But there is a test for covers: Would you just as soon hear the covers or listen to the originals? Miles had changed directions yet again.. (Soundbite of "All Blues" GORDON: As it turns out, And I think what made that song work was the fact that it was the first time I myself was doing a collaboration and integrating with the East Indian society with the music called chutney music. "Differentology. who helped define the sound of bluegrass,C. until one of his co-workers suggested his banjo talent could be a ticket out "I was making 40 cents an hour in the mill and my first job in radio was $50 a week" Scruggs said That radio job led to a meeting with Bill Monroe who asked Scruggs to join his Blue Grass Boys band It was the best gig he'd ever had he told WHYY's Fresh Air in 2003 "I thought to do an hour show on the road was a pushover compared to eight hours in the mill or sun up to sun down on the farm" Scruggs said "And music was my love so to get into a group with good singing ?? and Bill had that ?? we did it 24 hours a day practically" Scruggs only stayed with Monroe for three years In 1948 he and lead singer Lester Flatt split off to form their own group The Foggy Mountain Boys Soon after Scruggs wrote the tune that would come to be the group's calling card and its biggest hit though not for nearly two decades "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" climbed the charts in 1967 after it appeared in the film Bonnie and Clyde and actually won a Grammy Award twice: once in 1968 and again in 2001 for a recording that featured many celebrity guests including actor and banjo player Steve Martin and Scruggs' sons Randy and Gary In 1962 Flatt & Scruggs played on "" the theme song for The Beverly Hillbillies TV show but in 1969 Scruggs left the band By then he had already secured a place in American musical history becoming the model for every banjo player that followed him In 2003 Scruggs released his last new recording an album called Three Pickers with guitarist and mandolin player "The Earl-style of playing you know everyone ?? every banjo player ?? tried to copy Earl" Skaggs told NPR that year "Everybody wanted to be able to get that tone that he got" In the '70s Scruggs blended his sound with country rock in a band that also included his sons the Earl Scruggs Revue His fans didn't always like the new direction but Scruggs cherished the opportunity "One of the biggest thrills a person will ever get is to go on stage with his children especially if they're good musicians and I'll have to brag on them even though they are my boys" he said "I thought [they were] some of the best musicians I'd ever played with" Family was important to Scruggs: His wife was his manager and near the end of his life home was the place he enjoyed playing most; Scruggs hosted jam sessions at his Nashville house" It's toured with , Those who've followed the band's rise closely will recognize roughly a third of these songs: "The Mother We Share, if that's what you want to do.