Earl Scruggs was the originator of the claw hammer technique in banjo. One other point is that Lester Flatt suggested to Bill Monroe back in 1945 "why not use Earl on banjo"  and even though there was a an earlier band starting back in 1941 to 1945 they were not that classic Bluegrass sound that Bill Monroe devised. The first recordings in September 1946 which yielded the classic "Blue Moon Of Kentucky"  are really the first Bluegrass style numbers. Before that, like most old timey style Country, Bill Monroe mainly recorded with his brother Charlie Monroe in a duet with Bill on Mandolin and Charlie, guitar with both sharing vocals duties.

 

Anyway Lester and Earl left Bill's Bluegrass Boys in early 1948 and Bill Monroe was not happy. He did not speak to them for over 40 years as Bill felt they had nicked his music when they formed their own band which would actually eclipse Bill Monroe' s.  Flatt and Scruggs is what they were called with the first studio recordings in 1949 ( albeit though there are a few radio broadcasts of the band from 1948).

 

Greatest banjo player ever and there will not be anybody better due to the fact even if they could play technically better, it is Earl Scugg's technique they all play today anyway.