Lester Flatt / Scruggs,Earl - Hits & Classics 1951-1962 (Uk) [CD]

Having previously anthologised the early years of bluegrass icons Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs in our recent CD "Lester And Earl", Jasmine now carries their story forward with "Earl And Lester" which chronicles their shellac and vinyl activity from 1950 to the early 60s, presenting their best 78s and 45s from this period in chronological order of release and including all of their Billboard 'Country & Western' chart hits from the time. F&S recorded in excess of 100 songs during the period covered by this collection, including many songs that have gone on to become bluegrass standards. Only a handful charted, towards the end of the 50s and into the early 60s, but many of their releases were very big sellers over a period of time, and their popularity was enough for Nashville's famous 'Grand Ole Opry' to invite the duo to become members in the mid-50s. Their biggest hit 'The Ballad Of Jed Clampett' - the theme from the long running US TV series 'The Beverly Hillbillies' - closes this collection. It remains the only bluegrass recording to top the C&W charts and one of only two to make the Hot 100 Pop charts, both of them by F&S incidentally. These peerless performances show exactly why these bluegrass trailblazers were so popular for so long, and why they continued to be beyond the time frame of this collection and up to the dissolution of their partnership at the end of the 60s.