Martin on Scruggs

[BradKlein]

There's something that shines through when a writer profiles one of their own personal heros. It's here in Steve Martin's profile of Scruggs (http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/01/steve-martin-earl-scruggs.html).

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[mrmando]

And here, just to be contrary, is Scruggs on Martin.
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[JeffD]

Good article. And its kind of cool that its Steve Martin who wrote it. He being the personal hero of many comedians.

What I have always liked about Earl Scruggs playing is that it was brilliant without being forced. What ever mind boggling things are going on, they feel absolutely natural and necessary, almost predistined. No force fits, no awkward transitions. No sacrifice of musicality for brilliance.

[BradKlein]

And here, just to be contrary, is Scruggs on Martin.

Ha! Scruggs did have a unique and tasty fingerpicking guitar style as well, as I learned watching some of the old videos.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Earl Scruggs has deservedly received every accolade due to a great musician.That a person like Steve Martin should write a tribute the way he has,is maybe the icing on the cake. I have several Banjo players whom i've listened to & 'copied' maybe more than others,simply because their 'styling' appeals to me,but none can surpass Earl Scruggs' influence.When i began playing back in '63 at age 18,he was THE Banjo player & remained so for many years until many of the other Banjo players who had learned from (copied) him,became notable in their own right.Being so popular even meant that many of his recordings with the Foggy Mt.Boys,were available in the UK. His ability to 'carry the melody' right through a song is un-paralled (IMHO) & something i've always tried to do myself.No matter how complex his breaks seem to be,the melody is always discernable - for me that's a 'must' on any instrument. Sadly,that function seems to desert many musicians,where cramming as many notes as possible into a break seems to be their sole desire - or maybe that's just my view.
Brad - It was Earl's sweet style on Guitar that got me going on Guitar as well,although i only played for a year or so back then before parting with it. I think it was his playing on 'Jimmy Brown The Newsboy' that hooked me,as well as his playing on "So Happy I'll Be" - great stuff !,
Ivan

[Fretbear]

Excellent article, thanks. He is the sole remaining member of the Original Bluegrass Band, and to say he is an American national treasure is an understatement. Steve addressed a few long-standing mysteries as well.

[Ivan Kelsall]

If ever a musician deserved a statue raised to his achievements,then it's Earl Scruggs. It was his Banjo sound within the seminal 'Bluegrass' band, that caught the listeners' attention & which put Bill Monroe firmly on the map. To paraphrase an old song "You can't have one without the other" (IMHO),
Ivan

[JMOSS99]

The comedian sure has the banjo player's interpretation of the Bluegrass Breakdown story. I am surprised that this has not raised an eyebrow here on a mandolin website.
I can visualize the arrow prop now.

Jim Moss

[Ivan Kelsall]

Jim - A good point. It's maybe because it's a fairly well known fact that Bill Monroe would on occasion claim authorship of songs / tunes that he recorded,when in fact they weren't his entirely or even at all. It's 'history',done,dusted & gone,so why drag up old arguments ?.
Bill Monroe put together the music,& Earl Scruggs could be said to have 'defined the sound' of Bluegrass with his Banjo style -that's all we need to know. I've been enjoying the result for close to 50 years,as have many 10's of K's of others,& i'll be enjoying it again today,
Ivan

[JMOSS99]

Jim - It's maybe because it's a fairly well known fact that Bill Monroe would on occasion claim authorship of songs / tunes that he recorded,when in fact they weren't his entirely or even at all. Ivan

You must be referring to Walls of Time which he wrote with some input from Peter Rowan. In the case of Big Sandy River, which Kenny Baker wrote and which showed up on a Monroe album as Monroe/Baker, I asked Baker about that. He told me that for Monroe to offer that kind of a deal for him, to put a Baker tune on his album, even if it meant sharing the credit for writing the tune, was a very profitable deal for Baker. Baker said, "Monroe could have put one of his tunes on that album and received all of the royalties, but he offered this deal to me and I was happy to do it". He said that Monroe could sell many more albums than he could ever sell. So all and all it would make Baker a lot more money than if he had just put it out on his own album.

Jim Moss