1972 - Rare Film -Bill Monroe & Earl Scruggs Together

This documentary scene presents Earl Scruggs and Bill Monroe and Earl and his son Randy in a very informal scene in the dressing room at the Grand Ole Opry before they went on stage. They had not played together for years and they split up in a not very friendly way. I had to talk Bill Monroe into doing the scene while Earl and his boys stayed outside. As soon as Bill said yes, the camera started rolling. Notice that Bill introduces Earl as the "second" banjo picker in his group. It's a kind of a putdown in a way. But it was wonderful to hear Earl and Bill play something together again. Directing and filming this 90 minute theatrical documentary documentary was one of the great moments of my life. Due to the creative efforts of my partner at that time, we got the chance to be with Earl Scruggs and his family including his musical sons Randy and Gary, as he was on a mission in the early 1970s to find connections between his music and the banjo and other forms of popular music. He contacted great artists like Bob Dylan, Doc Watson (one of his closest and oldest friends) Bill Monroe whose band he had once played in, Roger McGuinn of The Birds, Charlie Daniels, Joan Baez and others and others and asked them if he could come and play his banjo on some of the greatest tunes. Of course all said yes. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/OlneqC0mVsk Earl Scruggs, the renowned banjo player and bluegrass pioneer, began exploring collaborations with musicians from other genres in the late 1960s and early 1970s, primarily to broaden his musical horizons and reach new audiences. His interest in working with artists like The Byrds, Bob Dylan, and Joan Baez came from a desire to experiment with different musical styles and find common ground between bluegrass and contemporary popular music. This was a bold move for Scruggs, who was known for his traditional bluegrass roots. The result of Scruggs' quest to collaborate with these artists was my 90 minute primetime television documentary "Earl Scruggs: His Family and Friends," which aired in 1972. It showcased Earl Scruggs playing banjo with well-known musicians such as The Byrds, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Doc Watson and others. These collaborations were significant for several reasons: They introduced Earl Scruggs to new audiences who might not have been familiar with his work in bluegrass, increasing his popularity and expanding his fan base. They demonstrated the potential for cross-genre collaborations, proving that musicians from different backgrounds and styles could come together to create unique and exciting music. The collaborations helped to bridge the gap between traditional roots music and the contemporary sounds of the era, further blurring the lines between genres and showing that music could be a unifying force. They inspired future generations of musicians to explore collaborations outside their respective genres, paving the way for countless cross-genre collaborations in the years to come. It is important for me to say in this commentary what an extraordinarily wonderful, kind, excepting man Earl Scruggs was. He treated me kindly when times were tough and I was finding environments where it was not too friendly to be a 16mm documentary filmmaker. He was deeply loved and respected for his bravery in coming out against the Vietnam War at a time when almost every country artist who played and sang at the Grand Ole Opry stood up in favor of the war. Although they have passed on now I would like to take the opportunity to thank Earl Scruggs and his family, his wife Louise, his sons Randy and Gary, and his son Stevie who I only knew was a little boy playing guitar in the background. I would like to acknowledge the advertisers who by placing their ads on this video, help support my effort continue to present clips from my films to my subscribers and others. They include The Bob Dylan Center and the Halcyon Gallery Bob Dylan. David Hoffman Filmmaker

Added 20 May 2026