Flatt & Scruggs - The Fabulous Sound Of Flatt And Scruggs (1964/2009)

There’s little you need to know about bluegrass that can’t be gleaned from digging into this album. Guitar god Lester Flatt and banjo hero Earl Scruggs earned their stripes in bluegrass originator Bill Monroe’s band, but this 1964 outing shows why they made history on their own. They don’t need breakneck tempos to show off their chops; whether they’re tackling a folk-flavored Carter Family classic (“Hello Stranger”) or a self-penned country gospel hymn (“I’m Walking With Him”), their unhurried instrumental mastery flows from every track.