Lester was born on the date in 1914 near Sparta, Tennessee.  He was one of nine children.  Lester played guitar and sang what has been called “Bluegrass.”  After working several years with Bill Monroe, he teamed up with banjo picking Earl Scruggs, and together they became a potent duo rivaling their previous mentor, Bill Monroe.  They were together twenty-one years.  Their band was called, “The Foggy Mountain Boys.”

In 1969, the boys split up and went their separate ways.  Each formed his own band: Earl formed “The Earl Scruggs Review” with his sons, while Lester hired experienced hands to put together “The Nashville Grass.”  In my opinion, their bands were good because they had top-notch, talented players, but the magic they experienced as “Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys,” was gone!

Lester Flatt became very ill in early 1979, spent time in the hospital, and expired May 11, 1979.  Happily, the boys were able to patch up their differences before the finality of the occasion.

In a 1980 interview, Marty Stuart, who worked with Lester as a young aspiring artist, described his time with Lester.  “As I look back on it today, I realize that I have been one of the most richly blessed people in the world, being able to get my start with such a past master as Lester Flatt.” 

Dusty Owens
TCM Radio News

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