Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler RIP Earl

Earl Scruggs dies at 88. I remember my Dad listening to Flatt and Scruggs all the time. They were/are bluegrass legends.

WOW! Didn't even know he was still alive. Played a lot of Flatt and Scruggs tunes back in the "folkie" days. Met them once when we played the same venue. Earl was very kind and friendly. We sang better. They played better.

"We" ?! What do you play, Jack?

My youngest niece is learning to play the banjo. How many 13 year old kids in So Cal want to do that?

Jack, is that Bruce?

How many times, btw, did you book a gig because you let them call you guys Jack/Bruce?

That photo is me and my dear friend and partner E.B. Michael. My guitar is hidden by E.B. We played together, in one band or group, for more than 40 years. He was/is a very accomplished banjo player. Here are the guitars I played. Still have them both. Can't play anymore due to arthritis.

Yep, that's Bruce. Pretty handsome fella isn't he? Well, before he got into Jan's cooking.

Never thought of trying the Jack/Bruce thing to get a booking. We made the mistake of going by Bruce and Jack. DUH.

I think we told you this story already, but we were in a band in L.A. with another guy named Ian Jack. So there we were, Bruce Michael, Jack Richard, Ian Jack and a 4th guy name George Stegner. How we let George in the band with that last name I'll never know.

The Love and Food of a good woman.... does it EVERYtime!

You almost could have booked yourselves as "an eight piece"!

Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed...

...poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed. Then one day he was shootin' for some food, when up through the ground came a buble-in crude. Oil that is. Texas Tea.

I think that is the 12,467 time I've sung that song.

Bringing it back on topic, I see that Earl played banjo for that show theme...

Of course, I assume that's why Rob brought it up...

Jack, those are fantastic pictures. Thanks so much for sharing. One of my new interests is collecting rock band photographs - they say so much to me. That group shot is so so so so classic '70s! Awesome.

Yeah, and Flatt and Scruggs appeared on The Beverly Hillbillies as well, playing songs about once a year for Jed, Granny, and the Clampett clan.

Here's a really nice, if long/encyclopedic, article from CMT.com remembering Earl Scruggs. What a life.

Thanks for sharing the pics, Jack. Those are great!



Just added an Earl Scruggs CD to my Amazon cart.

Great story and great pic, Jack! Thanks for sharing!

That 12 string looks very familiar. Is it a Yami FG630?

Jack. When I look at those pictures I get the urge to shout out "Peace out, maaan."

RIP, Earl. One of the greats.

No, it's a Martin D-12-20. Photo below is pulled off the internet and not a photo of my guitar)

I thought they were Martins, great guitars. My Dad had a D-18 (1940ish) and my brother has a D-28 (1960s)

Nice! I could never afford a Martin. From a distance, that Martin and my Yami look the same.

OOH! A pre-war D-18. Yummy!

My D-28 is a 1964 model, and the D-12-20 is a 1965 model. I'm the original owner of both. Still have the receipt for the 12 string.

You're most welcome J.P. Glad you got a kick out of them. Interesting hobby. I'm sure there will be an opportunity, in the not too distant future, for me to share with you more photos like that.

Cool Pic. No time like the present Jack!

Nah! Gotta have something to do this summer, after all. Some of the ones to be seen are not in my possession. Bruce has them.

Both of those are certainly worth more than the amount paid 47 years ago. Might want to think about having them appraised and insured...

Scott

Yes, I have a ballpark idea of what they are worth but I should, and would like to, have them professionally appraised.