Bluegrass music has long connected people across cultures and continents, and the legacy of Earl Scruggs continues to inspire musicians around the world. We're honored that the Earl Experience Banjo Camp was recently featured in the Swiss Bluegrass Music Association (SBMA) newsletter, introducing our immersive camp experience to bluegrass enthusiasts throughout Switzerland. Written by our friend Urs-Rainer von Arx, camp attendee and Co-President of the SBMA, this article is a reminder that the music born here in the foothills of North Carolina has a truly global audience. Below is an English translation of the article as it appeared in the SBMA newsletter.
No, he wasn’t personally present, but you couldn’t get much closer to Earl Scruggs and his banjo style: a workshop series on Scruggs-style banjo playing took place March 5–7, 2026 at the Earl Scruggs Center (ESC) in his hometown of Shelby, North Carolina, led by three acknowledged Scruggs specialists — a dream for banjo players.
Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby, NC
The ESC opened its doors in 2014 in the former Cleveland County courthouse, situated in a square park that resembles a Mexican zócalo. The museum honors Earl’s music and origins: exhibitions, concerts, workshops, camps, and a Bluegrass Ambassador program are among the offerings organized and run by executive director Mary Beth Martin and her team.
Instructors were Kristin Scott Benson (the Grascals) from South Carolina, known as a Scruggs style specialist and a popular teacher at camps and in private lessons; Bill Evans from Virginia, whose excellent course “Earl Scruggs — A Player’s Guide” is available on Peghead Nation and who is also the author of many publications including the book “Banjo for Dummies”; and Tony Trischka, an influential figure in the New York banjo scene since the 1970s and likewise the author of numerous instructional books. During the pandemic Tony received 200 jam recordings of Earl Scruggs and John Hartford anonymously in his mailbox on a USB stick. He transcribed the material and has so far released two albums from it (“Earl Jam 1” and “2”). One can reasonably expect more to follow.
The camp began Thursday afternoon with an orientation; afterwards, one group toured the museum while the other visited the Scruggs homestead in Flint Hill, then they swapped. Staff and volunteers answered questions in the museum.
Having already visited the museum in 2023, the homestead visit was especially interesting to me.
Earl Scruggs homestead 2023
In 2024 the ESC managed to buy the house in Flint Hill where Earl grew up. When I first saw it in 2023 before the purchase, the view was picturesque but the house was dilapidated and uninhabitable. This time we visited a construction site. The ESC plans to restore the house to the condition it was in during Earl’s youth. To that end, they hired a specialist versed in local architecture, and the museum director and curator are searching the area for building material and furniture from Earl’s youth. Mary Beth recently told of finding a fireplace at a ruin that was built with the same bricks used at Earl’s house. One can easily imagine that these searches will take a lot of time, but also that a genuine gem is being created.
Tony and Bill trying Earl Test
This time the house was accessible. J.T. Scruggs, a nephew of Earl’s, was on site and spoke about his visits with his uncle. Bill and Tony were part of my group and insisted on reenacting an exercise Earl describes in his instruction book: he and his brother played a tune in front of the house, then walked around the house in opposite directions and kept playing, the goal being to see whether they still played in the same tempo behind the house. Whether Tony and Bill succeeded remains confidential.
In the evening we gathered at the Banker’s House for a shared barbecue with another preview of the program and a short concert by the teachers. Afterwards we returned to the Center that reopened for camp participant jam sessions. Kristin led the jam for participants with little experience, Bill led the intermediate group. Only two participants classified themselves as advanced, so I enjoyed a private jam with Tony Trischka, for which the ESC had invited a local bassist and a guitarist.
The program ran in two parallel tracks: in the first workshop Tony provided insights from the Earl Jams, while Kristin in another room explained how to solo with chords in jams when you don’t know the melody. Participants could choose which program interested them more. Thus two tracks were created, one for less experienced participants and the other for more advanced players. Interested parties should contact the ESC for a detailed program.
I took away a lot from Tony’s session on “getting a professional sound” and Bill’s “Earl solos to vocal tunes: play the melody!” as well as “Earl’s fancy up-the-neck backup licks.” I’m aware that the question of which finger to place on which string for which note is only for banjo nerds. But it was instructive and I enjoyed myself.
The program was rounded out by a presentation from Penny Parsons, who wrote a biography of Curly Seckler, the fiddler with Flatt & Scruggs; a Zoom interview with John Stamm, who meticulously transcribes Earl’s music; and an entertaining panel with J.T. Scruggs and local musicians who played with Earl in family settings when he visited family and friends in Shelby later in life. During the day, a local instrument maker was available for setups and repairs.
Jamming with Tony Trischka at ESC 2026
Gilbert and Leigh Nelson organized Friday and Saturday night jam sessions with local musicians that were a lot of fun. No day ended before 10 p.m. for those who weren’t already ready for bed earlier.
For booking accommodation, the ESC provided a list of Airbnbs and hotels. I stayed a 10 minute walk away in a bed and breakfast. Each morning a small buffet was offered in the former courtroom at the ESC, including a fruit bowl. Apart from the barbecue on the first evening, meals were on your own. There are several local restaurants around the park. If you wanted, you could also drive a few minutes to one of the many chain restaurants. On the last evening, I came across a wine shop jus outside the park where North Carolina wines could be tasted.
Overall the camp was a resounding success. As with all participants I spoke to, I got my money's worth musically. The atmosphere was familiar and friendly; the teachers and staff were engaged and charming. Prices in this rural area are noticeably lower than in the big cities; the camp fee of USD 600 is moderate for what was offered. Flights, rental car and accommodation make up a much larger share of the costs. For that reason, I recommend that participants from Europe combine the Earl Experience Banjo Camp with other stops on a trip. For those interested in bluegrass there is much to hear and see in western North Carolina.
With its focus on Earl’s banjo style, the Earl Experience Banjo Camp in Shelby has clearly positioned itself. Anyone interested in Earl’s style and wanting to improve their playing has the opportunity here to learn from the best players. Pickers who haven’t yet gone beyond mastering the various rolls in simple songs will also find nourishment and guidance here and return home highly motivated. What is special about this camp is its embedding in the history and surroundings of Earl Scruggs and the encounter with the charm and hospitality at the ESC, as well as contact with the people of Shelby, whether in the park, in shops or restaurants.
Shelby is located between Charlotte and Asheville in western North Carolina, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I drove there from Nashville in about six hours; the drive to Charlotte airport took one hour. The Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail pass nearby, and in about two hours one is in the area where Doc Watson lived and where the Kruger Brothers have settled.
Further information can be found online at https://earlscruggscenter.org/. Anyone who is seriously interested and has questions is welcome to contact me.
