thornton II and Jimmy Lambert.
They use their military and law enforcement training to outmaneuver authorities and rival drug cartels. The Bluegrass Conspiracy, a plan to fly millions of dollars worth of cocaine into the United States from Colombia, is the culmination of their operations. However, their success is short-lived as The Company begins to unravel due to internal conflicts and the increasing attention of law enforcement.
Is The Violin Conspiracy based on a true story?
“The Violin Conspiracy” by Brendan Slocumb is a book that reflects much of Slocumb’s own life, except for the Tchaikovsky Competition. Slocumb admits that he did not compete in the competition, but he believes that if someone had gotten in touch with him at a younger age, he could have achieved the same level. The book features a scene where Ray performs a piece, the Kabalevsky violin concerto, in front of his college classmates, causing him to bomb it.
When did the Bluegrass Conspiracy take place?
In 1985, Andrew Thornton planned a run to Colombia, but federal agents were tracking him. Thornton flew his plane to Colombia, loaded with 200 pounds of coke, and turned around to head home. However, federal agents were tracking him, and he knew it. Thornton made a last-ditch effort to avoid capture but save the cargo by dumping duffel bags of coke over the Chattahoochee National Forest. With the plane on autopilot, Thornton parachuted away with the last bag of coke. His parachute malfunctioned, and he was found dead on a driveway in Tennessee. His plane crashed over 60 miles away in North Carolina, carrying cash, cocaine, and guns.
The story of Cocaine Bear comes from Thornton’s encounter with a black bear in the Chattahoochee National Forest. The bear ate enough cocaine to be described as “packed to the brim” and was taxidermied after being examined. After a journey, Cocaine Bear made himself at home at the Kentucky Fun Mall. He is arguably the best part of Kentucky’s legendary Bluegrass Conspiracy and can now be met for free.
Who is the bluegrass singer named Billy?
Billy Strings, born William Lee Apostol on October 3, 1992, is an American guitarist and bluegrass musician. His album Home won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album in 2021. His father died of a heroin overdose at the age of two, and his mother remarried amateur bluegrass musician Terry Barber. The family moved to Morehead, Kentucky, and Muir, Michigan, where their parents became addicted to methamphetamine. At 13, Billy left the family home and went through a period of hard drug usage.
His family eventually achieved sobriety, and Billy became California sober, consuming only cannabis and similar “light drugs” (psychedelics). Barber was a heavy influence on his stepson, introducing him to traditional bluegrass artists like Doc Watson, Del McCoury, David Grisman, Bill Monroe, John Hartford, Ralph Stanley, Earl Scruggs, and Larry Sparks. Strings is also a rock and metal fan, influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Widespread Panic, Phish, the Grateful Dead, Def Leppard, Between the Buried and Me, and Black Sabbath.
Who are the members of the bluegrass conspiracy?
The narrative revolves around Drew Thornton, Bill Canan, Henry Vance, and Bradley Bryant, collectively known as “the Company,” and their experiences from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. Following Melanie Flynn’s disappearance, the focus of interest shifts from Ralph Ross to the aforementioned individuals.
What is the theme of the violin conspiracy?
The Violin Conspiracy is a novel by classical musician Brendan Slocumb, focusing on the theft of a priceless heirloom violin by a young Black musician named Ray McMillian. The novel explores themes of racism, family, greed, commerce, and the value of art. Ray, a young Black violin player, is preparing to take on the world-famous Tchaikovsky Competition. After returning home, he discovers his violin is missing and a ransom note for $5 million has been left in its place.
The theft is quickly picked up by the FBI and the press, as Ray’s violin was a Stradivarius worth $10 million. Two likely suspects in the theft are the Marks family and his own blood relatives. Ray confronts his mother about the violin theft and becomes ostracized from his family.
The novel then moves to the past, where Ray’s mother discourages his music and encourages him to graduate early. He plays a wedding show with his school orchestra, but is accosted by a racist guest. This experience exposes Ray to a new level of systemic racism. He begins playing more shows and bringing in more money.
During the holidays, Ray and his mother visit his grandmother Nora, who enjoys Ray’s playing because it reminds her of her own grandfather, Leon, who was enslaved by the Marks family. Nora tells Ray she still has Leon’s old fiddle, and Ray searches for it. Despite his efforts, Grandma Nora surprises him with the violin as a Christmas present.
Where was Andrew Thornton found?
On September 11, 1985, Richard Thornton and a partner jumped from a Cessna 404 while on a smuggling run from Colombia. Thornton was caught in his parachute and fell to the ground. His body was found by 85-year-old Fred Myers in Knoxville, Tennessee, after the plane crashed in Hayesville, North Carolina. Thornton was wearing a bulletproof vest, expensive Italian shoes, and had night vision goggles, a green army duffel bag containing approximately 35 kilograms of cocaine valued at $15 million, $4, 500 in cash, six 1 oz gold Krugerrands, knives, and two pistols.
Three months later, a dead black bear, later known as the Cocaine Bear, was found in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Thornton’s story was explored in Dominick Dunne’s Power, Privilege, and Justice, Sally Denton’s The Bluegrass Conspiracy, and a Discovery Channel double-length episode of The FBI Files named “Dangerous Company” in 2003.
Is the violin conspiracy based on a true story?
“The Violin Conspiracy” by Brendan Slocumb is a book that reflects much of Slocumb’s own life, except for the Tchaikovsky Competition. Slocumb admits that he did not compete in the competition, but he believes that if someone had gotten in touch with him at a younger age, he could have achieved the same level. The book features a scene where Ray performs a piece, the Kabalevsky violin concerto, in front of his college classmates, causing him to bomb it.
What is the trigger warning in violin conspiracy?
The Violin Conspiracy, a novel by Brendan Slocumb, is available for purchase on our bookshop page, accompanied by Symphony of Secrets, a companion novel. Those who have enjoyed this novel may wish to consider consulting Echo Brown’s completed duology, Black Girl Unlimited and The Chosen One, which explores similar themes but employs magical realism. The novel is currently available for purchase in our store.
Who is the first lady of bluegrass?
The First Ladies of Bluegrass, including Missy Raines, Alison Brown, Sierra Hull, Becky Buller, and Molly Tuttle, have achieved significant milestones in the music industry. Raines and Brown’s breakthroughs occurred in the 1990s, while Hull, Buller, and Tuttle’s awards came about within the last two years. The lineup was formed after Raines’ album, Royal Traveler, was recorded. Brown produced the album, and Hull, Tuttle, and Buller were brought in for the recording of “Swept Away”. This collaboration was set to grace the stage at Wide Open Street Fest. The awards highlight the changing landscape of the music industry and the importance of collaborations in the music industry.
Where does the violin conspiracy take place?
Ray McMillian, a Black musician from a rural area of North Carolina, was born into a family with a clear vision for his future. Despite this, he has a natural talent and ambition to become a world-class professional violinist.
📹 The Crime Behind Cocaine Bear: The Bluegrass Conspiracy by Sally Denton
Horrible chaotic male causes equally chaotic crimes in Kentucky. Website: https://librarianontheloose.weebly.com/
My father was a Fayette-Urban co. police officer from 1969 to 1993. He knew All of these guys, at least the police dept. side. He was in another book about murder in Lexington but his name was never mentioned in the conspiracy. In 93 he suddenly retired with FULL benefits. Within 2 years he was a vegetable in a Nursing Home. As a child, I remember walking through the Downtown police station and being a child I was still small enough to stay below the thick layer of cig smoke hovering through the place. My father was no genius and the story we always got was he couldn’t pass the Sargeants test. He was a patrolman his entire career. He’s been gone now for almost 4 years and to look back and reflect on this place, era and the people, it was certainly never a dull moment.
I grew up on the court that Melanie Flynn’s Family lived. I was 5 or 6 when she disappeared. It spooked us.. I remember the kids talking about it. Melanie would stop by the house sometimes and ask my mom to sneak her a cigarette and she’d smoke it in backyard. Her brother Doug would ream me, if he reads this comment for posting this. We knew the Flynns very well. Her cop boyfriend who said he was not involved with her, was seen many of times on our street. We lived in a court and the Flynn’s lived at the very end of the street.. My mom said, ” I saw him in his sherifs cruiser and he would drive right up to the house.” Mom said one time her and Mike had some argument and for what ever reason, Melanie didn’t have a car, and wanted to use my dads bicycle to go meet up with him.” Mom asked ” where are you going”. And she said “Down to Ky river at lanes landing”. Mom said “that’s 15 miles away…. There’s no way your gonna bicycle that far.” I spoke with her Mother back in 2014 when I ran into her at her church. I asked her to tell me how she handled it. And for an hour she told me everything. It was such a sad conversation, but Ella Ritchie said she had come to peace with it.
I’m from Kentucky and I have paid off officials for no jail time and my friend on his death bed confessed to me that when he was caught with a field of marijuana he paid the federal judge $100,000.000 cash money 💰 to order the jury to give him the maximum time of 50 years in federal prison, he said that he applied for appeal because of this and only served 18 months before beating the appeal case on the technically
This story stinks of CIA involvement.. It’s very common for rich privileged people with history of military/law enforcement and then go into their own private security companies as fronts for their CIA activity.. Drew Thornton most likely got greedy or threatened to blow the cover of the operation over some falling out.. There’s no way people would remain so quiet if they weren’t protected and/or threatened by the CIA..
I was born in Lex and Bradley Bryant lived about 2 blocks from me and yes we were friends growing up. I moved away, yeah I know nobody ever leaves Lex, but I did. I’m not sure if i knew Drew Thornton but did not know Vance. Actually it was a great place to grow up and be from. I have this book and was amazed at how it went.
After doing more research on this story, I found out that Woody Harrelson’s father was the hired assisian that killed the federal judge. The company was nothing but a front, for a bunch of cocaine cowboys, who was making millions trafficking dope into the United States. Its crazy that all these guys were born with silver spoons in their mouths, but still chose to sell drugs. A lot of people in the hood, really don’t have a choice, but to sell drugs, if they want to eat. The boys in the hood make peanuts compared to these guys, and still end up doing way more prison time as a result. This story would make for a good Hollywood movie, you got drugs, money, murder, and ex cops jumping out of airplanes with 80lbs of cocaine strapped to his body.
Never had a problem with cops my whole life….Directly out of college a Lexington Officer pulls me over for DUI, when I had not been drinking. He was pissed when I blew a 0.0 He then he searched my truck without my permission and without a warrant and came up empty handed, he was even more pissed. I wasn’t too sure that he wasn’t going to do something to me. I see that things have always been this way…This incident would have been 2007-2008.
Drew Thornton and his partner used to frequent the Paddock a 60’s beer bar, they were narcs. I didn’t what pot was hut Vance and Thornton were “dirty” cops. In 1969-1971 They stood out like a sore thumb. Everyone had long hair…not them. We beat em up not knowing they were cops, just loudmouths who kept hitting on my buddy, Billy E’s girlfriend Donna S. Punks and loudmouths who turned turned out on the other side. Loved those days.He tried to make friends later in 70’s but we had memories. Bill Canaan was worse…what an a-hole.
😅I don’t I don’t care about pictures up there Austin is up hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello Google Assistant Rico Google what no Google conspiracy we’re going to fight because in the middle of the floor he has the one versus the guy spreading disease taking one off the toilet you understand😅 cancel timer ⏳ I love you Pop song
One of the most fascinating parts about The Bluegrass Conspiracy is that it’s essentially just one person’s (Ross) version of the events (that they themselves were involved in intimately). It’s part crime story, part sociological primer on 1970s and 80s central Kentucky, and part political thriller. The main weaknesses of the book imo, are that Denton spread the narrative too thin across all three of those topics. The book isn’t very well edited, and is basically just a transcription of her newspaper articles stitched together. The amount of information in the book could easily be split into three different books. She also doesn’t really include very much deep investigation. She has a bad habit of making pretty extreme claims and accusations, without any kind of clear or reliable source of that information. A lot of the book is just 1970s Lexington social “tea” and rumors. The full story of what happened back then will almost certainly never be told. Almost all of the major players in the story are now deceased. Denton herself no longer lives in Kentucky, and I don’t believe she has ever followed up with the story. I think it would make for an awesome Masters Thesis for a UK journalism or history student to dig back into this in detail.