Tony Trischka’s EarlJam – A Tribute to Earl Scruggs with the Father of Modern Bluegrass | Bringing his EarlJam 2 Album

“When the great Tony Trischka starts playing his banjo, the clouds part, the sun shines, and for a while it feels like all’s well with the world. Joined by some of his all-star friends on EarlJam it becomes a festival of joy that you can’t afford to miss.” — Sean Wilentz (American Historian)

Tony Trischka, GRAMMY-nominee, brings his new album Earl Jam 2 to Godfrey Daniels with EarlJam – A Tribute to Earl Scruggs, expanding his acclaimed project built from rare home recordings of Scruggs and John Hartford. Produced by Béla Fleck and created with a wide circle of bluegrass artists, the album continues Trischka’s work transcribing and recording Scruggs’ note-for-note solos, including material Earl never released. Joined by Michael Daves, Alex Hargreaves, and Jared Engel, Trischka traces Scruggs’ life and musical legacy through newly revived songs and classic three-finger banjo style. Presented in Godfrey Daniels’ Live Music Listening Room, the show offers a focused, up-close experience of bluegrass history in an intimate setting designed for careful listening.

Produced by Béla Fleck and featuring Billy Strings (vocal & guitar), Michael Cleveland (fiddle), Sam Bush (mandolin), Mark Schatz (bass) & Sean Louis Trischka (video), it’s the third single from my upcoming album, 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘭 𝘑𝘢𝘮 2, out March 13th.

𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘭 𝘑𝘢𝘮 2 grew out of rare Earl Scruggs–John Hartford home recordings, and this project has been about bringing those songs back to life with the utmost care and respect for the music. I was lucky to be joined by friends like Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, The Del McCoury Band, Sierra Ferrell, The SteelDrivers, The Gibson Brothers, Dudley Connell and Sister Sadie in celebrating Earl’s legacy and the spirit of bluegrass.

TONY TRISCHKA'S EARLJAM
tonytrischka.com

"Tony Trischka is known as the father of modern bluegrass" - NY Times.

Tony Trischka is considered the consummate banjo artist and perhaps the most influential banjo player in the roots music world.  For more than 50 years, his stylings have inspired a whole generation of bluegrass and acoustic musicians with the many voices he has brought to the instrument.

Tony will be honoring the music of Earl Scruggs, pioneer of the three-finger banjo style and one of the most important musicians in bluegrass, or, in Tony’s opinion, in any genre. 

Trischka recently came into possession of extremely rare recordings of jam sessions with Scruggs and John Hartford, and he’s transcribed and recorded Scruggs’s note-for-note solos from a number of these. Many songs that Earl had never recorded.

An album of this music is in production with a new label formed by some of the founders of Rounder Records and includes a number of bluegrass luminaries.

Together with his ace band—Michael Daves on vocals and guitar, fiddler Alex Hargreaves and bassist Jared Engel— they will trace the story of Scruggs from his childhood to his final years. This show debuted at Joe’s Pub in New York City which drew lots of interest including an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, a rarity for a banjo player these days.

“Earl is my North Star, a lifetime pathway. And I’m not alone,” says Trischka, a banjo innovator and educator who has influenced everyone from Béla Fleck to Steve Martin. “Through his music, this shy kid from Flint Hill, North Carolina went on to enrich countless thousands of lives.  At the age of 13, when I first heard 16 notes of Scruggs style banjo playing, I put down my folk guitar and mercilessly pestered my parents to buy me a banjo. Once in my hands, that 5-string became my obsession and has been for 60 years.”

He adds, “the depth of his genius becomes ever more apparent when I transcribe his solos, which I’ve been doing my entire musical life and with renewed vigor.  Discovering new twists and turns in his playing is pure joy and in fact the inspiration for this tribute show and album.”