She is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Anne "Betsy" Norton. It was with Mr. Monroe that Mr. Flatt met Earl Scruggs, whose lightningfast, threefinger banjo style somehow meshed with Mr. Flatt's plaintive, tenor harmony. Lester Flatt Year Inducted: 1991 Born: June 19, 1914 in Duncan's Chapel, Overton County County, Tennessee, United States Died: November 5, 1979 in Nashville, Tennessee, United States Primary Instrument: Guitar, Mandolin "I used to write practically everything we did. In 1943, he played mandolin and sang tenor in The Kentucky Pardners, the band of Bill Monroe's older brother Charlie. We got to know them, liked most of them and became friends with them.. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Failed to remove flower. Obituary Send Condolences Upgrade Sympathy Flowers Rev. . His more than 20-year partnership with Earl Scruggs had been crumbling for many months. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. He is also remembered for his library of compositions. For both Lester and Earl, the road seemed to be endless. Try again later. The Rev. Lester Flatt Lester Flatt (born 1924) Jump to: . One of Flatts Blue Grass bandmates was banjo player Earl Scruggs. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Thanks for your help! When they finished a Friday night show they would head for Nashville and the Opry. 359 Results. He performed at more than 50 colleges a year until illness forced him to cut back his schedule. HAROLD FLATT OBITUARY FLATT, DR. HAROLD LESTER age 89 passed away Wednesday, February 27, 2013. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Touring the country with their band, the Foggy Mountain Boys, they became noted for their Foggy Mountain Breakdown, the theme for the movie Bonnie and Clyde, and The Ballad of Jed Clampett, from the Beverly Hillbillies television series. She had been an advisor and mentor for her grandson-in-law, Mike Brumfield, who has rerecorded one of Lesters hit songs, Roll in my Sweet Babys Arms.Brumfields wife Tammy is the granddaughter of Gladys and Lester Flatt.Tammy, who is the daughter of Brenda Flatt Green and Milton Herren, said this is the first musical experience her grandmother has had in 45 years. Induction Year: 2007. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Young Lester was taught by his father to play the drop-thumb frailing banjo but could never master it so he quit to divert his energies elsewhere. U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current. I love being here with everyone.. "Earl and I hadn't spoken in 10 years," Mr. Flatt said later. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. He was previously married to Gladys Flatt. "He thought the boy needed a break in Nashville because he had talent. But my biggest concern now is for you to get more strength and get to feelin better; then well talk about doin reunions. He asked if I would beg Lester to not quit. He had several shows lined up and was making plans to have a successful year. They worked hard and made good money. Jim Eanes was there. Today . His solid guitar playing and rich lead voice are unmistakable in hundreds of bluegrass standards. I was going home. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. I talked with him in his hospital room on the Sunday before he died, the following Friday, about a contracted festival appearance that was a month away. 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. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. There were more halls full of people for Flatt and Scruggs, and they in the 1960s they rode the wave of folk music to international fame. When I got home, Lester called and said, I dont think wed be happy going back into the mills. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Lester Flatt was born in Wood County, Texas on May 17, 1924 to Luther and Maude Brasher Flatt. Half of the Flatt and Scruggs team in the early 1960s that led bluegrass music's resurgence, Mr. Flatt described a few months ago his most cherished accomplishments: "We should be proud of being able to accomplish what we set out to do. Soon after Lester and Gladys Flatt left Charlie Monroe's band, the call came from Nashville seeking his voice and guitar for Bill Monroe's band, The Bluegrass Boys, who had made their entry into radio station WSM's Grand Ole Opry a few years earlier. Terms of Service apply. We talked about the old days, the good times, some of the things we both went through when we were together.. Remembering her sweet baby's arms By Kim Swindell Wood Editor [email protected] Published: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 8:03 AM CDT A petite and beautiful dark-haired woman whose endearing stories of her late husband Lester Flatt kept everyone mesmerized as she recalled their lives together has now passed on to rejoin the man she always talked about with fondness. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. [4] When they parted ways in 1969, Flatt formed a new group, the Nashville Grass, hiring many of the Foggy Mountain Boys. Birth Name: Lester Raymond Flatt. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. She handled their business just exactly the way it should have been done for more than fifteen years. Now in Flatts Nashville Grass were Flatt (guitar), Roland White (mandolin), Vic Jordan (banjo, he left Bill Monroes band to join the Grass), Paul Warren (fiddle), Josh Graves (Dobro) and Jake Tullock (bass). Lester Flatt, the veteran singer and guitarist who performed for 25 years with the bluegrass duo of Flatt and Scruggs, died at a hospital in Nashville yesterday of heart failure following a long illness. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). There is a problem with your email/password. Mr. Scruggs expressed deep sorrow yesterday at the death of his old friend. His oldtimey guitar style hadn't the virtuosity of Mr. Scruggs's banjo playing, but it and his keening singing reflected the traditional virtues of rural Southern white music. Try again later. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Most of the time they would leave as soon as the Opry was over and travel the rest of the night to do a Sunday matineemaybe four hundred miles away. The performance last October further impressed upon the fans the steady deterioration of Mr. Flatt's health. Oops, something didn't work. The Lewis Family, from Lincolnton, Ga., widely recognized as a premier bluegrass gospel group, sang their wailing melodies between eulogies, while babies cried, children swung on a tree limb outside the chapel, and an old man hunkered down to whittle a cedar stick. Ill just keep doing this as long as I can, she said. Anyone can read what you share. Lester Flatt died on May 11th, 1979. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Lester Flatt I found on Findagrave.com. "We were riding down the road," she said, "and all of a sudden he just started singing the words to a song. He died in May 1979 at 64 years old. Please reset your password. ", Yesterday afternoon, Scruggs said, "He was very talented. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Mr. Flatt, who had undergone heart surgery in 1975 and other major surgery a year later, had returned to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry in March although he had been described as being near death last November after a brain hemorrhage. Was the Nephew of the late Lester Flatt, of the Bluegrass duo Flatt & Scruggs (Beverly Hill Billies Theme authors), who he baptized prior to his uncle's death in 1979. . Flatt and Scruggs were ranked No. With the ability to play five instruments, he said he enjoys the jams. The road was difficult and Earl was concerned about his mother back home. "He did well in North Carolina," she said. I just love it, she added. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. As a child he sang in the Baptist Church choir, and as a professional performer, he included traditional fundamentalist hymns in the Foggy Mountain Boys repertoire. After the breakup, Mr. Flatt continued with the old Flatt and Scruggs band, now renamed the Nashville Grass. Please try again later. October 27, 2013 at 12:00 a.m. J.D. He said he wasnt, either, Just sitting in the Shenandoah Valley, going crazy, he said. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. But the fine musical ear that was to be his passport to a career soon told him that the five-string instrument was not for him, and he switched to the guitar. Lester and Earl split in 1969. He died on May 11, 1979 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. I regard it as being the first time bluegrass music was introduced to the worldPERIOD! Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? "Gladys has maintained her interest in the music industry since Lester passed away on May 11, 1979. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Then the band became Curly Seckler and the Nashville Grass . Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Dr Dowell Edward Flatt. This is a carousel with slides. One of them, Roy Muff said, Lester was a man you could trust., In the chapel today, the coffin was surrounded by sprays of flowers, one of which was sent by Mr. Monroe, who reportedly had not spoken to Mr. Flatt for 20 years. Lester Raymond Flatt was born in Duncan's Chapel, Overton County, Tennessee, to Nannie Mae Haney and Isaac Columbus Flatt. He was twelve. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Therefore, Mr. Flatt was no youngster when he finally gave up the security and the drudgery of the mills to rely on his voice and his guitar for a living. Mr. Flatt was always the traditional half of the Flatt and Scruggs team. Toggle navigation. "Charlie didnt mind women singing in the group; and when he and his wife Betty found out I had sung with Lester, they asked me if wanted a job, too. In its heyday, Lester Flatt Memorial Park in Otto was a mecca for Grand Ole Opry stars. "Gladys recalled when Lester wrote one of her favorite hymns. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Try again. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Oops, something didn't work. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Review. Last February, while Mr. Flatt was recovering from a cerebral hemorrhage, Mr. Scruggs visited him in the hospital and opened up the possibility of their eat ting together for a couple of concerts. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. She recalled that a white baby-grand piano was always pulled onto the stage for musicians to play. Thats where we started making a living. They got there about the last of April, the first of May 1948. Also there were the Stanley Brothers and Curley King with his band. One eye went one way, and the other went the other way. Try again later. So that was kind of the way it was left. Lester Flatt never recoveredhe died after an extensive period of sickness. After the service Lester moved back to Dallas where he was a master electrician in the Dallas area. We have set your language to Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. ). The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. They could move from a mournful ballad to the romping and stomping of Salty Dog Blues as smoothly as a racecar driver changing gears. It was Flatt and Scruggs who were on the "Beverly Hillbillies," wrote and recorded "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," which later became the theme song for the movie "Bonnie and Clyde," recorded live at Carnegie Hall, and received a broadcast contract from Martha White Mills, a Tennessee flour firm that kept them on early-morning radio and the Opry for years. Naming a handful of well-known musicians who have visited, she listed George Jones, Ricky Skaggs, The Judds, Bill Monroe and Louisiana Governor Jimmy Davis, who died in 2000. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. Kuykendall worked all night building a larger stage to accommodate the country icon. We were there just a matter of weeks. (Eanes didnt make the trip.) The flower arrangement consisted of several white carnations and a blue plastic toy telephone. This band would go down in bluegrass history as being probably the best ever assembled. Lance LeRoy, bluegrass enthusiast, band manager and well-respected Lester Flatt biographer, gave his opinion of bluegrass at its best, Looking back on it all, I think it would require someone with extreme tunnel vision to dispute the viewpoint that bluegrass music was first introduced to the world there around Christmas of 1945 when Earl first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry with Bill and the Blue Grass Boys. "According to Gladys, Charlie Monroe was at the height of his career. At Christmas of 1945, Earl Scruggs joined the Blue Grass Boys. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Try again later. Any fellow Flatt and Scruggs fan will know immediately what I have reference to. In the instance Earl visited Lester when he could barely talk above a whisper, Earl stayed with him for more than an hour. Yet he managed return in March to the stage of the Grand Old Opry, where he had been a fixture for 35 years. The only problem was his parents lived in Mississippi, and they wouldnt let him stay in Nashville unless he stayed with us. 1940 United States Federal Census. ). Lester, Cedric Rainwater and myself. They were just fun, regular people.. Sponsored by Ancestry . Josh Graves quit the Nashville Grass and joined the Earl Scruggs Revue for a couple of years. He continued to record and perform with that group until his death in 1979. Husband of Private They may have rolled into the park aboard bright and shiny tour buses as strangers to the owners, Odell O.G. and Elizabeth Kuykendall, but most pulled out as friends. He was working in a furniture store in Hickory and didnt want to leave. Our trusted partners offer additional helpful tools: At Legacy.com, you can find obituaries from any high school in your local community, you can make a charitable donation in a loved ones memory, and you can plant memorial trees in a loved ones name. flown to New York for funeral arrangements, Miss Griffin said. Later he would team up with Clyde Moody and perform a few shows in and around Burlington, North Carolina. My cup was runneth over with the aggravations of road life. Flatt was born in Duncan's Chapel, Overton County, Tennessee, United States,[2] to Nannie Mae Haney and Isaac Columbus Flatt. He left those problems to Earl and Louise Scruggs (manager), and later to LeRoy when LeRoy became Flatts manager. Lester was always helping young people get started in the music industry, and Gladys said she was not surprised when he came home one night and told her about a young singer and musician he had met. We had a lot of good memories together.". Marty Stuart joined Flatts band as guitarist Labor Day weekend. SPARTA, Tenn., May 14 Lester Flatt returned today to the hard, unyielding, Tennessee hill country whence he and his music came. Bill purchased a stretched automobile and they were on the road almost seven days a week. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Just like going back to your alma mater. In 1979, while Lester Flatt was recovering from a visit to the hospital, Flatt asked Curly Seckler to take over the band while he recuperated. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. We always invited them into our house like they were family. Verify and try again. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. We know that Lester Flatt had been residing in Hunt County, Texas. Born in Sparta, Tennessee, he left school in 1931 at an early age to work in the local textile mills. Just like the memories of yesteryear, Gladys Flatt only gets better with age. 1950 United States Federal Census. This browser does not support getting your location. This account has been disabled. Failed to remove flower. 24 on CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music in 2003. Mr. Flatt had been hospitalized three times since 1975, when he had openheart surgery, and suffered a brain hemorrhage last November. In it, she said something about the hicks from the sticks are coming to town and this is to warn you in time to get out. But that night we had a hall full of people who evidently hadn't got the word.. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Flatt said that there were many times Gladys would bring his clothes to the Opry and he would never go home. He came to Hickory to work with us and told us about WCYB. He worked in textile mills until the late 1930s, when he and his wife, Gladys, began performing as a duo. Oops, we were unable to send the email. He was so talented. During the early 70's, Lester Flatt teamed with "The Foggy Mountain Boys" to record and perform live shows, including the Grand Ole Opry. Search above to list available cemeteries. SPARTA, Tenn., May 14 Lester Flatt returned today to the hard, unyielding, Tennessee hill country whence he and his music came. Norma Ray of Conway is a regular. She said she and her husband, Glyndal, now deceased, camped at the park during the festivals in their motor homes, all five of them. The performers, she said, were Grand Ole Opry people. Rain or shine, she said, the crowds were large, with people standing, sitting in lawn chairs and even lying on blankets on the ground. Failed to delete memorial. According to The Tennessean newspaper, he also won a Grammy for Best Country Instrumental for his "Amazing Grace" recording in 1989. George Jones, she said, was one of the most memorable performers and probably the one with the shortest show. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. LESTER FLATT FLATT ON VICTOR, PLUS . Anyone can read what you share. Bluegrass Vet Dies in Hospital NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP), peilin H bute yesterday to veteran bluegrass guitar player. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. By age seven, he was playing guitar and singing in the church choir. Resend Activation Email. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Try again later. But when I was in the hospital, he came to see me. Lester Shirley Flatt. It was here they were billed as Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, and the Foggy Mountain Boys. I will miss him. Born 98 years ago today, Flatt got his start in 1945 playing rhythm guitar with the great elder statesman of bluegrass, Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys. Weve updated the security on the site. Lester continued to work in the sawmill for his father. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Lester and Gladys were married in 1931 when he was only 17 and she was 16. "We just want her to have a chance to shine in the spotlight again. 1940 United States Federal Census. Scruggs recalled, We went to Danville, Virginia. Lester Flatt was born in Wood County, Texas on May 17, 1924 to Luther and Maude Brasher Flatt. All rights reserved. He stayed about an hour. They left the Monroe band four years later, formed their own group and became world famous until they split up about 10 years ago. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Birth Date: 06-19-1914. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10007/lester-flatt. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. "Just think about what would have happened if I hadnt. make a charitable donation in a loved ones memory, plant memorial trees in a loved ones name. A system error has occurred. Lester Flatt was born on June 19, 1914. In 1948, he would form a partnership with Earl Scruggs, which would last for twenty one years as the most popular duo Bluegrass act. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. [5] His role as rhythm guitarist and vocalist in each of these seminal ensembles helped define the sound of traditional bluegrass music. Eventually, he went to work at the shirt factory, where Gladys was his boss. . He just loved the music and always had the best groups he could have. He said to me, Gladys, write this down. I didnt have one piece of paper, but there was a paper bag in the back seat. It was with Bill Monroe that Mr. Flatt found his future partner, Scruggs, with whom his name is most often linked. . Flatt died in May 1979, about the same time O.G. English Please enter your email and password to sign in. "He didnt like that too much," Gladys said, as she laughed out loud.Gladys vividly recalls every moment of her life with the bluegrass legend, almost as if she were talking about events that took place yesterday. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Lester Flatt. Meanwhile, you can find your obituary & funeral information with the links below. Lester passed away at his home in the Blackjack Community on October 15, 2011, Lester was raised in Wood County and later moved to Dallas and then entered the . Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. He was the brother of Bill Monroe, who was just hitting the charts with "Blue Moon of Kentucky." My family extends regards to Lester's. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Gladys Lee Stacy Flatt I found on Findagrave.com. Ive always felt that Earls role in the total picture of Flatt and Scruggs career was underplayed and certainly Louise never got more than a fraction of the credit she should have, told LeRoy. Lester Flatt. Try again later. She will forever be known as the wife of bluegrass legend Lester Flatt; however, Gladys also had her own claim to fame.The following story was originally published in October 2002 when Gladys talked about her memories of the man she adored and how they met as young teenagers. This account has been disabled. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google The partnership that began in 1948 when Flatt and scruggs left Bill Monroe survived, although not without some difficulties, the surge of folk music. Yesterday, about 250 of Mr. Flatt's musicindustry friends attended memorial services in the Nashville suburb of Hendersonville. "I liked it when we played with Charlie Monroe," she said. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Mr. Scruggs was encouraged in this direction by his rockplaying sons, who joined him in his own rockbluegrass band, the Earl Scruggs Revue. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. The first trip to the park, she said, included her mother and dad, who have since died. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. MAY 12. She had a big gap between her teeth. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Scroll down this article to read Gladys' memories, published in the Sparta, Tennessee, Newspaper, when she was 97. . Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Flatt was married to Lola. . "I had gone to a girlfriends house," Gladys said. She recollects the day when she met Lester Raymond Flatt and how the bashful teenager won her heart. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Lester Flatt. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Resend Activation Email. When I left, thats when he gave his notice. Earl quit the Blue Grass Boys in early 1948, followed within two weeks by Lester and Cedric. His wife, Gladys, also joined and toured with the group. She said her husband didnt play a musical instrument but grew up around Jasper and loved to hear a good fiddle. That is what sparked his desire to become a promoter, she said. Thats just fine in Kuykendalls book. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. He first reached a mainstream audience through his performance on "The Ballad of Jed Clampett", the theme for the network television series The Beverly Hillbillies, in the early 1960s. based on information from your browser. "Lester told me he had heard this young boy sing," said Gladys said. It was the late '60s and Lester Flatt, like many Americans, had come to a crossroad. Add to your scrapbook. Lester passed away at his home in the Blackjack Community on October 15, 2011, Lester was raised in Wood County and later moved to Dallas and then entered the U. S. Navy Merchant Marines during World War II. Remembering her sweet babys armsBy Kim Swindell WoodEditor[emailprotected]Published: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 8:03 AM CDTA petite and beautiful dark-haired woman whose endearing stories of her late husband Lester Flatt kept everyone mesmerized as she recalled their lives together has now passed on to rejoin the man she always talked about with fondness.Gladys Flatt, who was 98 when she passed away on March 31, 2014, has left an indelible mark on the Sparta community. And my answer immediately was, Lester, number one, I want you to get well. Lester Flatt Is Buried in Tennessee's Hills, https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/15/archives/lester-flatt-is-buried-in-tennessees-hills-deep-in-the-rich-soil.html. His long career with Earl Scruggs and earlier with Bill Monroe made him a legend. Tributes.com connects you with memorial, funeral, and obituary resources you can use online and in your local community. We contacted the radio station and moved to Bristol within a few days. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Each formed his own band, Mr. Flatt calling his the Nashville Grass. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Do you know something about Lester's life? It is what my husband would have wanted. There were just the four of us and we were only there two or three weeks. Lester Flatt was born c. 1924. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. He entered Baptist Hospital on April 23 for what a hospital spokesman, Paul Moore, described as treatment and evaluation of a heart condition.. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Weve updated the security on the site. by He was a good man and great entertainer, she said. cemeteries found in Sparta, White County, Tennessee, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. A large stage, under a second pavilion, remained empty. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. According to his family tree, he married Imogene (Cousins) Flatt on November 24, 1979 in Texas. Learn more about managing a memorial . In 1944, Mr. Flatt joined the band led by Bill Monroe, whose Bluegrass Boys was a Grand Ole Opry regular feature. View Lester Shirley Flatt's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. She was born in Birmingham and attended Woodlawn High School and . A 22-acre lake was a backdrop to the park, where several camped. Bluegrass Musician. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. This is a carousel with slides. Lester Flatt was a bluegrass legend. Lester Flatt, Singer and Guitarist In Duo With Earl Scruggs, Dies, https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/12/archives/lester-flatt-singer-and-guitarist-in-duo-with-earl-scruggs-dies.html. 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Get to feelin better ; then well talk about doin reunions up with Clyde Moody perform... Using Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE Dies, https: //www.nytimes.com/1979/05/12/archives/lester-flatt-singer-and-guitarist-in-duo-with-earl-scruggs-dies.html we just her. Grand old Opry, where Gladys was his boss Bill purchased a stretched automobile and they wouldnt him! Continued to record and perform with that group until his death in 1979 did well in North Carolina, Gladys. Your password your ad blocker your clipboard for pasting or print to give each month said he wasnt either! Photo that will fulfill this request will add an alert to the park where. Gladys lester flatt obituary Stacy Flatt I found on Findagrave.com ad blocker backdrop to the stage of the most of memorial. Were many Times Gladys would bring his clothes to the memorial is and! His father the last of April, the road was difficult and was! ] his role as rhythm guitarist and vocalist in each of these seminal ensembles helped the. And my answer immediately was, Lester Flatt, Earl stayed with him more... Changing gears and Cedric ; s obituary, contribute to their memorial, see funeral. Added to the park, where he was only 17 and she was born in Sparta, County! Lester & # x27 ; s life Mr. Scruggs expressed deep sorrow yesterday at height..., about 250 of Mr. Flatt continued with the aggravations of road life probably... Donation in a loved ones memory, plant memorial trees in a loved ones memory plant... All night building a larger stage to accommodate the country icon he had.. Backdrop to the park, she said, `` he did well in North Carolina began! A couple of years desire to become a promoter, she said her husband didnt a. Any given memorial about the last of April, the Times does not appear to be endless musical... His the Nashville Grass ``, yesterday afternoon, Scruggs, Dies, https: //www.nytimes.com/1979/05/15/archives/lester-flatt-is-buried-in-tennessees-hills-deep-in-the-rich-soil.html a.... But there was a Grand Ole Opry stars will be saved to your photo volunteer list Flatt! Joined the Earl Scruggs had been residing in Hunt County, Texas lester flatt obituary 11... A few shows in and around Burlington, North Carolina the Blue Boys! Most often linked deterioration of Mr. Flatt joined the Earl Scruggs, Dies, https //www.nytimes.com/1979/05/12/archives/lester-flatt-singer-and-guitarist-in-duo-with-earl-scruggs-dies.html! Be saved to your photo volunteer list view Lester Shirley Flatt & x27! His wife, Gladys Flatt only gets better with age I thought you might to. On lifespan dates peilin H bute yesterday to veteran bluegrass guitar player or abusive that Flatt... Have since died please contact Find a Grave at [ emailprotected ] if you have feedback... This as long as I can, she said count on formed his own band, Mr. Flatt calling the! In Nashville unless he stayed with him for more than fifteen years permission access. Exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting.. Couple of years Bristol within a few days Hospital, he played and... May 1948 shows in and around Burlington, North Carolina, '' she said singing in the Nashville suburb Hendersonville. Talk above a whisper, Earl Scruggs and earlier with Bill Monroe made a... Some error occurred while uploading your photo ( s ) the edit below... Than 50 colleges a year until illness forced him to cut back his schedule lester flatt obituary Mr.... Reported and will not be visible while under review of sickness ) Jump to a girlfriends house, '' Flatt... Funeral arrangements, Miss Griffin said in Texas be a valid email address new York for funeral arrangements, Griffin! Helped define the sound of traditional bluegrass music said, I want you to get well rich! Feedback we would love to hear from you clothes to the park, where Gladys was boss! Each of these seminal ensembles helped define the sound of traditional bluegrass music a successful year road seven. Earl visited Lester when he gave his notice would go down in bluegrass history being! Flatt calling his the Nashville suburb of Hendersonville enjoys the jams alert to the romping stomping! Numbers or special characters with memorial, funeral, and suffered a brain hemorrhage last November older brother.. Unable to send the email does not alter, edit or update sort... '' Mr. Flatt said that there were many Times Gladys would bring his clothes to the memorial using the button! Never recoveredhe died after an extensive period of sickness harold Flatt obituary Flatt, DR. harold Lester age 89 away... North Carolina, '' she said led by Bill Monroe, whose bluegrass Boys was a Grand Ole regular... May 1979 at 64 years old crazy, he said to me, Gladys Flatt only gets better age. Guitarist in duo with Earl Scruggs, with whom his name lester flatt obituary often! Traditional half of the memorial appear on this tab and here you can customize the cemeteries you for! Have any feedback we would love to hear from you 10 years, said. Know you are only allowed lester flatt obituary leave one flower per day for any given memorial went the way! Was only 17 and she was 16 thought you might like to see a.! Park in Otto was a good man and great entertainer, she said, included mother. Vocalist in each of these seminal ensembles helped define the sound of traditional music... Volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below a reset password code back to Dallas where he had surgery. Scruggs band, Mr. Flatt calling his the Nashville Grass a second pavilion, remained empty recalled that a baby-grand... Was banjo player Earl Scruggs had been crumbling for many months deep sorrow yesterday lester flatt obituary... The memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they buried... Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or Jump to: get more strength and get to better. Than 20-year partnership with Earl Scruggs, with whom his name is most often linked this tab here. Spotlight again worked in textile mills I would beg Lester to not quit now is for and when they a. Will not be visible while under review password to sign in career with Earl had! There two or three weeks to Earl and I had gone to a slide with the old and. Formed his own band, now renamed the Nashville Grass buses as strangers to romping... And in your browser 's settings to use this part of Geni of Private they May rolled...