Ballad Of Jed Clampett

A bluegrass song written by Paul Henning as the theme to his sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, recorded by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs on October 10, 1962, and released as a Columbia single on November 26, 1962. Jerry Scoggins sang lead on the version used in the TV opening and closing, while Flatt took the lead on the released single. The single hit #1 on Billboard’s country chart on December 8, 1962 — the first bluegrass record ever to top the country chart — and crossed over to #44 on the pop Hot 100. Louise Scruggs, the band’s manager, had initially hesitated to take on the project, worried that “Beverly Hillbillies” would offend country audiences; Henning convinced her by explaining the show’s premise of hillbillies outsmarting city slickers. The song led to Flatt and Scruggs making seven cameo appearances on the show.