Earl Scruggs, 1924-1912

Bluegrass music lost one of it pioneers when Earl Scruggs, who developed the modern banjo sound, died yesterday at the age 88.  Scruggs and his guitar-playing partner, Lester Flatt, were best known for songs such as "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" and "The Ballad of Jed Clampett."  Flatt and Scruggs were regular guests on the Grand Ole Opry and were heard on the Opry's popular radio broadcasts on WSM.

Great Radio on Hall of Fame Site

The web site of the Radio Hall of Fame is a terrific place for anyone who wants to listen to some of the best personalities and programs in radio history. From Abbot and Costello to Wolfman Jack, and from All Things Considered to Your Hit Parade, the site provides short audio clips of the Hall of Fame inductees. You will be reminded of what made Edward R. Murrow the trusted voice of authority during World War II, and why the Grand Ole Opry is the country's longest-running musical program.

The Artist Revives Lost Art

I finally got to see "The Artist," the black-and-white silent film that is an homage to Hollywood's early years. The charming movie certainly deserves all the accolades it has received, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. "The Artist" is the creation of French writer-director Michel Hazanavicius, who had wanted to make a silent film for years. "A silent film is a very special experience," he said. "It is not intellectual, it's emotional. You take it in the way you take in music. There are times when language reduces communication, when you feel you are losing something when you start talking." "The Artist" revives a lost art and it is indeed a special experience.