Bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs died March 28, 2012 in a Nashville area hospital at age 88. When asked about the banjo pioneer’s career, most who knew him site his kindness first and his musical achievements second.
From early commercial success with The Beverly Hillbillies theme “The Ballad of Jed Clampett,” to a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in more recent years, Scruggs captivated generations of musicians and music lovers.
Historian Robert K. Oermann explains, “He was such a sweet soul. No one in any genre of music has so profoundly influenced the playing of his or her instrument the way Earl did.”
Earl Eugene Scruggs was born in Flint Hill, NC on Jan, 6, 1924 and by his teens had developed a unique three-finger style of banjo picking that would revolutionize the genre. In 1945 he met future duo partner Lester Flatt, when both were members of the landmark group Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys.
In a recent column for The New Yorker, Steve Martin wrote, “Some nights [Earl] had the stars of North Carolina shooting from his fingertips. Before him, no one had ever played the banjo like he did. After him, everyone played the banjo like he did, or at least tried. In 1945, when he first stood on the stage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and played banjo the way no one had ever heard before, the audience responded with shouts, whoops, and ovations….There aren’t many earthquakes in Tennessee, but that night there was.”
Flatt & Scruggs
By 1948 Flatt and Scruggs left Monroe’s band and formed the Foggy Mountain Boys, which later become known simply as Flatt & Scruggs. Together, they popularized bluegrass throughout the fifties and sixties with national television spots such as The Beverly Hillbillies, with performances at famed events including the Newport Folk Festival, and a morning radio show on WSM in Nashville, sponsored by Martha White Flour.
Jody Williams, BMI VP Writer/Publisher Relations, reflects on Scruggs, a lifelong BMI writer. Williams’ uncle also booked Flatt & Scruggs for the original Martha White commercial. “He was traditional, and at the same time he was avant garde,” muses Williams. “With Flatt and Scruggs he defined the banjo, taking it from rural stages to the Opry, then college campuses in the ’60s, all the way to Carnegie Hall. He is an architect of the genre of bluegrass. It’s popularity would never have soared without Earl…We salute his contribution to American music. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Scruggs family.”
The duo called it quits in 1969 and continued separate careers. Flatt died in 1979, and the duo was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1985.
“Earl Scruggs was the single most important instrumentalist in Bluegrass music,” explains Tony Conway. “Along with Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs was responsible for helping create a much larger audience for the format of Bluegrass, particularly a new and younger fan base. He was always a first class Gentleman.”
Family played a significant role in Scruggs’ career. His wife Louise, who died in 2006, is credited with steering his remarkable success and was a pioneering female in the music business in her own right.
Scruggs teamed with sons Randy and Gary for the Earl Scruggs Revue in 1969. The group veered into folk-rock territory and included a rotating cast of musicians, including Randy and Gary’s brother, Steve. In 1972 Earl, Gary and Randy played on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s landmark album Will The Circle Be Unbroken.
Scruggs’ achievements earned numerous accolades including a National Heritage Fellowship, and the National Medal of Arts. He was inducted into the IBMA Hall of Fame in 1991. Even late in his career the honors kept coming. His album Earl Scruggs and Friends won a Grammy in 2001, one of three Grammys he earned between 1998 and 2004, as well as a 2008 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nashville writer Holly Gleason recalls him fondly, including friendly encounters at the most modest of restaurants, the Waffle House. “When you make the musical mark Earl Scruggs did, you won’t ever be gone,” she sums. “People will listen to his records and marvel; pick up their instrument and practice the complicated three fingers rolls, the wildly accelerated picking. His mark shall last forever. So will his soul.”
Scruggs’ health waxed and waned in recent years, including a September 2010 hospitalization in North Carolina for an undisclosed illness.
He was preceded in death by his son Steve, and wife Louise.
The family will receive friends during visitation Fri., March 30 and Sat., March 31 between 3 – 7 p.m. at Spring Hill Funeral Home, 5110 Gallatin Pike, Nashville. Funeral services will be held Sun., April, 1 at 2 p.m. at the Ryman Auditorium. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum or the Earl Scruggs Center.
AMA to Present “Big Easy Express” During NaFF
/by FreemanBig Easy Express, directed by Emmett Malloy, follows L.A.’s Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Nashville’s Old Crow Medicine Show, and London’s Mumford & Sons as they journey thousands of miles by train through six cities. The trip begins in Oakland, ending in New Orleans, stopping along the way for sold-out shows in San Pedro, California and Marfa, Texas and documents the bands’ adventures along the way.
Tickets for the screening go on sale to NaFF members April 9, laminate holders April 10 and the general public on April 11. Check out the official trailer here.
Earlier in March, Mumford & Sons hosted a sold-out three night residency at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Pictured backstage at the Ryman are (L-R): M&S’ “Country” Winston Marshall, TMG/AEG Live’s Lenore Kinder, M&S’ Ted Dwane, TMG/AEG Live’s Ali Harnell, the Ryman Auditorium’s Sally Williams, M&S’ Marcus Mumford, TMG/AEG Live’s Leslie Cohea, The Billions Corporation’s Adam Voith, M&S’ Ben Lovett, M&S Tour Manager Giles Woodhead
Billboard Names New Editor
/by Eric T. ParkerJoe Levy, Billboard Editor. Photo: Joseph Moran
Following major exits of Billboard magazine’s editorial staff earlier this year, Joe Levy has officially been named the publication’s Editor. The change was officially announced yesterday (3/28) and fills the role vacated by previous Editor, Danyel Smith.
Levy’s position reports directly to Billboard Editorial Director Bill Werde and will be based out of the publication’s New York offices.
Levy comes to Billboard from Maxim, where he served as Chief Content Officer since 2009, and Blender where he served in the same capacity. Levy’s resume includes Rolling Stone where he was executive editor, Details as a senior editor, and an editor for both Village Voice and Spin. Levy has also contributed as an adjunct professor at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.
The recent departures from the Billboard editorial staff include Publisher Lisa Howard, and Deputy Editor Louis Hau, among others. Including Danyel Smith, three editors have left the company in under four years. Smith joined the company in January 2011 and replaced Craig Marks, succeeding Robert Levine who began serving in September 2008.
Billboard is owned by Prometheus Global Media (formerly E5 Global Media), which purchased the publication along with Adweek and The Hollywood Reporter in late 2009 for around $70 million.
Bluegrass Legend Earl Scruggs Passes
/by Sarah SkatesFrom early commercial success with The Beverly Hillbillies theme “The Ballad of Jed Clampett,” to a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in more recent years, Scruggs captivated generations of musicians and music lovers.
Historian Robert K. Oermann explains, “He was such a sweet soul. No one in any genre of music has so profoundly influenced the playing of his or her instrument the way Earl did.”
Earl Eugene Scruggs was born in Flint Hill, NC on Jan, 6, 1924 and by his teens had developed a unique three-finger style of banjo picking that would revolutionize the genre. In 1945 he met future duo partner Lester Flatt, when both were members of the landmark group Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys.
In a recent column for The New Yorker, Steve Martin wrote, “Some nights [Earl] had the stars of North Carolina shooting from his fingertips. Before him, no one had ever played the banjo like he did. After him, everyone played the banjo like he did, or at least tried. In 1945, when he first stood on the stage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and played banjo the way no one had ever heard before, the audience responded with shouts, whoops, and ovations….There aren’t many earthquakes in Tennessee, but that night there was.”
Flatt & Scruggs
By 1948 Flatt and Scruggs left Monroe’s band and formed the Foggy Mountain Boys, which later become known simply as Flatt & Scruggs. Together, they popularized bluegrass throughout the fifties and sixties with national television spots such as The Beverly Hillbillies, with performances at famed events including the Newport Folk Festival, and a morning radio show on WSM in Nashville, sponsored by Martha White Flour.
Jody Williams, BMI VP Writer/Publisher Relations, reflects on Scruggs, a lifelong BMI writer. Williams’ uncle also booked Flatt & Scruggs for the original Martha White commercial. “He was traditional, and at the same time he was avant garde,” muses Williams. “With Flatt and Scruggs he defined the banjo, taking it from rural stages to the Opry, then college campuses in the ’60s, all the way to Carnegie Hall. He is an architect of the genre of bluegrass. It’s popularity would never have soared without Earl…We salute his contribution to American music. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Scruggs family.”
The duo called it quits in 1969 and continued separate careers. Flatt died in 1979, and the duo was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1985.
“Earl Scruggs was the single most important instrumentalist in Bluegrass music,” explains Tony Conway. “Along with Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs was responsible for helping create a much larger audience for the format of Bluegrass, particularly a new and younger fan base. He was always a first class Gentleman.”
Family played a significant role in Scruggs’ career. His wife Louise, who died in 2006, is credited with steering his remarkable success and was a pioneering female in the music business in her own right.
Scruggs’ achievements earned numerous accolades including a National Heritage Fellowship, and the National Medal of Arts. He was inducted into the IBMA Hall of Fame in 1991. Even late in his career the honors kept coming. His album Earl Scruggs and Friends won a Grammy in 2001, one of three Grammys he earned between 1998 and 2004, as well as a 2008 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nashville writer Holly Gleason recalls him fondly, including friendly encounters at the most modest of restaurants, the Waffle House. “When you make the musical mark Earl Scruggs did, you won’t ever be gone,” she sums. “People will listen to his records and marvel; pick up their instrument and practice the complicated three fingers rolls, the wildly accelerated picking. His mark shall last forever. So will his soul.”
Scruggs’ health waxed and waned in recent years, including a September 2010 hospitalization in North Carolina for an undisclosed illness.
He was preceded in death by his son Steve, and wife Louise.
The family will receive friends during visitation Fri., March 30 and Sat., March 31 between 3 – 7 p.m. at Spring Hill Funeral Home, 5110 Gallatin Pike, Nashville. Funeral services will be held Sun., April, 1 at 2 p.m. at the Ryman Auditorium. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum or the Earl Scruggs Center.
Randy Houser Signs Global Publishing Deal with EMI
/by Caitlin RantalaHouser’s self-penned hit singles include “Boots On,” which spent two weeks at No. 1 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart and reached No. 2 on the Billboard Country Songs Chart, as well as ‘Whistlin Dixie’ which has sold over 150,000 digital copies to date and “A Man Like Me.” Houser has also co-written hits for artists including Justin Moore and Trace Adkins.
“Songwriting is such an important part of what I do, it is something I feel like I need to do. A working relationship with EMI, Ben Vaughn, and their entire creative team will provide more resources for me as I continue to focus on that aspect of my career,” said Houser.
The new co-publishing agreement with EMI Music Publishing will see Houser’s catalog and all future songwriting work represented by the company on a global basis, including his new studio album, which is due for release later this year on Stoney Creek Records. Houser is managed by Fitzgerald Hartley.
“Randy is a world class songwriter and performer who continues to grow creatively and we are extremely proud to welcome him into the EMI family. The whole team is excited to have him on board and we can’t wait share in this next stage of his career and for the world to be able to hear the new record,” said EMI Music Publishing Executive VP/GM Ben Vaughn.
Currington Earns Gold, Lines Up TV Appearances
/by Eric T. ParkerCurrington, who is currently working on his fifth studio album, just finished recording “Just For You” for Lionel Richie’s Tuskegee, which was released Mon., March 26. The pair will debut the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live on April 4 and The Talk on April 5.
“That song was a massive hit in Europe that we’re now bringing to America,” said Richie. “I’m so happy to be able to let him present that song to America.”
Currington kicked off his 16-date cross-country headlining tour last week with labelmates David Nail and Kip Moore. Ram Trucks brand has come on board as presenting sponsors for select dates of the tour.
Currington’s first two singles from his fourth studio album Enjoy Yourself, “Pretty Good At Drinkin’ Beer” and “Let Me Down Easy,” marked his fourth and fifth consecutive No. 1 singles, with seven No. 1s overall. Since his debut in 2003, Billy has sold more than 11 million units, and received nominations for two Grammys.
(L-R) UMG's Jill Brunett, Damon Moberly, and Royce Risser; Billy Currington; UMG's Brian Wright and Katie Dean. Photo: Jeff Johnson
Chesney Reveals Album Details, ACM Performance
/by Caitlin RantalaWelcome To The Fishbowl, Chesney’s 13th studio album, follows 2010’s platinum-certified Hemingway’s Whiskey, which spawned four No. 1 singles. Chesney’s ACM nominations include Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year for Hemingway’s Whiskey (as both artist and producer), and Song of the Year for “You and Tequila” with Grace Potter.
The Brothers of the Sun Tour kicks off June 2 in Tampa, FL and has already sold more than 600,000 tickets. The tour will hit stadiums across the country and will also feature Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and Jake Owen.
For tour dates visit: tickets.kennychesney.com.
No. 1 Party: Chris Young’s “You”
/by Caitlin RantalaL–R: EMI Music Publishing's Ben Vaughn, ASCAP's LeAnn Phelan, James Stroud, Chris Young, Luke Laird, Universal Music Publishing's Kent Earls, BMI's Jody Williams, and Sony Music's Keith Gale and Gary Overton
RCA recording artist Chris Young and songwriter Luke Laird celebrated their recent co-written No. 1 hit “You” during a party held in the CMA Atrium yesterday (3/27). The soiree marked the first industry event held in the newly renovated space.
“We’re thrilled that Chris and Luke decided to share their celebration with us,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Steve Moore. “We updated our Atrium so we could play host to more industry events such as this, and honoring the success of ‘You’ is a great way to christen our new event space.”
Young, an EMI Music Publishing writer and ASCAP member, is a two-time CMA Award nominee and has already charted four additional No. 1 hits including “Gettin’ You Home,” “The Man I Want To Be,” “Voices,” and “Tomorrow.” Young is currently a part of reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert’s On Fire tour.
“I don’t care what kind of work you put in, to have what’s going on right now with my career and my life is just absolutely amazing,” shared Young from the stage. “Thank you to everybody in this room and on this stage – this is an amazing day.”
Laird, a Universal Music Publishing Group writer and BMI member, is a two-time CMA Triple Play Award winner who, with the addition of “You,” has co-written nine No. 1 singles.
“When you’re writing songs, to have a voice like Chris’ to present it to the world, it’s a huge gift for a songwriter like myself,” said Laird.
L–R: LeAnn Phelan, ASCAP Senior Creative Director; Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer; Chris Young; Luke Laird; and Jody Williams, BMI Vice President of Writer and Publisher Relations and CMA Board member. Photo: Christian Bottorff/CMA.
Tin Pan South: Tuesday, March 27
/by contributor(L-R): Regions Bank’s Lisa Harless, Mark Narmore, Mark Nesler, Josh Turner, Jeremy Spillman, and BMI’s Bradley Collins. Photo: Bev Moser
The first evening of showcases for the 20th annual Tin Pan South songwriters festival kicked off yesterday (3/27) in Nashville. Nine local venues are scheduled to host nearly 350 songwriters performing original material in the round throughout the week. MusicRow paid visits to shows at Commodore Grille, Hard Rock Café, The Listening Room and The Rutledge.
Mark Narmore (“That’s What I Love about Sunday”), Mark Nesler (“Just To See You Smile”), Jeremy Spillman (“Sinners Like Me”), and Josh Turner performed at the BMI-sponsored Hard Rock Café show during Tin Pan’s 6 pm lineup. The round highlighted many of Turner and his companions’ co-written songs, including “The Answer” (Narmore), “Another Try” (Spillman), and “Everything Is Fine.” Narmore also serenaded the audience with hits from his piano including, “Moon Over Georgia,” and Nesler showcased his Keith Urban hit “You Look Good In My Shirt.”
Meanwhile, Buddy Brock, Lyman Ellerman, Michael Heeney, and Wil Nance performed at the Commodore Grille. Highlights included Nance’s performance of the Brad Paisley hit “She’s Everything” and Heeney’s rendition of the Eric Church chart-topper “Drink in My Hand.” Brock summoned crowd participation with “There Ain’t Nothing Wrong With the Radio” and “Watermelon Crawl” by reminding the audience, “this is the CommoDORE Grille, not the CommoBORE Grille.” The audience took direction well and turned the performances into a songfest. Ellerman proclaimed himself as “the band,” which quickly became a misnomer as he serenaded the audience with his gems, including audience favorite “In Spite of My Fears.”
For the 9 pm block of shows, Erin Enderlin (“Last Call”) gathered Jessi Alexander (“The Climb”), Matraca Berg (“Strawberry Wine”), and Angaleena Presley (“Look It Up”) for a round at The Rutledge. The ladies performed a mixture of sassy, silly and serious material throughout the evening in what Berg, whose “Dreaming Fields” is currently reviewed in MusicRow’s DISClaimer, dubbed, “one of my favorite rounds ever.”
Over at The Listening Room, Warner/Chappell showcased writers Marcus Hummon, Jedd Hughes, Damien Horne, and Troy Olsen. Horne (also a member of WMN’s The Farm) delivered soulful tunes like “Shine” and “Heart of Africa,” sprinkling snippets of hits like the Peggy Lee standard “Fever” and Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” on top of his compositions. Hughes showed off his formidable guitar skills on songs like “When I Get Back From The War,” “Halo” (included on Tim McGraw’s new record) and the gorgeous, delicate “Crazy Old Man” (co-written with Sarah Buxton). Olsen chimed in with the Blake Shelton hit “I’ll Just Hold On,” as well as his own radio singles “Good Hands” and “Summer Thing.” Hummon pleased the crowd with his Dixie Chicks favorites “Ready To Run” and “Cowboy Take Me Away,” and the Sara Evans smash “Born to Fly.” Horne closed out the evening with the jazzy “Monkey On My Back,” and dropped in a rousing chorus of Jamie Foxx’s “Blame It (On The Alcohol).”
reporting by Eric Parker, Jon Freeman, and Sherod Robertson
Jana Kramer Sets Release Date
/by Eric T. ParkerKramer has sold almost 250,000 digital singles to date, including her country radio debut “Why Ya Wanna,” which is currently climbing charts everywhere.
Kramer, who also starred as Alex Dupre on the CW’s One Tree Hill, was named CMT’s inaugural artist for the Listen Up program for February.
The country newcomer will make her Grand Ole Opry debut on April 13th.
Brad Paisley Establishes Scholarship for Curb College Students
/by Caitlin RantalaPaisley said, “I’ve often said that the best course of education for a young person wanting to pursue country music is to go to college at Belmont. I speak from experience. I wouldn’t be in any position to offer a scholarship if I had not gone to Belmont – this is the least I can do in appreciation.”
Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher added, “I’ve heard Brad say that he ‘got his big break’ when he set foot on the campus of Belmont University, a place where he met fellow students who became members of what became ‘Team Paisley.’ Well, we’ve come full circle to realize that Belmont University and future students got our big break when Brad arrived on campus. We’re deeply grateful for his continued friendship and his commitment to making Belmont better than it was when he first found us.”
In 2003, Paisley received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Belmont. A 1995 graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, Paisley majored in music business at what was then the Mike Curb School of Music Business. During his Belmont career, Paisley himself benefited from a scholarship supported by Vince Gill and has long been committed to “paying it forward” to another deserving student.