BanjosUSA : Earl Scruggs and Helpful Links for Those Who Enjoy or Play the Banjo!

Earl Scruggs began playing the banjo at an early age, and at the age of 21, as the banjo player, he joined Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys. He is most noted for his 3-finger banjo style that thousands of banjo players have adopted ever since. In 1948, Earl Scruggs joined with Lester Flatt (also of the Blue Grass Boys)and formed Flatt and Scruggs. In 1969, Scruggs formed the Earl Scruggs Revue with three of his sons. In 1969, Flatt and Scruggs won a Grammy Award for Scruggs "Foggy Mountain Breakdown." In 1985, they were inducted together into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 1991, Scruggs was inducted into the the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor. You can listen to part of the 2001 recording of "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" which, in 2002, won Scruggs his second Grammy. You can hear Earl Scruggs playing with Doc Watson and Ricky Skaggs on the best-selling album "The Three Pickers". You can learn how to play Scrugg's style by using his book and CD: "Earl Scruggs and the 5-String Banjo: Revised and Enhanced Edition". Learn about these masters of the 5-string banjo John Hickman. . . or Tony Trischka. . .

Services

Though I have not personally used some of these services, they have been recommended by people I respect.

Angie's Banjo
Byron's Double Stop Fiddle Shop
Fitch Banjos
Recording King
DrBanjo.com
Deering Banjos
Sullivan Banjo
Gold Tone
Bluegrass Unlimited
International Bluegrass Music Association
Bluegrass Lyrics
Bluegrass Works

A Sullivan Banjo is pictured above left.

Bluegrass Banjo for the Complete Ignoramus by Wayne Erbsen (Paperback Book & CD set) A simple and helpful beginner book, which I found the most helpful for "self-teaching," before I found an excellent teacher. Buy Now!
Earl Scruggs and the 5-String Banjo: Revised and Enhanced Edition-Paperback Book with CD by Earl Scruggs. What you need to know to start playing banjo, including how to read music, chords, tablature, right-hand rolls and left-hand techniques, banjo tunings, exercises in picking, over 40 songs. Buy Now!

Banjos for Sale

Banjos for the beginner and the professional can be found for sale at Byron's Double Stop Fiddle Shop. They can be professionally set up to meet your needs and produce the best sound possible. Currently, they have these models in stock:

Gibson TB3 1925
Goldtone Electric: manolin banjo
Kristufek / Krishot
RB3 Gibson
Ridge "Classic"
Ridge "Select"
Goldtone OB250
Goldstar Saga

A video short video demonstrates the quality and value of some of these banjos.

Special Books for Advanced Banjo Enthusiasts and Musicians

Tony Trischka Easy Banjo Solos (Paperback) by Tony Trischka On the CD, Tony performs each tune slowly, then up to speed, providing invaluable tips and explanations as he goes. By the time you have mastered all of these solos, you'll have acquired the basic skills necessary to play in the styles of Earl Scruggs, Don Reno, Sonny Osborne, and other bluegrass greats.

Melodic Banjo by Tony Trischka.
A complete instruction guide to "Keith style" banjo technique. Over 30 tunes and songs by Bill Keith, Eric Weissberg, Alan Munde, Bobby Thompson, Vic Jordan, and others. With interviews and personal descriptions of their playing styles. Trischka gives an in depth view of the melodic/chromatic technique.

Thank You for Visiting!