Earl Scruggs was a pacifist.
Earl Eugene Scruggs ( January 6 , 1924 -- March 28 , 2012 ) was an American musician noted for popularizing a three-finger banjo picking style , now called `` Scruggs style '' , that is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music . He popularized the instrument in several genres of music and elevated the banjo from its role as a background rhythm instrument , or a comedian 's prop , into featured solo status . Scruggs ' career began at age 21 when he was hired to play in a group called `` Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys '' . The duo broke up in 1969 , chiefly because Scruggs wanted to progress the music to a more modern sound and Flatt was a traditionalist who did not want to change the style because he thought it would alienate a fan base of bluegrass purists . He became a member of the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and was given a star on the Hollywood walk of fame .