Earl Scruggs

Holly Gleason is a Nashville-based writer who has written for Rolling Stone, Spin, Musician, Tower Pulse, Request, Rockbill, Bam, The Illinois Entertainer, Interview, Rock & Soul and Graffiti (Canada). There have been many wonderful obits in the last day for Scruggs, but - as usual - Holly starts with a chance encounter at Waffle House and puts his giant impact on our music in proper context.

Earl Scruggs might’ve been a master musician and innovator of the same caliber as Miles Davis or Coltrane, but he was more a man who sought to bring people together. As a player, his first break came in 1945 with Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys on the Grand Ole Opry, but it wasn’t long until he and Lester Flatt teamed up and spent the 50s and 60s barn storming the country – and creating a true frame for the Appalachian musical form that was all ache and flying fingers. Flatt & Scruggs were icons. Standard-bearers. Gospel-carriers.

Slim & Howdy Go Out With A Lot Of Class (and Merle Haggard too!)

Longtime media relations/artist development type/journalist for Rolling Stone, Spin, Creem, Musician, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Frets, contributing editor at American Songwriter and numerous other publications, Holly Gleason has probably seen it all.

Or at least I thought she had until last night, when she got to see Brooks & Dunn in the midst of their last weekend:

"It made me proud to be part of the last 25 years of country music! They're coming to Nashville on Thursday night, it benefits the Country Music Hall of Fame, but more importantly, they're culminating a pretty staggering run of country as the century turned. Maybe it'll fire you up to rock them hard in the next few days."

Click to read her (via No Depression) review of the show.

"Ironic the iconic Merle Haggard would serve as the most awarded duo in country music history’s opening act – given Haggard’s own status as a legend. For Brooks & Dunn, knowing this was the final run of a very distinguished show, the pair opted for an artist who inspired them, engaged them and especially who they felt deserved the opportunity to be heard by their fans one last time."