What Earl Scruggs Heard: String Music Along the North Carolina-South Carolina Border

by Bob Carlin

Overview

When the story of banjo superstar Earl Scruggs is told, the rich musical environment that produced him is often ignored. During his lifetime Scruggs spun a creation myth around his playing, convincing many that he was the sole originator of a three-finger, up-picking, banjo style. For the first time, this book tells the full story of the music and musicians of the western Carolinas that influenced Earl Scruggs. Based on more than 15 years of in-depth research, this book includes the story of country music recording pioneers Parker and Woolbright, Fisher Hendley and Martin Melody Boys; rare images of area music makers; and the history and development of fiddlers' conventions and radio barn dances. Together, these stories are woven into the biographies of Earl's mentors to reveal the musical atmosphere in which they developed the "three-finger picking" style that so enchanted a young Earl Scruggs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476686677
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	03/31/2022
Pages:	212
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.42(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Musician and writer Bob Carlin is the author of several books. His articles have been published in Journal of Country Music and Bluegrass Unlimited. He lives in Lexington, North Carolina.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments v

Preface: Why Earl? 1

1 Pre-History "B.E." (Before Earl) 5

2 The Greatest Musical Tournament in Western North Carolina 18

3 John W. Ross, Charlie Parker and Mack Woolbright Part One 33

4 Mack Woolbright: Parts Two and Three 53

5 What Earl Scruggs Heard 65

6 Crazy Crystals and Aristocratic Pigs: The Fisher Hendley Story 75

7 WBT-Charlotte 87

8 Crazy Water and Crazy Bands 105

9 Aristocratically Yours, Fisher Hendley 129

Conclusion: Post-History "A.E" (After Earl) 162

Discography 165

Chapter Notes 171

Bibliography 195

Index 201