The Best of the Flatt and Scruggs TV Show, Vol. 7 [DVD]

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Iconic bluegrass duo Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs hosted a weekly syndicated television show from 1955 to 1962, and this is the seventh in a series of DVDs from Shanachie Entertainment drawn from surviving episodes preserved by the archivists at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Given that a certain number of favorite songs were repeated from episode to episode, The Best of the Flatt & Scruggs TV Show, Vol. 7 takes a somewhat different approach than the earlier releases in this series; instead of two complete surviving episodes, the first half of this disc features a "show" culled from various installments of the 1960-1961 season, featuring songs that haven't been repeated on other releases, and rendered complete with commercials and banter from announcer T. Tommy Cutrer. The second half of this DVD features the earliest surviving episode of the Flatt & Scruggs show, from late 1955 or early 1956, which was recently restored from the only surviving print. The 1955/56 episode (transferred in the original full-frame 1.33:1 ratio, like the rest of the material on this disc) shows some serious wear and emulsion damage in spots, but given that it's the first known filmed performance of Flatt & Scruggs it certainly has historical importance going for it, and captures the group in fine fettle. The 1960/61 material was drawn from 16mm kinescopes of the original videotapes, and while the image is just a bit dull, it's not bad given its age. The audio for both episodes has been mastered in Dolby Digital Stereo from the monophonic optical tracks; the technological limitations of the source materials are audible, but the quality of the original recordings is good and the fidelity is a bit stronger than the images. The performances are in English, with no subtitles or multiple language options included. Beyond a booklet with a fine essay by Jay Orr on Flatt & Scruggs' television career, the only bonus is a short documentary on the restoration of the Flatt & Scruggs television episodes by the Country Music Hall of Fame archival staff. Like other releases in this series, The Best of the Flatt & Scruggs TV Show, Vol. 7 is for serious bluegrass aficionados rather than casual observers, but if you're a roots music maven, these rare performances are wonderful and fascinating stuff.