We’re visiting a place that combines the life story of a legendary and groundbreaking musician with the unique and engaging story of the history and cultural traditions of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Welcome to The Earl Scruggs Center.

If you don’t know who Earl Scruggs is – that’s OK, we can still be friends. But you should know that he is a man who has shaped American music. In short, he was a banjo player. But the full story is that of a trailblazer who developed a sound that is synonymous with Bluegrass music.

Artists like Bob Dylan, Elton John, Johnny Cash, and Billy Joel have all collaborated with Earl Scruggs – and this place does a great job of telling that story and celebrating that music and its impact on our culture today.

But it also does a lot more than that. The Earl Scruggs Center (located in Shelby, North Carolina) takes inspiration from its namesake in adapting to the changing times and looking to the future with instruction, performances, and special exhibits that provide a rich experience for all who visit.

Their programming here includes things like the Center Stage Concert Series, Musical Explorations music programs for children, the Bluegrass Ambassadors program, Guitar School, Coffee with the Curator and a whole lot more.

Students get to experience some great lessons in introductory guitar with instructor, Justin Harper. And the center is also hosts African American Storytelling sharing historical truths, folklore, legends, and fables important to African American traditions. This is a part of their exhibit currently featured in the special exhibit gallery – Jagged Path: The African Diaspora in Western North Carolina in Craft, Music, and Dance.

And for those of you who are festival crazy, The Earl Scruggs Center is also partnering with Isothermal Community College and the Tryon International Equestrian Center for the Earl Scruggs Music Festival.

This beautiful building tucked into the quaint town of Shelby has welcomed visitors from all 50 states and more than 20 countries. And it’s just waiting for you to come by and see and hear for yourself.