"Losing Earl Scruggs"

To a three-finger style, five-string banjo player, losing Earl Scruggs is really hard to describe in words, or even fathom; yet his work will never die. To have even been alive during this time in banjo history is an honor, blessing, and responsibility. Hopefully when I'm in my 120's, ;-) it will mean even more to me to have met him and lived during his time; this great time of banjo innovation. What a wonderfully great man, innovator, and example of pure stellar professionalism.

   I can't think of another instrument, or style, so closely related to one single person; the greatest of artistic accomplishments and compliments. He found a way, through the influence of Snuffy Jenkins and others at the time, to make the 5-string banjo work in musically new ways, cutting through with volume and clarity; putting a unique sonic stamp on the music that had never been heard before. Earl brought in streams and patterns of exotic polyrhythmic bliss that could dance, swing, drive, rock, and roll in and out of every musical crack and crevice of virtually any genre, giving familiar sounds a completely new life; adding to them without taking away from them. He gave an instrument that was once viewed by the public as a comedian's prop, an authoritative and credible musical voice and identity; a new banjo template and pathway for future applications that are still yet to be imagined.

   May life "after Earl" remain even richer for our wonderful instrument. It's in our hands now; may we all make him proud. 

   We really loved you Earl Scruggs. Thanks for the rich life that streamed from the fingers of the North Carolina boy who figured out and forged ahead with the joyous three-finger rolls of the ole' five string. I can't even imagine what my life would have been like without the banjo and all of the wonderful times it has brought to my soul as my faithful partner in song writing and performing. Banjo never lets me down.


J.M.

- RIP Earl Scruggs

(also in memory of my sonic banjo hero.. "Banjovi" Mark Vann - true lover of Earl Scruggs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMQFDx1MddY
Turner Field Tribute

240 Banjo players play "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" for Earl Scruggs for 5 minutes, breaking a Guinness Book of World Records. Turner Field - Atlanta  9/13/2006

First Time meeting Earl in person June of 2008 - Elberton, Georgia