Shelby in Cleveland County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
The Earl Scruggs Center
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, April 23, 2022
1. The Earl Scruggs Center Marker
The rich music heritage of Cleveland County stems from European and African traditions that include strains of country, bluegrass, blues and gospel. These deeply rooted music traditions resonated from front porches, country stores, textile mills and villages, family reunions, church sanctuaries, and annual festivals. They still continue today.
Two native musicians and Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees have brought international attention to Cleveland County.
Earl Scruggs, from the nearby Flint Hill community, pioneered and popularized a three-finger banjo picking style that helped create the distinctive bluegrass sound in the mid-1940s. Earl's "Scruggs style" banjo playing set the standard for all bluegrass banjo players.
Don Gibson, country music singer-songwriter from Shelby, helped to shape the new Nashville sound in the late 1950s. Known as "The Sad Poet," Gibson penned the country music standards "I Can't Stop Loving You," "Sweet Dreams" and "Oh Lonesome Me."
The Earl Scruggs Center, located here on the court square and Don Gibson Theatre, located one block south of this sign, stand as living monuments that celebrate
this page online
The North Carolina mountains and foothills were designated the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in recognition of their natural beauty and living traditions of music, craft, agriculture, and Cherokee culture. This location is part of a regional trail of distinctive heritage sites. Ask for information at area visitor centers.
Erected by Earl Scruggs Center; and Blueridge Heritage Trail.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment.
Location. 35° 17.46′ N, 81° 32.346′ W. Marker is in Shelby, North Carolina, in Cleveland County. It is at the intersection of East Warren Street and South Washington Street, on the left when traveling east on East Warren Street. Marker is located beside the sidewalk at the northwest corner of the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal
Courtesy Shelby Star, June 2009
2. Marker detail: Earl Scruggs
Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Piedmont. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Plato Durham (within shouting distance of this marker); Cleveland Masonic Temple (within shouting distance of this marker); Shelby Sit-ins (within shouting distance of this marker); Cleveland County World War II Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Post Office Annex (within shouting distance of this marker); Cleveland County World War I Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Cleveland County Korean and Vietnam War Memorial (about 300 feet away); Cleveland County Civil War Monument
Courtesy Horace Scruggs Family
3. Marker detail: Earl Scruggs (L) and brother Horace (R)
The Scruggs family, like many local families, had tradition of playing music together.
Also see . . .
1. The Earl Scruggs Center.
The Earl Scruggs Center combines the life story of legendary five-string banjo master and Cleveland County native, Earl Scruggs, with the unique and engaging story of the history and cultural traditions of the region in which Mr. Scruggs was born and raised. It was in the nearby Flint Hill community where Mr. Scruggs learned to play banjo and began the three-finger playing style that has come to be known around the world as Scruggs Style. The Earl Scruggs Center explores Mr. Scruggs innovative career and the community that gave it shape while celebrating how he crossed musical boundaries and defined the voice of the banjo to the world.(Submitted on February 2, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Earl Eugene Scruggs (1924-2012).
Was an American musician noted for popularizing a three-finger banjo picking style, now called "Scruggs style", which is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music. His three-finger style of playing was radically different from the traditional(Submitted on February 2, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)way the five-string banjo had previously been played. This new style of playing became popular and elevated the banjo from its previous role as a background rhythm instrument to featured solo status. He popularized the instrument across several genres of music.Photographed by Tommy Fomey4. Marker detail: Calvin EdwardsKings Mountain native and international blues musician, Calvin Edwards, plays during Shelby's 2005 Art of Sound Music Festival.
3. Donald Eugene Gibson (1928-2003).
His song "I Can't Stop Loving You", has been recorded by over 700 artists, most notably by Ray Charles in 1962. He also wrote and recorded "Sweet Dreams," a song that would become a major 1963 crossover hit for Patsy Cline. Roy Orbison was a fan of Gibson's songwriting, and in 1967, he recorded an album of his songs simply titled Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson. Gibson's wide appeal was also shown in Neil Young's recorded version of "Oh Lonesome Me" on his 1970 album, After the Gold Rush, which is one of the few songs Young has recorded that he did not write.(Submitted on February 2, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
4. The Don Gibson Theatre.
The Don Gibson Theater opened in November 2009 in historic uptown Shelby. Originally(Submitted on February 2, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)constructed in 1939, the renovated art deco gem features an exhibit of the life and accomplishments of singer-songwriter Don Gibson, an intimate 400-seat music hall, and adjoining function space that can accommodate up to 275 people. The theater showcases a busy schedule of premier musical performances.Courtesy Earl Scruggs Center5. Marker detail: Picking Circle at Woods Grocery
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, April 23, 2022
6. The Earl Scruggs Center Marker
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, April 23, 2022
7. Earl Scruggs Center (former Cleveland County Courthouse)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, April 23, 2022
8. Earl Scruggs Center (former Cleveland County Courthouse)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, April 23, 2022
9. Don Gibson Theatre
Credits. This page was last revised on November 7, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 2, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 432 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on February 2, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
