We found a nice profile of Louise Scruggs in the November 13 edition of American Chronicle, which can be read online. She was married to banjo pioneer Earl Scruggs for more than 50 years when she passed away on February 2, 2006.

The article by John Hood covers her impact managing the careers of Flatt & Scruggs, and later Earl himself as a solo artist and bandleader. It quotes Louise from previous interviews, some included in The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Banjo Man exhibit, which was on display this past spring in Nashville.

One quote describes how she came to take charge of Flatt & Scruggs’ business arrangements:

“He was getting ready to leave one day,” said Louise of her almost accidental entry into the music business. “He was in a hurry. He had a name on a notepad and said ‘Here’s a guy in Virginia. Could you give him a call and see if you can set this date up?’ So I took the name and called the guy and booked the date. When he came back home that night, I said, ‘I got that date for you. Do you have any more calls you want me to make?’ He said, ‘Yeah, I have.’”

And the rest, as they say, is history. Read the article on the American Chronicle web site.

This post is a contribution from Steve Dilling, banjo player with IIIrd Tyme Out. Steve became acquainted with the Scruggses over the years, and shares a few thoughts about Louise’s passing.

I guess that my best remembrance of Louise Scruggs was her dry sense of humor, and her protection of Earl. What I mean by protection was, Louise never wanted anyone to make money off of Earl, or his name with out authorization. I remember visiting at their home one time, and I mentioned that a friend of mine had a picture of me and Earl made on a coffee mug, and the moment that I mentioned that, Louise made sure that I didn’t buy the mug. I assured her that it was a gift, and there were not anymore made.

Louise was a great business lady, and knew a lot about the music industry. I enjoyed the numerous conversations that I had with Louise about the business side of our music. She always made me feel welcome whether I was in her home, or on their bus, or at a restaurant.

Louise will be missed.

Steve Dilling

Noted bluegrass writer/journalist and musician Jon Weisberger has written another fine tribute to Louise Scruggs which can be read in the online version The Nashville Scene, a free arts and culture newsprint publication widely read by music industry professionals in Nashville. Jon recaps her life and the impact she made on the music business, and also includes some quotes from an interview she gave to The Nashville Scene, last year.

A reserved but iron-willed woman who was raising two young sons at the time she began assuming responsibility for Flatt & Scruggs” business, Louise had been interested in business from her childhood. She wasn”t surprised by the resistance she encountered. “They always wanted to talk to Earl,” she recalled in a 2005 interview with the Scene. “But I would say, “No, you have to go through me anyway, so you might as well talk to me now and then we”ll get this settled.” “

Read the whole article here.

Jon also links to a fascinating recent interview with both Earl and Louise Scruggs conducted by Alan Chartock for WAMC radio in NY. Chartock is professor emeritus at the University at Albany, and an amateur banjo player in addition to his work on radio. The wide ranging 30 minute interview is devoted as much to Louise as Earl, and includes some classic music clips as well.

Earl describes how he came to join Bill Monroe’s band, how he developed his three finger style, and discusses his participation in Viet Nam war protests in the 1970s. Louise recalls the genesis of Flatt & Scruggs’ involvement with The Beverly Hillbillies TV show, and the day that Warren Beatty called to talk to Earl about scoring the music for Bonnie & Clyde.

Serious students and fans of Flatt & Scruggs or Earl and Louise Scruggs won’t learn much new from the radio interview, but anyone who would enjoy hearing a recap of their long careers and contributions to the music will surely enjoy giving it a listen.

This post is a contribution from Rob Ickes, the celebrated dobroist with Blue Highway. Rob was a semi-regular member of the Earl Scruggs stage band when Earl would make one of his rare public performances this past few years.

Louise will be missed by many people in Bluegrass and Country Music. I always enjoyed hearing her stories about the “old days” with Flatt and Scruggs, and also the incredible experiences they had in the 70’s with the Earl Scruggs Review. She had an uncanny memory for dates and places and was a very sharp lady, to say the least.

I also really appreciated the respect with which she always treated the guys in the band. She was always checking to make sure things were taken care of for us on the road, and playing with the Earl Scruggs Family and Friends Band has been one of the most enjoyable and memorable experiences of my life.

I will really miss Louise.

Rob Ickes

Pete Wernick, aka Dr. Banjo, sent us a copy of a moving tribute he wrote to commemorate the passing of Louise Scruggs. Pete was headed to Nashville for the funeral when he sent this along, and we wanted to quote briefly from his piece, and also suggest you visit Pete’s site to read the entire thing.

Like so many folks who have taken the occasion of Mrs. Scruggs’ passing to comment on her status in the music business, Pete has also taken pains to make reference to her generosity and kindness of spirit - traits often unseen to those outside the Scruggs’ circle of family and friends, and perhaps in stark contrast with the widely-held persona of a tough-as-nails businesswoman.

“My last conversation with Louise was on Jan. 6, Earl’s birthday. I have called Earl on his birthday for many years. This year, that day saw them sharing a room at a rehab facility, where he was recuperating from the fall he took in late November. The only way to call in was Louise’s cell phone. I was in Colorado putting together a performance with 12 banjo players at my Advanced Banjo Camp. I called Louise on the cell, and she answered, in a clear voice. Earl was not able to get to the phone, so the two of us talked. I put her on the speaker phone for the campers to hear. She sounded downright lively, asked about the camp, and gave her greetings to the group, and extended Earl’s. She said the one thing she regretted was that she couldn’t “jump right out of bed” and throw Earl a party, as she was used to doing. There, in the last month of her life, suffering from multiple ailments, her greatest joy remained honoring her man.”

Pete’s entire commentary is worthy of your attention if you are a fan of Earl Scruggs, or simply interested in the people who helped make this music possible.

This post is a contribution from Casey Henry. Casey is the daughter of banjo player Murphy Henry, and is an accomplished banjo player in her own right, as well as an instructor. Currently Casey and her brother Chris are fronting a band called The Two-Stringers.

The first time I met Louise Scruggs was in an elevator at IBMA in Louisville. It must have been the Thursday of the Awards Show. I had gone up to my room to grab a banjo and a guitar and was rushing toward the elevator, out of breath, one instrument in each hand. Someone held the door for me and when the doors closed behind me the first person I saw was Louise. I had never seen her in person before, but she looked right at me and said “Casey.” I answered, “Louise.” And we shook hands. And then I turned to Earl and shook hands with him. I was so excited. How she recognized me I don’t know, but I do know she kept up with everything that was going on in the bluegrass world. She always read the current publications, Banjo Newsletter, BU, and didn’t miss a thing. When Murphy once wrote in her BNL column about a picture of Earl’s right hand that someone had given her, Louise called up the photographer and wanted to know where her copy of the picture was.

Murphy and I were lucky to have had the opportunity to visit Earl and Louise’s house in Madison, before they moved down to the huge mansion. Earl answered the door, Louise brought us Coke to drink, and after we had visited for a while it was she who asked if we wanted to play Earl’s banjo.

Maybe my favorite memory is when we both happened to be at a baby shower for Don and Tina Rigsby at Tom T. and Dixie Hall’s house. I sat next to Louise as Tina was opening presents. We found common ground in the fact that neither of us really knew Tina. When Louise got up to get more punch, Don came over and was about to sit in her seat. I had to tell him, “Louise was sitting there.” So when she got back I told her I’d saved her seat for her. She appreciated that.

At Earl’s 80th birthday reception at the Country Music Hall of Fame I made a point to tell her that I liked her jacket, which was a beautiful burgundy color and a stylish cut. I think the last time I saw her was when Berklee School of Music awarded Earl an honorary doctorate last year. She didn’t look as well as she had in the past but, as always, she and Earl looked pleased to get a huge standing ovation from the crowd. She was a unique person, and a pioneering woman in the music business. Her contributions deserve to be recognized and she greatly deserves a place in the IBMA’s Hall of Honor.

John Gerome (AP writer and national “country music correspondent”) has a piece in Monday’s edition of The Tennessean covering the funeral services for Louise Scruggs yesterday at The Ryman Auditorium. As Gerome notes in his opening sentence:

“Louise Scruggs, whose business savvy helped banjo great Earl Scruggs’ career flourish, was remembered Monday in a memorial service at the auditorium where they first met.”

Read the entire article here, which describes the service and some of the lovely tributes it engendered.

This post is a contribution from Murphy Henry. Murphy is well know for her instructional method that uses no tab. Be sure to visit her site murphymethod.com to learn more about, and purchase, her teaching and instructional materials.

I feel very fortunate to have known Louise Scruggs, even just a little bit. She seemed to me to be an extremely complex woman whose reserved, almost dour, public demeanor masked an incredibly dry wit. And smart! Lord, she was smart. And quick, too. At a long-ago IBMA, I was sitting with Louise and Earl at a table in the restaurant at the Executive Inn in Owensboro one evening. I was somewhat petrified because I didn’t know either of them very well. A man came up and asked Earl to autograph something–was it a license plate? He said he was getting the autographs of all the great banjo players. Louise, sitting right beside me, said to me sotto voce, “You’re a banjo player. Why don’t you give him your autograph?” That was funny on many levels, and I think Louise was aware of all of them. Needless to say, I kept mum.

A few years ago, again at IBMA, I had my picture taken with Louise, which I’m looking at right now in my office. Most people want to get their picture taken with Earl, but I wanted mine with her. Right before Marye Yeomans snapped the shot, Louise said, “Wait.” I wondered why the delay. Again in a low voice she said to me, “I’ve got to hold my stomach in.” Is there a woman on the face of the earth who hasn’t had that same thought? I loved Louise for saying that. I broke into a huge laugh, which is when Marye snapped the shot. Then Louise made me promise not to tell anyone what she said. So, in writing my column for Banjo Newsletter, I didn’t. But now it seems like it’s okay. I think that’s a side of Louise not too many people know about.
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Sharon McGraw, editor of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine, also shared her thoughts about Louise Scruggs and her legacy as a prominent female businesswoman.

“Louise Scruggs stands out as the most prominent leader in the music industry for women. She was absolutely the pillar of strength in most any business transaction. Louise will be remembered for her strong will as well. I begged her for years to allow us to feature her in the magazine and always received the same reply, “maybe soon.” We actually had begun work on an article just prior to her health declining.

She will be sadly missed.

Sharon McGraw, Managing Editor, Bluegrass Unlimited

John Jorgenson is an internationally recognized master of gypsy jazz guitar, and a first rate bluegrass guitarist and mandolinist to boot. He has been been a member of Earl Scruggs’ stage band on many occasions.

I feel very honored to have gotten the chance to get to know Louise. She was an amazing manager for Earl and whoever he was playing with. She was always unassuming, but had a very keen business sense and was very astute with her assessment of the importance of image and positioning for her artists. I also felt like I became a member of her extended family, and she treated me with lots of kindness, humor and respect.

I have nothing but respect for Louise as a pioneer in a male-dominated business, as a wife and mother, and as a person with high moral values. She will be missed a lot, and I hope that her contributions to the music business on the whole will one day be realized.

Best, John Jorgenson

This post is a contribution from Cindy Baucom. Cindy hosts the syndicated radio show Knee Deep In Bluegrass. She is also the IBMA 2005 Bluegrass Broadcaster of the Year.

Like so many others, I was very saddened by the passing of Louise Scruggs. Over the years, I have grown to truly appreciate the contributions she made to the advancement of the music. In November of last year, I had the opportunity to interview her husband, Earl Scruggs. He was quick to point out what Louise’s hard work and foresight had meant–not only to his career, but to Bluegrass overall. He told me when he and Lester Flatt left Bill Monroe, it was very important to Louise to get their music in high profile venues. He told me she worked really hard to get them in places where Bluegrass hadn’t been presented before. And the image of the music and musician was very important to her, as well. Louise Scruggs was an industry leader and will be greatly missed in the music world.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Cindy sent along a brief audio clip from the Earl Scruggs interview she referenced above. It’s less than a minute in length, and you can play it by clicking on the audio player below.

The Nashville Tennessean obituary for Louise Scruggs is available online for anyone who would like to read it.

It relates the very basic details of her life, as you would expect in an immediate newspaper obituary, along with brief tributes from Dwight Yoakam, Ricky Skaggs and Jeff Hanna (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band). There is also a lovely quote from Mrs. Scruggs from an earlier interview where she describes seeing Earl perform for the first time at The Grand Ole Opry in 1946, and being more struck by the man himself than his banjo playing. They met that night, and were married two years later.

We’ll pass along other resources of this sort as we find them.

This post is a contribution from Brad Davis. Brad is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and recording engineer who has worked with a literal who’s-who of bluegrass music. Visit Brad online at braddavismusic.com.

As I sit here and hold back the tears, I have just heard the news that Louise Scruggs, the wife of folk legend Earl Scruggs had passed away this afternoon at 2:05 p.m. I never thought it would hit me this hard. I guess you never know ’till it happens. Her personality and presence had such a strong influence on my own life. She was a brave woman that was as focused as any man I’ve ever worked with. She’d step up to a challenge, re-adjust that strong look of confidence on her face comand all attention.

I’ve heard some say she was very cold or rude because of her quietness and stern business face, but the Louise I had the pleasure of knowing was a sweet and kind individual that, at all times, let you know where she stood. I could call her up, impersonating either Carl Childers or Johnn Cash, and make her laugh.

Louise, we love you and you won’t soon be forgotten. My prayers go out to Earl, Gary, Randy, Huge and family members.

Farewell country music’s greatest lady, Louise Scruggs.

Brad Davis

We are sorry to report that Louise Scruggs, beloved wife of Earl Scruggs as well his long time business manager, passed away today at approximately 2:00 p.m. in Nashville, TN. She had been hospitalized for some time, and despite some recent hope that her health was improving, took a turn for the worse over the past few days.

I am sure that all of our readers will join us in expressing our sincere condolences in this time of sadness and loss for the Scruggs family. Please keep them all in your thoughts and prayers.

We will have more information and some remembrances of Mrs. Scruggs over the course of the next few days.