When the Earls of Leicester (pronounced “Lester”) formed in 2013, their mission was ambitious but exact: to preserve and promote the legacy of bluegrass pioneers Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, in hopes of reviving the duo’s music for longtime admirers and introducing a new generation to their genre-defining sound. Within a year of releasing their self-titled debut, the Nashville-based six-piece band far surpassed their own expectations, winning a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album and earning six awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). Featuring Jerry Douglas on vocals and dobro, Shawn Camp on lead vocals and guitar, Charlie Cushman on banjo and guitar, Jeff White on vocals and mandolin, Johnny Warren on vocals and fiddle and Barry Bales on vocals and bass, the Earls return to Savannah after jam-packed performances at both SMF 2015 and 2017.