What would have been Earl Scruggs’ 100th birthday is this Saturday (January 6). A star-studded lineup of country and bluegrass musicians will gather to celebrate a man who helped change the way generations of people approached the banjo. The best part is that fans can watch the show from the comfort of their homes.
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Earl Scruggs’ 100th Birthday Celebration takes place at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Those who don’t have tickets to the show will only have one way to watch it. The concert will air live on Veeps. After its initial broadcast, the celebratory concert will not air again. It starts at 8 p.m. Central Time. All Access Veeps subscribers are in luck. They can watch the show for free. Everyone else will have to pay $14.99 to stream it. Virtual tickets are on sale now.
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Those who buy tickets to stream the show will be glad to know that their money is going to a good cause. Proceeds from the tribute concert will benefit The Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby, North Carolina. The center is dedicated to celebrating and preserving Scruggs’ legacy and his contributions to American music.
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Jerry Douglas will host the show and provide musical direction. The lineup includes:
- The Earls of Leicester
- Del McCoury Band
- Gena Britt
- Alison Brown
- Sam Bush
- Michael Cleveland
- Stuart Duncan
- Jimmie Fadden
- Bela Fleck
- Jeff Hanna
- Sierra Hull
- Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
- Jim Mill
- Justin Moses
- Jerry Pentecost
- Todd Phillips
- Harry Stinson
- Bryan Sutton
- Tony Trischka
The Legacy of Earl Scruggs
Bluegrass would not be what it is today without Earl Scruggs. At the age of 21, he joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys. A few years later, he and another former member of Monroe’s band, Lester Flatt would form the iconic duo Flatt & Scruggs. The duo produced well-known songs like the theme from The Beverly Hillbillies and the modern bluegrass standard “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.”
Scruggs changed the way generations of musicians approached the banjo. Instead of treating it like a background rhythm instrument, used three-finger rolls to play fast, melodic solos. Today, that is called “Scruggs style” playing and is one of the most popular banjo styles across bluegrass, folk, country, and Americana.
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