Hi Jason - This is only my opinion - anyone who knows better please correct me.
I think Micheal is correct when he says that the minor lick is trying to indicate where the songs chord progression is headed for the next measure in this case G. And because of the minor tension of the 7th measure you get a relaxed laid back G major pentatonic lick for measure 8
Measure 7 does move to a G minor pentatonic blues scale whist you are over a C major chord (which can be quite jarring) - but the very last triplet relies on notes from the G major pentatonic scale. Which leads you to the G major chord in measure 8 - Where there is then nothing truly surprising - scale wise - in the measure that follows measure 7
My apologies too if you already know this
A lot of modern/contemporary bluegrass music seems to freely modulate (at times) to the use of small phrases or notes taken from the minor pentatonic scale. It is very tricky to do it tastefully - Many licks, runs and phrases often add elements of the minor blues scale to add tension, contrast or color… To twist the listeners ear. The mixing and contrasting opposites - Dark + Light or Sweet + Sour - However you want to think about it.
In my opinion the overall flavor of many bluegrass songs remain rooted in the major pentatonic - but you are free to move into the minor at anytime as long as you can find your way back to the major without tripping up the melody or song you are trying to play. It is very hard to do. Ben’s version of this song is really clever. It has some bite but it doesn’t go too far.
You are fundamentally using a G major pentatonic scale but you are free to take opportunities to add in the flatten 5th and the G minor pantatonic at any point in the song as long as you can stick the landing in the major chord progression and the song fundamentally sounds major and harmonious as a whole. It is easy to add very jarring out of place minor pentatonic sounds if you are not careful - Really skill full players can do it almost effortlessly at any point they chose and you can marvel at how they can briefly divert your ears to somewhere unexpected and then bring them back to where you they should to be.
I don’t fully understand what they’re sometimes doing - that’s why I enjoy playing bluegrass and find it a challenge - The mixing of major and minor is exciting - you find yourself experimenting with it more.
What I end up admiring most is that this version of this song it that it has a really chilled - laid back groove - but there are some tasteful bluesy detours that sit just right…
Well worth learning - I’ve just started with it