PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM 115 PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: DAVID HOFFMAN It’s 1972 and a Ford Galaxie leaves SFO Airport, driving along 101, then winding its way up hilly Page Mill Road. Turning onto a private drive, the car rumbles along the dirt driveway and pulls up outside a rambling farmhouse. Famed bluegrass musician Earl Scruggs and his entourage step out, ready for a remarkable meeting with singer Joan Baez. The impromptu musical collaboration that follows is captured by filmmaker David Hoffman in his documentary Earl Scruggs: The Bluegrass Legend— Family & Friends. “Earl is on a personal search,” David says of the film’s premise. “He's looking at places where banjo can be used in other kinds of music… He's going to different people he likes, to try to find how his music fits.” Earl’s quest would later air on PBS. “The film was very popular on public television,” recalls David. “In the prime time, it got a very high rating—which surprised the people at PBS, because they weren't used to country (music) being that popular.” David captures Earl’s jam sessions with The Byrds, Bob Dylan and Doc Watson, among others. But Earl's collaboration with Joan is arguably the film’s most powerful. After recently reposting the clip on his YouTube channel, David received over 25,000 likes. What went down on this day on the Peninsula clearly still strikes a chord over 50 years later. But why? To understand, you need to know all the players.
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