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Earl Scruggs Biography

Earl Eugene Scruggs (January 6, 1924 – March 28, 2012) was an American musician noted for popularizing a three-finger banjo picking style, now called "Scruggs style", that is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music. His three-finger style of playing was radically different from the ways the five-string banjo had been historically played. He popularized the instrument in several genres of music and elevated the banjo from its role as a background rhythm instrument, or a comedian's prop, into featured solo status.

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Earl Scruggs Quotes

I mean if it wasn't for Earl Scruggs, guys like me wouldn't be doing what we're doing. I mean, he's changed so many people's lives, honestly. I was thinking about all the thousands of people that live in Nashville, like myself, that there's no reason a guy from New York would end up down there if it wasn't for the sound of Earl Scruggs' banjo coming over the airwaves and just changing my life.

Lives, Mean, Nashville, New York, People, Thinking

Earl Scruggs is the guy who really made that leap with using three fingers in a rotating fashion to create this fast rippling sound that had never been heard before.

Earl, Fashion, Fingers, Guy, Heard, Sound

You can’t encore the past. If I see a bright light shining out there, I want to go toward it.

Bright, Encore, Light, Past, See, Shining

He [Earl Scruggs] was really cool because he was very quiet, and he wouldn't say much, but then he would come out with a quip that was like so perfect and so brilliant, very smart.

Brilliant, Perfect, Say, Smart

If you don't let things develop, it's like keeping something in a bag and not letting it out to fly

Bags, Fly, Ifs, Keeping, Let, Things

My music came up from the soil of North Carolina.

Carolina, Music, North, North Carolina, Soil

I think Earl Scruggs playing propelled bluegrass and Bill Monroe's music to the level that - where we're all still talking about it.

Level, Levels, Talking, Think, Thinking

I don't like to travel as much as I have in the past, but it's good for my soul to get to pick, especially with these good musicians and these guys that play so well.

Musicians, Past, Play, Soul, Travel

Earl Scruggs had this thing that it wasn't just the technique or even the instrument. It was him. There was this soulful quality that came through that made you - if you're somebody like me who was, I guess, supposed to play the banjo, it made you stop in your tracks, and you couldn't do anything until you got done hearing him play, and then immediately you'd have to go try and find a banjo.

Guess, Hearing, Play, Scruggs, Track, Trying

It's made a lot of people richer from hearing Earl Scruggs. And I just think we're all very lucky to have him in the world.

Hearing, Lucky, People, Richer, Thinking

I enjoy doing new tunes. It gives me a little bit to perk up, to pay a little bit more attention.

Attention, Enjoy, Gives, Giving, Pay, Tunes

Adrienne Rich was one of the most widely-read and influential poets of her time, a leading feminist, known especially for her politically-engaged verse. Her best-known volume, "Diving into the Wreck," won the National Book Award in 1973.

Awards, Book, Feminist, National, Poets, Won

I've heard of people stopping their cars, having car wrecks, all kinds of things. But most of the banjo players I know had that moment when they heard Earl Scruggs. So, for me, it transcends the technique. It's the musician in him and his personality, his musical personality, such great taste, such great technique, very, very creative.

Car, Musical, People, Player, Transcends

Earl Scruggs wears two finger picks and a thumb pick, and by alternating them, he can play about as fast as he wants. So it's this action. You know, you couldn't move one finger that fast, but all three, it's pretty easy, and it's kind of an incredible leap.

Earl, Moving, Picks, Play, Two, Wears