Bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs dies at age 88

[pmull]

Banjo innovator and bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, died on Wednesday at a Nashville hospital at age 88.

He had been in failing health for some time, according to his son, Gary Scruggs, who played bass guitar with his father. Talking about his father's death, he said with a cracking voice: "He‘s 88 and it's a slow process."

A four-time Grammy winner, Scruggs was perhaps best known in popular culture for "The Ballad of Jed Clampett," the theme song for "The Beverly Hillbillies" television program, and for "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," a Flatt & Scruggs classic which was used in the 1967 classic film, "Bonnie and Clyde."

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I got to see Earl Scruggs live one time. It was in the early 80's and the Earl Scruggs Revue played at Brothers Music Hall in B'ham. I got talked into going with some friends. I was not a fan of bluegrass music but turned into one that night. Scruggs was a one-of-a-kind banjo player.

[Leewillie]

One of my non-sports heros

A true icon in the music business

RIP Mr. Scruggs

Somewhere in the background of my mind I can hear the Foggy Mountain Breakdown.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQIJuu3N5EY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQIJuu3N5EY</a>

[bama57]

I got to spend a little time with him in the mid 80's in Nashville.....really great individual!  rich , but real down to earth...........unbelievable how down to earth he was...

[Hannibal Lecter, MD]

The hits keep on coming.    I'm one of the few 31 year olds you will find that enjoys Bluegrass music probably.

That's an extremely cool video, pmull!

[ricky023]

Our prayers to the family. RTR!

[SUPERCOACH]

That sure did look like one wild and crazy guy in the background playing banjo.  So I googled Steve Martin banjo, and sure enough, he does play the banjo and is going to be playing at the funeral.  It seems like I remember him playing banjo during some of his comedy routines years ago, but I had no idea he could play that well.

[SUPERCOACH]

That sure did look like one wild and crazy guy in the background playing banjo.  So I googled Steve Martin banjo, and sure enough, he does play the banjo and is going to be playing at the funeral.  It seems like I remember him playing banjo during some of his comedy routines years ago, but I had no idea he could play that well.

Correction.  Steve Martin was already scheduled to be on the ACM Awards show and is going to be doing some sort of tribute, not playing at the funeral.  I guess it helps to click on the article and read it first.



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[Leewillie]

The guy playing the acoustic guitar in the video is his son Randy, quite a musician himself.

His other son Gary was playing the harmonica.

[Jamos]

There's no doubt he was a legend. RIP 

[pmull]

The guy playing the acoustic guitar in the video is his son Randy, quite a musician himself.

His other son Gary was playing the harmonica.

In his latter years of live performances he formed the group know as The Earl Scruggs Revue. His sons were in that band.

[BAMAWV]

There's no doubt he was a legend. RIP 

[Old Tider]

I saw both of them years ago in downtown Tuscaloosa when they were opening somebody's new store near the bridge. Too bad they broke up with bad feelings. At one point Flatt sued Scruggs. (Say that a few times fast and it gets a bit rude.)

[Leewillie]

I saw both of them years ago in downtown Tuscaloosa when they were opening somebody's new store near the bridge. Too bad they broke up with bad feelings. At one point Flatt sued Scruggs. (Say that a few times fast and it gets a bit rude.)

I think it might have been a love triangle with Martha White in the middle.

[2Stater]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZsMQK2Z-So" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZsMQK2Z-So</a>

And with Jed being Jed.

[Jamos]

I saw both of them years ago in downtown Tuscaloosa when they were opening somebody's new store near the bridge. Too bad they broke up with bad feelings. At one point Flatt sued Scruggs. (Say that a few times fast and it gets a bit rude.)

I think it might have been a love triangle with Martha White in the middle.

Was she plain or self rising? (Flour) 

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