Without a shadow of a doubt, “Short Life of Trouble: The Legend of G.B. Grayson” has been the most challenging project of my career. Why? Because so very little accurate information exists about the man.
During his lifetime he was never interviewed and never on TV or on film. We have none of his personal papers. Only 3-4 photos of him are known to exist. No close personal accounts exist from friends or family that shed true light on what he actually thought or who he WAS.
And yet, this is a man whose worldwide influence upon country and bluegrass music simply can’t be understated. His songs have been covered by everybody…and I mean EVERYBODY…from Dr. Ralph Stanley to Bob Dylan to Mick Jagger. His music is literally played everyday all over the world.
Josh Beckworth, author of “Always Been a Rambler: G.B. Grayson and Henry Whitter, Country Music Pioneers of Southern Appalachia,” very nicely sums up the challenge of telling G.B.’s story in this outtake from my new film.