Let me put it straight out there. I loved Earl Scruggs as a musician and as a man. I also felt the same way about Dr. Watson. I also felt the same way about rules son who is just 16 years old in this documentary, Randy Scruggs. I set up the microphone, sat myself down in his seat with my handheld 16mm camera, and they just played. Having fun. On Doc Watson’s front lawn at his home in the Appalachian mountains of Western North Carolina.
Watch another clip from the same recording session - .
My classic 90 minute music documentary records Earl Scruggs and Bill Monroe and Earl and his son Randy and Doc Watson and his son Merle, in informal scenes playing & singing together. If you love Doc Watson and Bill Monroe and old time Bluegrass Music, you will love watching and listening to this. In 1972, PBS prime-timed a documentary music special on Earl Scruggs the bluegrass banjo picker. It included Bob Dylan, The Byrds, Bill Monroe, Charlie Daniels, The Morris Brothers, and Doc Watson. The film was not available to the public for over 30 years. Now it is available again. Said Bruce Elder of The All Music Guide: “Earl Scruggs was a few years past his partnership with Lester Flatt when made did ’Earl Scruggs: The Bluegrass Banjo Legend’ a filled with stars effort that succeeds. There are great scenes at the Grand Ole Opry with Bill Monroe, at the homes of Doc Watson and members of Earl’s North Carolina family, at the The Byrds ranch, at the home of The Morris Brothers (Salty Dog Blues), in Carmel, NY with Bob Dylan, etc. etc. The music here is glorious.“ Earl Scruggs: The Bluegrass Legend is the only full-length film on Earl’s life & times. #docwatson #earlscruggs #cripplecreek #banjo #northcarolina