Earl Scruggs with Family and Friends

On November 18 Rounder Records released Earl Scruggs with Family & Friends: The Ultimate Collection, Live at the Ryman. Recorded live June 21, 2007 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN the album is an assembly of some incredible talent but Earl Scruggs, even at 83 still takes a backseat to no one. The lineup included Scruggs sons Randy and Gary as well as Rob Ickes, John Jorgenson, Jon Randall, Hoot Hester and John Gardner.

In all there's 18 tracks of great music included in this great release. The project also features liner notes from Jay Orr and Earl Stubbs. The evening and CD includes perennial favorites like "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," "Lonesome Ruben," "Ballad of Jed Clampett," "Soldier's Joy," "In the Pines," and "Earl's Breakdown."

This is a great addition to any record collection and is a great entry point for the musical works of Earl Scruggs.

Rounder to Release Earl Scruggs, Family and Friends at the Ryman

Image via WikipediaRounder wrote: on Sep. 30, 2008:
Burlington, MA – American music icon Earl Scruggs helped give birth to bluegrass music when he first appeared on the legendary stage of Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in 1945. Another historic night for Scruggs came in 2007 when he headlined his first-ever Ryman concert. Rounder Records is proud to announce the release of that concert – The Ultimate Collection/Live at the Ryman – first as a digital only release on September 30 and then in CD format on November 18. On this career-spanning set of many of his signature tunes, the ingenuity and undiminished vitality of Earl’s playing, along with the stellar contributions of his Family & Friends Band, make for a magical and unforgettable listening experience.

From Cybergrass