Scruggs joined Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys in late 1945 and his syncopated, three-finger picking style quickly became a sensation. In 1948 Scruggs and guitarist Lester Flatt left Monroe's band and formed Flatt and Scruggs. In 1969, Flatt and Scruggs broke up and Scruggs started a new band, the Earl Scruggs Revue, featuring several of his sons.
Flatt and Scruggs won a Grammy Award in 1969 for Scruggs' instrumental Foggy Mountain Breakdown. Scruggs was an inaugural inductee into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor in 1991.
In 2002 Scruggs won a second Grammy award for the 2001 recording of Foggy Mountain Breakdown, which featured artists such as Steve Martin on 2nd banjo solo (Martin played the banjo tune on his 1970s stand-up comic acts), Vince Gill and Albert Lee on electric guitar solos, Paul Shaffer on piano, Leon Russell on organ, and Marty Stuart on mandolin. The album, Earl Scruggs and Friends, also featured artists such as Elton John, Sting, Johnny Cash, Don Henley, Travis Tritt, and Billy Bob Thornton. Earl Scruggs and Friends (MCA Nashville, 2001).
On February 13, 2003, Scruggs received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
On September 13, 2006, Scruggs was honored at Turner Field in Atlanta as part of the pre-game show for an Atlanta Braves home game. Organizers set a world record (239) for the most banjo players playing one song together (Scruggs' Foggy Mountain Breakdown).
Scruggs' wife and manager Louise Scruggs died on February 2, 2006 at the age of 78 at Nashville, TN's Baptist Hospital following a lengthy illness.
Down the Road
Earl Scruggs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lives a little girl named Pearly Blue
About so high and her hair is brown
The Prettiest thing boys in this town
Now anytime you want to know
Where I'm going, down the road
Get my girl on the line
Now everyday and Sunday too
I go to see my Pearly Blue
Before you hear that rooster crow
You'll see me headed down the road
Now old man Flatt he owned the farm
From the hog lot to the barn
From the barn to the rail
He made his living by carrying the mail
Now every time I get the blues
I walk the soles right off my shoes
I don't know why I love her so
That gal of mine lives down the road
Earl Scruggs's song "Down The Road" is an upbeat and lively tune about a little girl named Pearly Blue who lives a mile or two down the road. The singer describes Pearly as the prettiest thing in town, with brown hair and a diminutive stature. He seems to be smitten with her, as he frequently mentions her in the song and goes to see her every day and Sunday too. The lyrics suggest that Pearly is his girlfriend or love interest, as he urges listeners to "get [his] girl on the line" if they want to know where he's going.
The song also includes references to other characters in the singer's community, including old man Flatt, who owns a farm and makes his living by carrying the mail. The singer also laments his love for Pearly, which seems to cause him some distress, as he muses that he doesn't know why he loves her so much. Despite any heartache, however, the singer always seems to find solace and happiness in walking down the road to see his beloved Pearly.
Overall, "Down The Road" is a charming and lively song that captures the joy and heartache of young love in a small town setting. With its catchy tune and relatable lyrics, it has become a classic in the bluegrass and country music repertoire, beloved by fans around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Now down the road just a mile or two
A short distance from my present location lies a road where someone dear resides
Lives a little girl named Pearly Blue
There is a delightful girl named Pearly Blue residing over yonder
About so high and her hair is brown
The girl's height is moderate and her hair is brown in color
The Prettiest thing boys in this town
She is the most magnificent girl in this town, and every boy is in awe of her
Now anytime you want to know
In the event that you ever want to uncover my whereabouts
Where I'm going, down the road
The place I will be going is the road that's been discussed earlier
Get my girl on the line
Contact me through my beloved Pearly Blue
You'll find me there most any old time
If you do that, I will be available to you on most occasions
Now everyday and Sunday too
At every possible instant, including Sundays
I go to see my Pearly Blue
I make it a point to visit my dearest Pearly Blue every time
Before you hear that rooster crow
It is so early in the morning that no roosters have begun to crow yet
You'll see me headed down the road
At that time, I will begin my journey down the aforementioned road
Now old man Flatt he owned the farm
The individual called old man Flatt was the proprietor of the farm
From the hog lot to the barn
He controlled all the land where the pigs and the barn are situated
From the barn to the rail
He was in charge of the area encasing the barn and the rail
He made his living by carrying the mail
Gateway was his primary source of income
Now every time I get the blues
Whenever I feel dejected and downcast
I walk the soles right off my shoes
I take long walks that wear out the soles of my shoes
I don't know why I love her so
I am ignorant of the reason for my intense affection for her
That gal of mine lives down the road
The owner of my heart dwells on the very same road I described earlier
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: EARL SCRUGGS, LESTER FLATT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
mike santoro
Just listening to Lester Flatt sing gives me a warm feeling all over. What a great talent
stratman2k5
RIP Earl, one of the greatest banjo players of all time
Dalton Moss
As a tribute to the late Earl Scruggs I added a stanza to this song: Now Brother Scruggs he plays a tune Pickin' strings under the moon By the light of that moon globe He goes a'walkin' down the road R.I.P. Mr. Scruggs
nasty5oh
Man it just doesn't get any better than this. Thanks for posting!
Tony Wood
Lester made it sound so easy. True all star band.
Henni Habeck
Flatt. Has Always been my favorite Bluegrass singer even though he had an atypical voice for the genre, scruggs in my opinion was the best banjo picker ever! No need to mention the outstanding Work of the foggy mountain boys. Absolutely petfect
vern wallen
No body on this planet can play a bango better than MR EARL!!
Dustin Johnson
Yes David akmen could
madeinmississippi
Pure joy listening to these gentlemen.
Brian Lamper
never gets any better then this god bless!