Underneath a fingernail moon and the silhouettes of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, Oliver Wood stood onstage at the Earl Scruggs Music Festival and declared, “This one goes out to Earl.”

The Wood Brothers’ lead singer then delivered a moving version of “Postcards from Hell,” off their 2008 album Loaded. It was just one of many poignant highlights at the annual celebration of string music and of its pioneers, the late bluegrass picker Scruggs .

Held at Tryon International, an equestrian center and event facility near Scruggs’ hometown of Shelby, the yearly gathering also featured Alison Krauss & Union Station (featuring Jerry Douglas), Del McCoury Band, Watchhouse, the War and Treaty, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band , Sam Bush, Sierra Hull , and the Earls of Leicester.

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