David Scruggs
David Scruggs – Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame Inductee
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Early Life and Education
Scruggs was born in Flint Hill, North Carolina and raised on a farm. As part of his education, he took up playing banjo, fiddle, guitar and other instruments.
He also served in the military, including a stint as a first lieutenant in Korea. He graduated from Boiling Springs High School in 1942.
He then pursued a bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Later, he earned a master’s in law from Harvard University. Throughout his career, he has held positions in journalism, military service and the legal profession.
Professional Career
David Scuggs is the son of a police officer and has always had an urge to give back to his community. As an active member of Evangel Temple Assembly of God in Ridgecrest and Master mechanic by trade, his passion has never wavered.
He is also an active community member, serving as national spokesperson for Boys Hope Girls Hope and serving on its international board of directors.
On the professional side, he spent five years in the NFL, including two Super Bowl championships. Currently, he serves as defensive line coach at Wisconsin.
Achievements and Honors
David Scuggs is one of the greatest banjo players in American history, earning him a place of honor in the Country Music Hall of Fame and receiving both the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Medal of Arts and a star on Hollywood Boulevard.
Scruggs and Lester Flatt were the founding members of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys duo, becoming legendary due to their appearances on television show The Beverly Hillbillies and iconic tune “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”. These artists played an instrumental role in popularizing bluegrass music throughout America with their iconic signature tune and appearances on The Beverly Hillbillies television show.
Scruggs earned his degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) as a senior, earning him the Marie Foote Reel ’46 award for his academic achievements and dedication to Duke University and Pratt School of Engineering. Additionally, he was on the Dean’s List as well as J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Honor Roll.
Personal Life
David Scruggs’ personal life was profoundly shaped by the trials that consumed his father, legendary trial lawyer Richard F. Scruggs, which sent him to prison and left a community in turmoil.
Scruggs says he gained 20 pounds while in federal prison and endured bouts of grief, fearing he’d never see his wife Diane again in America. Throughout this ordeal, Scruggs struggled with weight issues and depression, ultimately leading to his release in 2013.
On Monday, when he returns to prison, he’ll finish serving his sentence for his 2009 guilty plea in a scheme to bribe a Hinds Circuit judge. He had already appealed that conviction to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Net Worth
Dickie Scruggs, a trial lawyer with connections to prominent Mississippi politicians and businesspeople, made a fortune from lawsuits against tobacco and asbestos industries. His fees were estimated at $1.6 billion, making him part of an elite network that traded favors, influence, and money for power.
Reports of Scruggs’ imprisonment for judicial bribery, such as those recounted by journalist Curtis Wilkie in The Fall of the House of Zeus, provide ample proof that such systems exist.
The case involved a dispute over fees from work done for homeowners in post-Hurricane Katrina insurance claims by Scruggs Katrina Group. According to the indictment, Scruggs attempted to buy off a judge by providing him with $40,000 in order for them to grant them a favorable ruling.