The Best of the Flatt and Scruggs TV Show, Vol. 6 [DVD]

The Country Music Hall of Fame has discovered and restored several episodes of the syndicated television series hosted by bluegrass pioneers Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, and two installments from May 1963 are included on this DVD release from Shanachie Entertainment. The material on The Best of the Flatt & Scruggs TV Show, Vol. 6 has been transferred to disc in its original full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1; the disc was sourced from surviving kinescope film transfers from videotape, and while the quality is less than ideal, the prints themselves are in good shape, and given the rarity of the material, most fans are unlikely to complain about the occasional visual anomalies. The audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital Stereo, preserving the original monophonic sound mixes, and the quality is as good as one can expect from a live television production in the early Sixties. The songs and between song announcements are in English, with no multiple language options or subtitles included. No bonus materials are included, unless you want to count the original Martha White flour commercials that are included in this package. The disc does include a well-designed booklet featuring an entertaining essay by Jay Orr on the history and production of the series, and fans of classic roots music will be pleased with these vintage performances even without extras.