George Shuffler facts for kids

George Shuffler (born April 11, 1925 – died April 7, 2014) was an American bluegrass guitar player. He was one of the first musicians to use the special guitar style called crosspicking.

During his career, George Shuffler played with famous groups like The Bailey Brothers and The Stanley Brothers. He also played with Ralph Stanley's Clinch Mountain Boys. In 2007, he received the North Carolina Heritage Award. Then, in 2011, he was chosen for the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.

George Shuffler's Life Story

Growing Up and Learning Music

George Shuffler was born in Valdese, North Carolina, USA, on April 11, 1925. Like many musicians in the South, George first learned about music by going to singing schools. These schools taught people how to sing using a special method called shape note singing.

George loved music more and more. When he was twelve, his dad traded an old car for a Kalamazoo guitar. Guitars were rare in North Carolina back then. George had only heard about them from radio shows coming from far-off cities like Cincinnati.

George found out his neighbor, Jack Smith, knew some guitar chords. He quickly went to find him. Jack showed George three basic chords: G, C, and D. That night, George practiced these chords over and over. He was afraid he would forget them. When he got home, his mother was singing an old song. George started playing along, encouraging her to sing until her voice was tired.

For the next few months, George practiced his three chords. He even made up new ones when he needed them. Another neighbor with a guitar invited him to play together. George was nervous at first. He thought his homemade chords would sound silly. But he soon found out they were the same as his neighbor's. This made him feel more confident. George practiced whenever he could. Soon, he also learned to play the bass. When his dad traded the guitar for a new pistol, George bought a new one with his own saved money.

Starting a Musical Career

Over time, George Shuffler became known as a great guitar and bass player. He played the guitar like Merle Travis (using Travis picking) and Maybelle Carter (using Carter Family picking). These were two very popular country music guitarists. George played in local talent shows and sang in churches.

One night, after World War II ended, George went to Granite Falls. He wanted to see the Bailey Brothers play. Their band didn't show up, so George offered to play bass for them. Danny and Charlie Bailey were so impressed. When their regular bass player arrived, they let him go and kept George. They offered him sixty dollars a week to go to Nashville. There, he would play on the Grand Ole Opry radio show. This was twice what he earned at the mill, and the work was better. George said yes right away.

For the next few years, George played with different groups across North Carolina and Tennessee. Then, in 1950, Carter Stanley asked George to play with him and his brother, Ralph. For eighteen years, George played on and off with the Stanley Brothers. He also played with their other band, the Clinch Mountain Boys.

Today, the Stanley Brothers are seen as one of the most important early bluegrass bands. But times were not always easy for the young musicians. One year, money was so tight that Ralph Stanley sold all his cattle to keep the band going. George even quit the band a few times. But he was always convinced to come back with a small raise.

During good times, the band had many instruments. Carter and Ralph played guitar and banjo. George played guitar and sometimes bass. There was also a full-time bassist, a mandolin player, and a fiddler. But during tough times, the band was often just Ralph and Carter Stanley, and George Shuffler. This simple setup led to George Shuffler developing his famous crosspicking style.

Later Life and Passing

Eventually, George Shuffler decided to quit the music business "for good." His wife, Sue, didn't believe him. To prove he was serious, he sold all his instruments.

A few years later, he heard his daughters sing a gospel song at church. George had become more religious since leaving bluegrass. He decided to start a family gospel band. He released a few gospel albums. One of his songs, "When I Receive My Robe and Crown," was a big hit. It stayed on the gospel charts for eleven months. George Shuffler passed away on April 7, 2014, just five days before his 89th birthday.

George Shuffler's Unique Musical Style

George Shuffler said crosspicking was born "out of necessity." When Ralph and Carter Stanley played their slow songs, there were long pauses at the end of each line. They used these pauses to catch their breath for the next line. During these breaks, George had to play all the guitar solos.

At that time, there were only two main guitar styles: the Carter scratch and Travis picking. Travis style could keep the rhythm, but it sounded too similar during solos. Scratch style could play lead melodies but lost the rhythm. George needed a style that could do both. He created a way to keep the rhythm and play a lead melody at the same time.

This new style was crosspicking. It was like a banjo roll but played on a guitar. In this style, the player uses a flat pick to play three or more strings one after another. This mixes a basic melody with extra notes to keep the rhythm. It created a fast flow of notes that perfectly filled the breaks. This allowed George to keep the rhythm while playing the melody.

Crosspicking has become one of the most important guitar styles in bluegrass. It is as important to bluegrass as flamenco is to Spanish guitar. In early bluegrass, the guitar was not a main instrument. But now, almost every modern bluegrass band has a lead guitar player, often using George Shuffler's crosspicking style.

Music Recordings

• Various Albums
• With the Stanley Brothers

See also

In Spanish: George Shuffler para niños

• The Stanley Brothers
• Ralph Stanley
• Bluegrass music
• Crosspicking
• Flatpicking