chuckv97 - Posted - 05/04/2026:  08:38:12

Earl picking some hot banjo on these tunes.



youtu.be/3Jq0achOAsw?si=BTSi4LoWisESXGU1

Edited by - chuckv97 on 05/04/2026 08:40:51

 

The Old Timer - Posted - 05/04/2026:  10:05:52

Oh man! Thanks. All I've ever heard of this tape is the Prisoners Song and a shortened version of Foggy Mtn Chimes cause Earl busted a wire. Earl does a great job here other than missing a couple of "arranged endings". I also feel he wanted to pull the speed up faster on Flint Hill Special but the mandolin player refused to come along! (The bass fiddle man sounded willing...)

Do you know who's in the band besides Tater Tate on fiddle?

And OH! the tone of Earl playing that banjo! Whoo boy does it sound GRAND on Cumberland Gap! And on the other tunes his up the neck back-up is just the fattest notes imagineable.

Anyone know "why?" Earl appeared with Mr Hylo instead of the Foggy Mtn Boys and Lester?

RB3 - Posted - 05/04/2026:  10:37:33

The Old Timer asked:

"Anyone know "why?" Earl appeared with Mr Hylo instead of the Foggy Mtn Boys and Lester?"

In Bluegrass: A History, Neil Rosenberg tells the story of Earl Scruggs being hired to play at the first Newport Folk Festival.

Louise Scruggs received a phone call from one of the festival promoters, who told her that they intended to have some Bluegrass music at their festival and they wanted to hire Earl Scruggs. Louise advised the promoter that she didn't understand what he meant by his reference to Bluegrass music and explained to him that Flatt & Scruggs were a Country & Western group. The promoter said he understood, but he still wanted to hire Earl Scruggs. She told him that if the festival dates work with their schedule and a mutually agreeable performance fee could be negotiated, Flatt & Scruggs would be happy to perform at their festival. The promoter then told her that because they did not consider Lester Flatt to be an "authentic" folk performer, they wanted only Earl Scruggs at the festival.

I suspect that Earl didn't want to try to perform by himself, so he put together a pickup group that included Hylo Brown.

chuckv97 - Posted - 05/04/2026:  10:51:25

I read that Lester was unhappy about being excluded,, however both he and Scruggs performed at the 1966 Fstvl. Louise, being an astute businesswoman, i thought would jump at the opportunity to spread Earl's reputation.  Was this the year bluegrass first appeared at Carnegie Hall with Earl Taylor being part of a country music troupe?  Also when did the Osborne Brothers first play à northern college (Antioch?), re bluegrass exposure to northern audiences?   Here’s the lineup , not sure if Jim Smoak was on mandolin or bass.

Edited by - chuckv97 on 05/04/2026 10:58:33

 

RB3 - Posted - 05/04/2026:  11:55:58

I believe that Earl Taylor played Carnegie Hall in 1959.

Below is a link to the recording of the Flatt & Scruggs performance at the Newport Folk Festival in the Sixties. Earl Taylor is right there in the middle of the photograph.

Flatt & Scruggs - Newport Folk Festival

chuckv97 - Posted - 05/04/2026:  12:13:05

There’s that busted wire on FM Chimes that Dick mentioned

The Old Timer - Posted - 05/04/2026:  18:14:21

If Flatt "wasn't" authentic folk, then I guess Hylo filled the bill. LOL

Mr Hylo and the Timberliners were Martha White's second bluegrass unit playing where Flatt & Scruggs' schedule didn't permit them to go. They had a Martha White bus and everything. Easy as can be for Earl to play with them instead of Lester and the Foggies, although AWKWARD!!!!

I'd like to hear tape of Lester and the Foggies on that weekend, wherever they were.

chuckv97 - Posted - 05/04/2026:  18:49:15

Who do you think filled in for Earl with Lester ?

steve davis - Posted - 05/12/2026:  08:07:35

I see Hylo playing with the Foggy Mountain Boys in some of their Martha White shows.
I suppose they mixed up their members as needed?