Louise Scruggs

Louise Scruggs
Born
Louise Certain

(1927-02-17)February 17, 1927
Grant, Tennessee
DiedFebruary 2, 2006(2006-02-02) (aged 78)
Nashville, Tennessee
NationalityAmerican
OccupationMusic manager
AwardsInternational Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame (2010)

Louise Scruggs (née Certain 17 February 1927 — 2 February 2006) was an American music manager and booking agent. Scruggs became the first woman manager in the music industry when she started managing American bluegrass band Flatt and Scruggs in 1955. She was posthumously awarded the Joe Talbot Award in 2006 and inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2010.

Early life

Scruggs was born on 17 February 1927 in Grant, Tennessee.[1]

Career

Upon completing her high school education, Scruggs started her career as a bookkeeper in 1945.[1] In 1955, Scruggs was the first woman manager in the music industry[2] when she became the manager and booking agent of Flatt & Scruggs. As booking agent, she booked her husband Earl Scruggs to perform at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival.[3] As manager, she worked on the Flatt & Scruggs's albums Songs of the Famous Carter Family and Folk Songs of Our Land while promoting the band.[4] Her career with Flatt & Scruggs ended after the band broke up in 1969. Afterwards, she became the manager of the newly formed bluegrass band Earl Scruggs Revue.[5]

Death

Scruggs died on 2 February 2006 in Nashville, Tennessee from respiratory disease.[2]

Awards and honors

Shortly after her death, Scruggs was awarded the Joe Talbot Award by the Country Music Association in 2006.[6] The following year, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum created the Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum award in 2007.[7] Scruggs was inducted posthumously into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2010.[8]

Personal life

Louise and Earl Scruggs were married and had three children together.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b Glaser, Dennis (2011). Music City's Defining Decade: Stories, Stars, Songwriters & Scoundrels of the 1970s. Xilbris Corporation. p. 251. ISBN 9781462857678. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  2. ^ a b Han, Sarah (18 February 2006). "Manager Louise Scruggs, 78". Billboard. p. 74. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  3. ^ "Louise Scruggs, 78; Wife of Banjoist Promoted Bluegrass Music". Los Angeles Times. 4 February 2006. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  4. ^ Rosenberg, Neil V. (2005). Bluegrass: A History (Twentieth Anniversary ed.). Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 167–69. ISBN 025206304X. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Music Industry Pioneer Louise Scruggs Dies". CMT. 2 February 2006. Archived from the original on January 10, 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  6. ^ Stark, Phyllis (27 May 2006). "Anderson's Label Hunt ; Shelton Quits Road". Billboard. p. 47. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  7. ^ "The Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum". Country Music Hall of Fame Museum. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  8. ^ "Inductees". International Bluegrass Music Museum. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Louise Scruggs, famed banjoist's wife, manager". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. 4 February 2006. Retrieved 18 March 2018.