Always something new from Earl (update)

The Earl Scruggs Music Festival (also on Facebook), delayed for two years by the pandemic, is being held this coming weekend (2-4 Sept. 2022) at Mill Spring, NC, with a lineup featuring a galaxy of artists from all corners of the Big Tent of bluegrass, reflecting Earl's own open-mindedness about music.

Update 9 Sept.: Photos from the Earl Scruggs Music Festival can be seen on the Bluegrass Situation website.

It seems appropriate that about this time the Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby, NC, is adding to its displays a banjo built in 1970-71 for Earl, which he played while performing with his sons in the Earl Scruggs Revue. The Jim Faulkner Mark V top-tension banjo 'Ruben' is now owned by Aaron and Darlene Carr, who had it set up and repaired by Richie Dotson. Ten photos of the instrument are included in John Lawless's feature on Bluegrass Today.

© Richard Hawkins