# R.I.P. Earl Scruggs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-earl-scruggs/617102>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 29, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-earl-scruggs/617102 "2012-03-29T00:54:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-earl-scruggs/617102/41 "2012-03-30T15:18:29Z")

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> [@WordMan](#):
>
> **Ike Witt** : I am not a banjo player or travel in big banjo circles, but I seriously doubt that Steve Martin is viewed as anything more that a really solid player worthy of respect by banjo pro’s.

You make this sound like a bad thing. 🙂

I do play banjo (not that this gives me any more credibility than anyone else) and I think Steve Martin is a top-notch banjo player. In fact I will say unequivocally that he is as good as any _bluegrass_ player I’ve heard in years. Does he compare to, say Bela Fleck and his jazz stylings? I wouldn’t compare the two in the first place. And for those who are aware of the distinction between three-finger style playing and [clawhammer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l31MSpojWTA) style, he is that rarity, one who plays in both ways equally impressively.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2012, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-earl-scruggs/617102/42 "2012-03-31T01:21:58Z")

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> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#):
>
> You make this sound like a bad thing. 🙂
> 
> I do play banjo (not that this gives me any more credibility than anyone else) and I think Steve Martin is a top-notch banjo player. In fact I will say unequivocally that he is as good as any _bluegrass_ player I’ve heard in years.

How does he compare with the top 20 banjo players from 1940-1975? That would be my standard.

I would predict that he isn’t as good as any in the top 20 from that period.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-earl-scruggs/617102/43 "2012-03-31T03:14:42Z")

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> [@samclem](#):
>
> How does he compare with the top 20 banjo players from 1940-1975? That would be my standard.
> 
> I would predict that he isn’t as good as any in the top 20 from that period.

I’m actually a bit sorry that I got into this, because such comparisons are so subjective as to be almost meaningless. Is Martin better than Rudy Lyle? I would probably say so. Is he as good as Don Stover? I would say probably not. But to compare Martin to the top 20 players as you mention? Deciding who those 20 are would be a daunting task, and I have no interest in attempting it. I’ll just say he’s a damn good banjo player, and I’ll leave it at that.

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