#earl scruggs

[planetwaving]

If I Were A Carpenter - Joan Baez with Earl, Randy, and Gary Scruggs

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Tony Trischka’s Earl Jam - “Brown’s Ferry Blues” (Live)

Seeming to choose soloists on the spot and frequently delighting in the respective results, Tony Trischka’s Earl Jam turned “Brown’s Ferry Blues” into a quartet jamboree.

With room for fiddle, banjo, acoustic guitar and double bass solos baked in, the musicians were loose enough for ad libbed vocals about the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival at which they were playing and tight enough to have earned that spot.

Most of all, the players were having obvious fun. And that transfers easily to the resulting video.

Grade card: Tony Trischka’s Earl Jam - “Brown’s Ferry Blues” (Live) - A

9/27/24

[thorn-enterprises]

The Timeless Charm of Banjos

When you think of American music, certain instruments inevitably come to mind: the guitar, the piano, and, of course, the banjo. With its unique twang and lively rhythm, the banjo has captivated musicians and audiences alike for centuries.

Originating in Africa and evolving in the United States, the banjo boasts a rich and diverse history. Its distinctive sound has played a crucial role in various genres, from traditional folk and bluegrass to country and even jazz. The instrument typically features a circular body, a long neck, and four to five strings, allowing for a range of playing styles that can be both intricate and soulful.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the banjo is its role in storytelling. Whether in a lively jam session or a somber ballad, the banjo adds a layer of emotion and narrative depth that enchants listeners. Iconic artists such as Earl Scruggs and Bela Fleck have pushed the boundaries of banjo playing, illustrating its versatility and capacity for innovation.

Moreover, the banjo is more than just an instrument; it's a symbol of American cultural heritage. Its presence in Appalachian music speaks to the region's history and traditions, while its resurgence in contemporary music showcases the instrument's ability to adapt and thrive.

Today, more musicians are picking up the banjo, drawn by its playful spirit and the warm community that surrounds it. With a blend of traditional techniques and modern influences, the banjo continues to evolve, proving that while music may change, the joy it brings remains timeless.

So the next time you hear that unmistakable pluck and strum, take a moment to appreciate the banjo's rich history and the vibrant musical landscape it helps create. Whether you're a seasoned player or just a curious listener, the banjo has something magical to offer us all.

[mywifeleftme]

273: The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band // Will the Circle Be Unbroken

Will the Circle Be Unbroken The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band 1972, United Artists

Who can endure a sentimentalist music critic? Still, this morning anyway, my heart’s fit to weep over a one-hundred-and-ten minutes of exultant roots music and a beautiful idea executed to perfection. The notion behind Will the Circle Be Unbroken was to use the Dirt Band, a crew of talented longhairs from California, as a bridge between the trendy country rock of the day and the genre’s pantheon of avuncularly voiced pioneers. (And I guess in Maybelle Carter’s case ‘aunticularly voiced.’) Many of these sorts of intergenerational tribute projects give me queasy tasting notes of hapless arts council funding or the rap number from Walk Hard, but somehow this triple LP from the heart of rock’s imperial phase manages to be both reverent of traditional country and bluegrass history and present these genres as living organisms.

The Dirt Band are joined by a Field of Dreams cast of legends, plus an adjunct wing of ace players like fiddle genius Vassar Clements, and while the Dirties sneak in one original the focus is squarely on the standards. None of these takes supplant the originals, but the recording fidelity, superlative playing, and warm communal energy make for lovely alternatives. Merle Travis’s “Dark as a Dungeon,” one of the greatest folk and country songs of the century, has never sounded more lovely or doomed; Doc Watson gives Jimmie Driftwood’s “Tennessee Stud” a broad-shouldered boisterousness; Earl Scruggs and the Dirt Band’s John McEuen present the classic fiddle reel “Soldier’s Joy” as an infectious banjo duel. 

Many of the songs include snatches of studio chatter between the band and their guests: Mother Maybelle sounds like the sweetest old thing imaginable; Roy Acuff comes off like as much of a pompous Haven Hamilton-type as I’d always heard he was; Jimmy Martin gives elderly prospector cricket. The tapes are even rolling for the first meeting of guitar legends Travis and Watson, who have an adorably awkward little chat before declaring themselves “buddies.” These peeks into the process are part of Circle’s artifice, but it feels like an honest attempt to capture the historic nature of the summit. The album rounds off with nods to the deep past in the form of a number of Carter family cuts, an homage to bluegrass father “Uncle” Dave Macon, and a group singalong of the spiritual “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” But then, right there at the end, we get 17-year-old Randy Scruggs performing a solo instrumental take on Joni Mitchell’s 1968 “Both Sides, Now.” The symbolism of the teenaged son of Earl Scruggs playing such a recent (and aptly-named) tune is clear, quietly closing the circle between past and present, a pact sealed.

273/365

[musickickztoo]

Earl Scruggs

January 6, 1924 – March 28, 2012

[umflowers]

see, this is why 'sailing the high seas of content with unmarked black sails' is important. i used to have an hq version of this video saved and it got pinged and taken down, and you can't even pay to stream the show anywhere now. so here, this is from the late show with david letterman, november 15, 2001. it's in like -400p, bc that's all i can find now. it's earl scruggs (banjo), marty stuart (mandolin), vince gill (electric guitar), paul shaffer (piano), steve martin (banjo), albert lee (played for clapton and emmylou harris, among many others, electric guitar), i believe jerry douglas (from union station, on the dobro), and a few others playing 'foggy mountain breakdown.'

[listening-through-the-lens]

Tony Trischka's Tribute To Earl Scruggs

Tony Trischka Earl Scruggs Homage Tony Trischka ‘Earl Jam’ Lost Earl Scruggs Jams Continue reading Tony Trischka’s Tribute To Earl Scruggs

[radiophd]

lester flatt & earl scruggs with the foggy mountain boys -- baby blue eyes

[whydotheheathenrage]

[cbjustmusic]

Earl Scruggs and Friends performing "Paul and Silas Bound In Jail" in 2004. _______________________ Paul and Silas Bound In Jail Traditional

Paul and Silas bound in jail all night long (3X) Crying who shall deliver poor me

The lightning flashed and the thunder roared all night long (3X) Crying who shall deliver poor me

The jailor cried what must I do all night long (3X) Crying who shall deliver poor me

Paul and Silas prayed in jail all night long (3X) Crying who shall deliver poor me

Paul and Silas bound in jail all night long (3X) Crying who shall deliver poor me

[professeur-stump]

Du sang et du verre

2269. Wreck On The Highway, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Roy Acuff (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Will the Circle be Unbroken, 1972) (United Artists, 1972)

⌘

2270. Nashville Blues, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Earl Scruggs (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Will the Circle be Unbroken, 1972) (United Artists, 1972)

⌘

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Tony Trischka feat. Molly Tuttle and Sam Bush - “Dooley”

The ghosts of Earl Scruggs and his pal “Dooley” are back on the haunt courtesy of Tony Trischka and other living disciples.

The banjo man recruited singer/guitarist Molly Tuttle and mandolinist/singer Sam Bush to front the second single from Earl Jam: A Tribute to Earl Scruggs. And with Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on fiddle and Mark Schatz on bass, the all-star quintet makes the moon-shining anthem sparkle.

Nothing fancy here. Just three minutes of tightly focused bluegrass to follow “Brown’s Ferry Blues,” the Billy Strings-Trischka joint that announced Earl Jam’s June 7 arrival.

Grade card: Tony Trischka feat. Molly Tuttle and Sam Bush - “Dooley” - B

3/15/24

[ourmindonmusicpodcast]

Earl Scruggs: A Banjo Innovator

Earl Scruggs: A Banjo Innovator #EarlScruggs #banjo #bluegrass #fingerpicking

Earl Scruggs was an American bluegrass musician and banjo player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest banjo players of all time. Born on January 6, 1924, in Flint Hill, North Carolina, Scruggs developed a unique three-finger picking style that revolutionized banjo playing and became known as “Scruggs-style” picking. Early Career: Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass BoysEarl Eugene Scruggs grew up…

[dijidweeeb]

"Tunes from Grandpa's garage"

Motivational Music in the Morning... #LesterFlatt & #EarlScruggs #DrinkThatMashAndTalkThatTrash ... #MarthaWhiteFlour (1971) #MMittM

"Tunes from Grandpa's garage"

Motivational Music in the Morning... #LesterFlatt & #EarlScruggs #DrinkThatMashAndTalkThatTrash ... #MarthaWhiteFlour (1971) #MMittM

[msbamamomma]