Earl Scruggs & The Earl Scruggs Revue – 1971 Recording of “Country Comfort”

EARL SCRUGGS AND THE EARL SCRUGGS REVUE- Columbia 4-45413

COUNTRY COMFORT (Dick James Music, BMI)
By far the most commercial entry for the super talents. Earl's son Randy handles the vocal on the Elton John -Bernie Taupin song. Neil Wilburn produced.

Source: RECORD WORLD JUNE 26, 1971
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/71/RW-1971-06-26.pdf

Earl Scruggs & The Earl Scruggs Revue released their version of “Country Comfort,” the Elton John and Bernie Taupin composition published by Dick James Music (BMI), as a Columbia Records single under the catalog number Columbia 4-45413. The A-side featured “Country Comfort”, while the B-side of the single was “T for Texas.” The record was issued in 1971, during the most active recording period of the Revue, and it presented a progressive country-bluegrass reinterpretation of the song originally released on Elton John’s album Tumbleweed Connection in 1970. The Scruggs version runs approximately 2 minutes and 50 seconds, following the typical radio-oriented format of Columbia’s country releases.

Columbia promoted the single as a strong entry into both country and progressive country markets, with contemporary industry publications noting that the combination of Elton John’s songwriting and Earl Scruggs’ innovative banjo-driven style gave the track crossover potential. As with other Scruggs releases of the early 1970s, the publishing rights for the A-side were credited to Dick James Music (BMI), reflecting the continued licensing of Elton John/Taupin compositions to American country and rock artists.

A Brief Overview of the Career of Earl Scruggs

Earl Scruggs (1924–2012) was one of the most influential musicians in American roots music, best known as the pioneer of the three-finger banjo style that became the foundation of modern bluegrass. He first rose to national prominence as part of Flatt & Scruggs, a duo that helped popularize bluegrass in the 1950s and 1960s through records, television appearances, and soundtrack contributions such as “The Ballad of Jed Clampett.”

In the late 1960s, Scruggs broke away from traditional bluegrass and formed The Earl Scruggs Revue with his sons Gary, Randy, and later Steve Scruggs, along with musicians such as Vassar Clements and Josh Graves. The Revue became known for blending bluegrass instrumentation with country-rock, folk-rock, and progressive country influences, appealing to younger audiences and appearing at universities, festivals, and major concert circuits.

Under Columbia Records, the Revue recorded throughout the 1970s, releasing several albums and singles that expanded Scruggs’ reach beyond traditional bluegrass circles. This era marked Scruggs as a bridge between genres, maintaining his virtuosity on the banjo while embracing the evolving sound of American country and rock music.

Earl Scruggs remains celebrated as a foundational figure in American music, a musician who transformed the role of the banjo and opened new paths for crossover collaborations—exemplified by recordings such as his 1971 interpretation of “Country Comfort.”

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