News

    August 29, 2022 – Earl Scruggs Center Announces: Addition of Earl Scruggs’ personal Jim Faulkner-built Mark V “Ruben” banjo

The Earl Scruggs Center is proud to announce the addition of a historically significant instrument custom built for and owned by Earl Scruggs to its exhibits. A display highlighting the Jim Faulkner-built Mark V “Ruben” banjo, prominently featured… [Read More]

   July 24, 2022 – Watch A Young Hank Williams Jr. Tear Up “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” On The Banjo

He is the son of the great Hank Williams, has had a long and successful career (and still turning out hits), has close to 60 honorable career awards and achievements, and can play almost any instrument he picks up. When Bocephus was young, he… [Read More]

   July 5, 2022 – How to Have a Perfect Couples Getaway in Shelby and Cleveland County NC

f you adore true southern hospitality, amazing mom and pop restaurants, and a trip through musical history, you’re going to absolutely love Cleveland County, NC. When it comes to having a couple’s getaway in Cleveland County, there are plenty… [Read More]

   May 19, 2022 – Road Trip in the Blue Ridge Mountains: Hikes, Hush Puppies and a Retro-Chic Mountain Lodge

CRAVE ADVENTURE? Follow the Appalachian spring from Charlotte, N.C., to Nashville, Tenn., some 480 miles across the Blue Ridge Mountains and Cumberland Plateau via Highways US-74 W and US-64 W. It’s a less predictable itinerary… [Read More]

   April 10, 2022 – Bluegrass Ambassadors to visit students, perform for the community

Cleveland County’s 4th graders will soon have a unique musical experience thanks to a group called the Bluegrass Ambassadors. Later this month, students will learn about musicians like Sonny Terry, a blues harmonica player who… [Read More]

   March 28, 2022 – The great Earl Scruggs, now ten years gone

10 years ago, on March 28, 2012, Earl Eugene Scruggs, noted for popularizing a three-finger banjo-picking style that bears his famous name, passed away.  The Scruggs style became a defining characteristic not just of the banjo but… [Read More]

   March 11, 2022 – Louise Scruggs: a ‘Club of One’ as a Pop Culture Pioneer and Bluegrass Visionary

Louise Scruggs spent over half a century guiding the career and exalting the brand of her husband, banjo innovator Earl Scruggs. As a manager, accountant and booking agent, first for Flatt & Scruggs and later for The Earl Scruggs… [Read More]

    February 3, 2022 – IBMA Foundation’s Grant

We are thankful and delighted to receive support from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Foundation for our “Roots and Strings: The Foundations of Bluegrass” project. During the week of April 25-28, the Bluegrass… [Read More]

    January 19, 2022 – Gardner-Webb Archives and Earl Scruggs Center Collaborate on Bible Exhibit

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—By the late 18th Century, Bibles had become treasured family heirlooms—not just for the spiritual aspect, but because the pages were used to record marriages, births and deaths. In recognition of the secular… [Read More]

     January 14, 2022 – Earl Scruggs Center Announces: Center Stage Concert Series

Live music returns to the heart of Cleveland County in early 2022 with the announcement of the Earl Scruggs Center’s Center Stage Concert Series. This series features an outstanding slate of award-winning artists, Grammy award-winners… [Read More]

    December 1, 2021 – EARL SCRUGGS MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES INITIAL ARTIST LINEUP

Mill Spring, NC (December 1, 2021) – Earl Scruggs Music Festival is proud to announce its first round of artists for its inaugural event, taking place September 2-4, 2022 at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North… [Read More]

    November 18, 2021 – 2021 Holiday Gift Guide

Looking for local gift ideas? Here’s a list of our staff’s top 10 favorites available in our gift shop! 1. Mary Beth Martin – Step It Up & Go by David Menconi I highly recommend Step It Up and Go – The Story of North Carolina Popular… [Read More]

    November 17, 2021 – Earl Scruggs Center Announces: New Special Exhibition

The Earl Scruggs Center announces a new special exhibition, A Symphony for the Road: An Avett Brothers Retrospective Featuring the Photography of Daniel Coston, opening February 8, 2022 and running through August 6, 2022. A Symphony… [Read More]

       November 12, 2021 – A Perfect Long Weekend In Shelby, North Carolina

It’s easy to spend a perfect long weekend in Shelby, North Carolina, a stop on the North Carolina Blue Ridge Music Trail. This city and surrounding Cleveland County proclaim their musical heritage with the slogan: Carolina’s Land of… [Read More]

    September 23, 2021 – DISCOVER THE HIDDEN MELODIES OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

A trip up to the mountains is never complete without a stop in Asheville. This city pays homage to its mountain roots with live music and cultural celebrations. Pop into Isis Music Hall in west Asheville to enjoy one of their weekly shows… [Read More]

    September 8, 2021 – Find Your Rhythm Here

Located in the rolling foothills of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, nestled between Asheville and Charlotte, Cleveland County, North Carolina is a place that welcomes visitors from around the world. A rich and varied past has made way… [Read More]

    September 2, 2021 – Earl Scruggs Center Announces: New Special Exhibition

The Earl Scruggs Center announces a new special exhibition, Everyman Jack: Stories & Illustrations by Gail E. Haley, opening September 10, 2021 and running through December 23, 2021. This exhibition displays…[Read More]

    August 27, 2021 – The Biggest Week in Bluegrass

IBMA World of Bluegrass comes to Raleigh, September 28 – October 2 Last year, we participated in the International Bluegrass Music Association’s virtual World of Bluegrass event, but this year, we couldn’t be more excited to attend… [Read More]

    July 26, 2021 – A Locally Crafted Travel Guide to Cleveland County

When Red and Lyttle Bridges started smoking pork in Cleveland County in 1946, they didn’t dream of winning awards — they just wanted to make great food. But Dedmond’s Barbecue — renamed Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge in 1949… [Read More]

    April 23, 2021 – Volunteer Appreciation Day 2021

“Volunteer” defined. (a) An individual who performs hours of service for a public agency for civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons, without promise, expectation or receipt of compensation for services rendered, is considered to be… [Read More]

     March 24, 2021 – Your Guide to a Day Trip to the Earl Scruggs Center

Spring is here in Shelby, NC, and with that comes delightful weather and the urge to take daytrips or explore your own community. We hope that means you are planning a visit to the Earl Scruggs Center, where you can learn more about the… [Read More]

     March 18, 2021 – Justin Harper to lead ‘Musical Explorations’ at ESC

Classes are now underway for a new music series offered by the Earl Scruggs Center (ESC) in Shelby. But the classes aren’t new at all — they are the continuation of a series, titled “Musical Explorations,” that provides children with music… [Read More]

       March 10, 2021 – HISTORIC SHELBY WALKING TOUR

This self-guided walking tour in Shelby highlights historic structures dating back to the 1850s which include Webbley, a national historic landmark and house of O. Max Gardner; a 1907 Classic Revival courthouse… [Read More]

       February 17, 2021 – Celebrating the life of Louise Scruggs (1927 – 2006)

Anne “Louise” Certain Scruggs was a woman ahead of her time. When she began managing Flatt & Scruggs in 1955, the role of a professional manager was a new concept. As a woman in a high-powered business… [Read More]

      February 8, 2021 – Special Exhibition: African American Builders & Architects Opening

African American Builders & Architects opened to our members on February 8, 2021. Check out these pictures from the opening day celebration… [Read More]

     January 15, 2021 – 2021 Official Charlotte City Guide

Just 45 minutes from Uptown Charlotte, discover the quintessential heart of Carolina culture in the rolling hills of Cleveland County, connecting the Piedmon to the mountains. From groundbreaking bluegrass to world-class barbecue… [Read More]

     January 6, 2021 – Happy Birthday Earl Scruggs

On this day in 1924, Earl Scruggs was born in the Flint Hill community of Cleveland County, NC. In this community, he learned a love for music and perfected “Scruggs Style,” a distinctive three-finger style of playing the banjo… [Read More]

     December 17, 2020 – Songs from the Road Band Live @ Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby

Asheville based band Songs of the Road Band performing live @ Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby. [Read More]

      December 8, 2020 – Celebrating 75 Years of Bluegrass

Top 5 Things to Do to Celebrate the 75^th Anniversary of the Birth of Bluegrass   Visit the Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby, NC. Learn about the life and career of Mr. Scruggs and the community that shaped his music. Check out our website and YouTube… [Read More]

     December 7, 2020 – A Weekend in Cleveland County from Our State Magazine

An hour west of Charlotte, the Foothills city of Shelby’s buzzing commercial district boasts an internationally renowned centerpiece: the Earl Scruggs Center. Opened in 2014, the cultural museum honors one of Cleveland County’s most famous sons… [Read More]

    November 30, 2020 – 36 of the Most AWESOME Museums in North Carolina for ALL Ages!

Want to learn more about our wonderful state and have fun doing it? Look no further than these amazing museums in North Carolina.    Since we’ve visited more than a few, it’s time that we shared some of our favorites from all over. All of these places appeal to our little one… [Read More]

     November 19, 2020 – ENJOY UPTOWN SHELBY IN THREE ACTS: MUSIC, ART AND FOOD from VisitNC

Uptown Shelby has always had a distinctive rhythm, whether as a textile-industry powerhouse or busy shopping destination between Charlotte and Asheville. It still hums along, a place where rich musical roots, a thriving arts scene, and unique… [Read More]