Tunes that have been off the charts for decades still pop up on oldies radio shows and live forever in many of our recorded music collections or in the internet cloud.
Situation comedy hits like the classic Beverly Hillbillies turn up regularly on cable TV and anyone who has ever seen that particular show will remember a particular theme song that features some blazing banjo licks.
The picker on that song was the late great Earl Scruggs who was born in North Carolina not far from where I now reside. After a few years of procrastination I finally took the hour drive over to Shelby, NC in Cleveland County to visit the museum opened there in his honor: The Earl Scruggs Center.
Video presentations and displays describe Earl’s life from learning to play at home and working at one of the county's many cotton mills to joining bluegrass legend Bill Monroe’s band before partnering with guitarist Lester Flatt, and then performing with his sons in a family revue. It was the Flatt and Scruggs combination that performed the famous “Ballad of Jed Clampett” which skyrocketed the duo to worldwide fame. The duo even made a few appearances on the show.
Of course, that wasn’t Earl’s only big hit. His “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” instrumental caught the listening public’s attention when it was released in 1949 and regained popularity, winning two Grammy awards, when it became part of the soundtrack of the movie “Bonnie and Clyde” two decades later.
One interesting tidbit highlighted at the center is the vital role that Earl’s wife, Louise, played in the success of Flatt and Scruggs. She worked as the group’s booking agent and manager contributing a great deal to the success of the act.
Another thing that is clear from the presentation of the banjo master’s career was that Earl wasn’t willing to settle for the status quo. He always wanted to try different musical styles. It was actually Earl’s drive to keep evolving as a musician that eventually led to the breakup of the Flatt and Scruggs partnership.
While Earl’s place in history is prominently featured, the center offers more of the music and stories form the American south than from just one musician’s perspective.
Interactive exhibits include one that shows a unique perspective of the three major banjo picking styles for the banjo’s view. The claw hammer, two-finger, and three-finger techniques are demonstrated and a control knob allows visitors to slow down the action.
All in all, the Earl Scruggs Center provided me with hours of enjoyment and education, not just about bluegrass music, but also various other genres and artists.