Bluegrass Music and Martha White

Bluegrass music's Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys were hired by Martha White in 1953. At the onset, this bluegrass band was pretty much unknown. This would soon change as they were hired to travel across the southern U.S. in the "Martha White Bluegrass Express" to promote the company's flour and cornmeal. The "Worlds's Greatest Flour Peddlers" performed at many local concerts, on Nashville's early morning radio show and as hosts of the Flatt and Scruggs television program - all sponsored by Martha White. With all this came increasing popularity which took them to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry and on to Carnegie Hall. "Goodness Gracious!!" I don't own video.

Bluegrass Music -- The Foggy Mountain Boys

One of the most influential bands in the history of bluegrass music would have to be Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys. Both Flatt and Scruggs had previously played for Bill Monroe before deciding to start their own band, The Foggy Mountain Boys. The Foggy Mountain boys were influential through the 1940's, 1950's, and 1960's. With Scruggs on banjo along with Flatt on rythmn guitar and vocals gave the Foggy Mountain Boys a very distinctive sound that won them many fans. They even became members of the Grand Ole Opry in 1955. Combining the solid vocals of Lester Flatt, the unique sound of Earl Scruggs on banjo and the many other extraordinary musicians, it's hard to argue the fact that the Foggy Mountain Boys was a band that helped bring bluegrass music to international prominence.

The Foggy Mountain Boys was well remembered for their Martha White segment at the Grand Ole Opry along with their exposure on TV. The sitcom, "The Beverly Hillbillies", helped Flatt & Scruggs become famous with their playing of "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" which was the first bluegrass song to hit #1 in the Country Music Charts. In 1967, the use of the "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" in the movie Bonnie and Clyde furthered their exposure and gained them many new fans. This would make the "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" the best known of all bluegrass music instrumentals.