Posted by DAVID WARRICK on December 28, 19101 at 22:23:18:
NEVER WILL FORGET THE ABSOLUTE SHOCK THAT I FELT WHEN I FIRST HEARD "LITTLE GIRL IN TENNESEE"--IN ALL MY YEARS OF BANJO PLAYING (25) I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYONE COME CLOSE TO THE TASTE, TONE, OR TIMING OF MR EARL. AS ONE MAN SAID--"EVERY OTHER BANJO PLAYER IS STANDING AT THE GATE--EARL HAS THE PASTURE ALL TO HIMSELF! IF ANYONE KNOWS HOW TO GET AHOLD OF SOME OLD FLATT AND SCRUGGS LIVE SHOWS IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. I KNEW A MAN NAMED PAUL CHAMPION WHO HAD TAPES OF OLD MARTHA WHITE SHOWS AS WELL AS SCHOOL HOUSE PERFORMANCES, DRIVE IN THEATERS, AND EVEN A LIVE SHOW FROM CORNELL UNIVERSITY IN 1959 WHERE COUSIN JAKE SANG ABOUT THE DOG RIDING IN SPUTNIK--THESE WERE ALL LOST WHEN PAUL DIED. SURE WOULD BE NICE IF THEY SURFACED AGAIN. EARL DID STUFF ON THE BANJO IN LIVE SHOWS THAT NEVER MADE IT TO THE RECORD STUDIO. THOSE WHO ONLY KNOW HIS MUSIC FROM RECORDS ONLY THINK THEY KNOW EARL'S PLAYING--BELIEVE ME NO ONE HAS EVER COME CLOSE TO WHAT HE DID FROM 1948 ON