Customer Reviews

16 Biggest Hits

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Over 30 years after their breakup, Lester Flatt &Earl Scruggs remain the most famous band to emerge from bluegrass. Brought together in Bill Monroe's band in 1945, they left three years later to form their own band - the Foggy Mountain Boys - and sign with Mercury Records.

While their Mercury recordings are held in higher esteem, Flatt & Scruggs' work for Columbia was far more popular at country radio. 16 Biggest Hits captures most of these radio favorites (missing is the 1966 top 20 toe-tapper "California Up Tight Band"). The set leads off with its most pure bluegrass offerings; "Tis Sweet To Be Remembered," "Cabin In The Hills," and "Crying My Heart Out Over You." Lester's easy going, high tenor voice is the featured "instrument" on these recordings.

The middle of this collection finds Flatt & Scruggs at their commercial peak, led by their 1962 chart-topping theme for The Beverly Hillbillies. This smash led to several appearances on the show (including a performance of "Pearl, Pearl, Pearl," their top-ten ode about Jethro Bodine's mother) as well as the Petticoat Junction theme assignment (a top 20 hit). These recordings featured Earl's extraordinary "three-finger-banjo" accompaniment far more prominently.

Flatt & Scruggs' 1967 remake of their "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" (originally cut for Mercury in 1949) was used in the film Bonnie & Clyde and concludes this set on a high note. Not long thereafter, the duo split up due to differences over musical direction. Flatt's death in 1979 would end any chance of a reunion.

While this collection is far too brief - at less than 41 minutes in length - it is the best available single CD of Flatt & Scruggs at their most successful. For a more extensive look at this period, check out Columbia's two-disc The Essential Flatt & Scruggs or the THREE box sets from Bear Family.

This Legacy rehash of the duo's Columbia hits leads off with a 1951 track, Mac Wiseman's "'Tis Sweet to be Remembered" and concludes with "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" from 1967. In between are 14 more gems featuring Lester's twangy but pleasant vocals and Earl's super work on the banjo. It's all good, recording quality high, a nice introduction to the Bluegrass veterans when they were actually popular with mainstream country radio, and in the case of "The Ballad of Jed Clampitt" and to a lesser extent, "Petticoat Junction" even with a pop song audience and with kids. If you like them, or Bluegrass music in general, or country music in general, add some Lester and Earl to your CD shelf. You won't be sorry.

The late Lester Flatt and Earl Scruugs had 15 chart hits between 1952 and 1967. Eleven are right here in one fine compilation. Many know the two from their famous 1960s theme songs to "The Beverly Hillbillies", "Petticoat Junctionïon" and the movie "Bonnie and Clyde". Though all 3 are included here, there is much more to Flatt and Scruggs than that! This album is a wonderful introduction to Bluegrass, with an easy, laid back, mellow harmony with that 5-string banjo. This reviewer's favorites were "Just Ain't" and "Go Home" but others are sure to pick their own. One reason is the artful variety on the album: There is a fine version of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone",a solid instrumental in "Earl's" Breakdown" and straight from the great A.P. Carter himself-"You Are My Flower". There is even a John Sebastian track-"Nashville Cats".What's not to like? I have read that Mr. Flatt had the musical title "The Baron of the Bluegrass", a handle he shared with legendary UK basketball coach Adolph Rupp. What fully deserved rarified company!

Would be more accurately titled "14 Worst and A Couple of Good Instrumentals". As an inveterate F & S fan, I made the mistake of ordering the CD without looking at the song titles. As a result, and for the first time, I found several F and S songs I didn't like. Do yourself a favor, pass on this one.