Fresh Air, Earl Scruggs and Elizabeth Gold

Bluegrass musician Earl Scruggs and poet Elizabeth Gold on this edition of Fresh Air. Bluegrass musician Earl Scruggs originated the staccato three-finger, five-string banjo technique that became known as the "Scruggs style." He got his start playing with Bill Monroe's band in the 1940s and then teamed up with guitarist Lester Flatt (fronting The Foggy Mountain Boys). The two penned and recorded the tune "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," and "The Ballad of Jed Clampett." Scruggs is 79 years old now. In 2001 he released his first album in 17 years, "Earl Scruggs and Friends" featuring his work with Elton John, John Fogerty, Dwight Yoakum and others. Poet Elizabeth Gold is the author of the new memoir, Brief Intervals of Horrible Sanity: One Season in a Progressive School. It's about her brief stint as mid-year replacement ninth-grade English teacher in Queens. Gold teaches writing at several branches of the City University of New York. (Broadcast Date: October 16, 2003)