Born on January 6, 1924 in Shelby, North Carolina, Earl Eugene Scruggs was the youngest of five children of George Elam Scruggs and Georgia Lula Ruppe Scruggs. He had brothers Junie & Horace and sisters Eula Mae & Ruby. The American bluegrass musician married Louise Certain on April 18, 1948 in Gaffney, South Carolina. She became his manager and also bore him three sons. Gary was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on May 18, 1949. Randy was born on August 3, 1953 in Nashville and Steve was also born in Nashville on February 8, 1958. Earl and Louise remained married until her death from a respiratory ailment on February 2, 2006. She was the first female manager in bluegrass history. Earl passed away on March 28, 2012 in Nashville. He was buried at Spring Hill Cemetery in a private service.

Songs Earl Scruggs is known for include the instrumental “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”, “Roll In My Sweet Baby’s Arms” and “The Ballad of Jed Clampett”, which was the theme song for the TV show The Beverly Hillbillies.

Some honors/awards Scruggs received are:
Nov. 10, 2002: TV Land names the Top 40 Television Themes of All-Time with “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” placing among the top 10.
Feb. 13, 2003: Receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Mar. 28, 2003: CMT “40 Greatest Men of Country Music” place Earl Scruggs at #24 alongside Lester Flatt