Losing a beloved elder

We try not to get too much into the whole Guess Who Died Today deal, but every now and then, you know, we do lose someone who leaves a gijantic hole that will just never be filled.

As he's known around my house, our much loved "Grandpa Earl" passed yesterday.

Aside from the fact that he was very nearly single-handedly (see what I did there?) responsible for the creation of a musical form that became known (and, at least around The Palace, adored beyond words)

the world over,

and yeah, if you've ever, even once, heard this sound

and tapped a toe or two (and if you DIDN'T, seek medical assistance ASAP), Earl's the one you can thank.

But, aside from all that, in a career that spanned more than 50 years, in which he joyfully joined in on the music that he loved with pretty much anyone who wanted to, he remained a warm, unfailingly courteous gentleman always

I guess/hope he's with old Bill now

who doubtless got grumpy on him about having to wait (NO-ONE keeps Bill Monroe waiting!)...

Here's as good a sendoff as any.

See how sharp you are at identifying the Friends in this one.

(They're just a handful compared to the millions he made.)

Sorry, I was looking for this and just found it.

On November 15, 1969, Scruggs played his Grammy-winning "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" on an open-air stage in Washington, D.C., at the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam, becoming one of the very few bluegrass or country-western artists to give support to the anti-war movement. In an interview after his performance, Scruggs said:

I think the people in the South is just as concerned as the people that's walkin' the streets here today ... I'm sincere about bringing our boys back home. I'm disgusted and in sorrow about the boys we've lost over there. And if I could see a good reason to continue, I wouldn't be here today.

Class act, all the way.

See you, Earl.

Raj