Posted by Dale Mullins on August 20, 19102 at 07:10:43:
The person who taught Earl Scruggs to play his famos 3 finger style was Smith Hammet from N.C.. The banjo which he learned to play on is still in my family. Mr. Scruggs has tried to purchase it many times but my great Aunt will not part with it. The neck has grooves in it from the fingernails of lots of people. Some of them are:Smith Hammet(my great grandfather), Earl Scruggs(which is my distant third cousin), Smitty Irvin(played w/lots of groups but is best known for his time on the Jimmy Dean show), Roy Irvin, and one that I am not possitive about is Roy Clark. Just would like to say that the story of Mr. Scruggs when he figgured out how to play 3 finger style is something I will always remember, he was not even big enough to hold the banjo, he had to sit on the floor and cross his legs to hold it. Thanks for letting me share it. Dale Mullins