Ricky Skaggs

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Ricky Skaggs

Rickie Lee "Ricky" Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), is an American country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, mandocaster and banjo.

Skaggs was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2016 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2018.

Press Reports

Nash Country Daily | by Jim Casey | @TheJimCasey | September 28, 2018

Ricky Skaggs Inducted Into Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame

Ricky Skaggs was inducted into the IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame on Sept. 27.

Ricky was inducted with Paul Williams, Tom T. Hall and the late Dixie Hall at the 29th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards in Raleigh, N.C.

Marty Stuart had the honor of officially inducting Ricky into the esteemed organization.

“He’s a radical revisionist, he’s a traditionalist, he’s a keeper of the flame, he’s an innovator, he’s always keeping his music moving forward, he’s invited so many people into the world of country and bluegrass music, he has become a universal touchstone to our kind of music,” said Marty. “Tonight, it’s my honor to ask Ricky Skaggs to come up here and receive bluegrass music’s most coveted award. I induct Ricky Skaggs, gladly, into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.”

I appreciate this award so much,” said Ricky. “This means so much to me because it’s the music of my youth. It’s the foundation of everything I’ve ever recorded. I want to thank the IBMA and all those who voted for me. And I want to thank the Lord Jesus. He deserves all glory.”

Ricky will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October.

Nash Country Daily | by Jim Casey | @TheJimCasey | July 25, 2018

Ricky Skaggs Among New Inductees for Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame

It’s been a hall-of-fame year for Ricky Skaggs.

After being announced as a 2018 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame in March, Ricky Skaggs was named a 2018 inductee into the IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame on July 25. Ricky will be joined by 2018 inductees Paul Williams, Tom T. Hall and the late Dixie Hall.

“I’m very honored to be inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame along with the ‘Father of Bluegrass’ Bill Monroe,” says Ricky. “His impact on me and all of us as musicians and singers that love bluegrass music will never be replicated. With so many other heroes in the Hall, I’m just thankful to have my name mentioned alongside theirs.”

The induction ceremony will take place on Sept. 27 in Raleigh, N.C., at the International Bluegrass Music Awards. The awards show will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. ET on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction.

photo courtesy of Absolute Publicity

Nash Country Daily | by Jim Casey | @TheJimCasey | September 1, 2016

Solid Foundation

ASCAP will present acclaimed bluegrass and country music songwriter/artist Ricky Skaggs with its prestigious Founders Award at the 54th annual ASCAP Country Music Awards.

The invitation-only gala, which celebrates the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most performed country songs of 2015, will take place at the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville on October 31st.

Background information From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Biography

Early career

Skaggs was born in Cordell, Kentucky. He started playing music at age 5 after he was given a mandolin by his father, Hobert. At age 6, he played mandolin and sang on stage with Bill Monroe. At age 7, he appeared on television's Martha White country music variety show, playing with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. He also wanted to audition for the Grand Ole Opry at that time, but was told he was too young.

In his mid-teens, Skaggs met a fellow teen guitarist, Keith Whitley, and the two started playing together with Whitley's banjoist brother Dwight on radio shows. By 1970, they had earned a spot opening for Ralph Stanley and Skaggs and Keith Whitley were thereafter invited to join Stanley's band, the Clinch Mountain Boys.

Skaggs later joined The Country Gentlemen in Washington, DC, J. D. Crowe's New South. In 1976, Skaggs formed progressive bluegrass band Boone Creek, including members Vince Gill and Jerry Douglas. For a few years, Skaggs was a member of Emmylou Harris's Hot Band. He wrote the arrangements for Harris's 1980 bluegrass-roots album, Roses in the Snow. In addition to arranging for Harris, Skaggs sang harmony and played mandolin and fiddle in the Hot Band.

Country career

Skaggs launched his own country career in 1980, achieving 12 #1 hits, 8 CMA awards, and 8 ACM awards. In 1982, he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, the youngest to ever be inducted at that time. Guitarist and producer Chet Atkins credited Skaggs with "single-handedly" saving country music. Skaggs is considered one of the pioneers of the Neotraditional country sub-genre.

In 1981, he debuted on Epic Records, Waitin for the Sun to Shine, which brought him to both the country and pop charts and produced two #1 hits.

In 1982, he released Highways & Heartaches, his only platinum album, featuring the instrumental heavy Highway 40 Blues.

Keeping with his instrumental heavy themes, he released "Country Boy" on the album of the same name. He also had Bill Monroe as a guest on this album.

Exploring a role as producer, Skaggs produced Dolly Parton's album White Limozeen, which started her comeback in country music.

Skaggs also guested on other albums. In 1995, he sang with Vince Gill on '"Go Rest High on That Mountain", which later won CMA's Song of the Year and was determined by BMI to be the Most-Performed Song in 1997.

(Picture: Ricky Skaggs jams with the Old Crow Medicine Show at the Grand Ole Opry on February 23, 2013)

Later career

In 1996, Skaggs went back to his bluegrass roots, and also experimented with new sounds. With his band, Kentucky Thunder, he is a perennial winner of Grammy Awards and International Bluegrass Music Association for best bluegrass album.

In 2000, he shared the stage with Vermont-based jam band, Phish. On March 20, 2007, Skaggs released an album with rock musician Bruce Hornsby.

In 2008, Skaggs released an album he recorded with The Whites on his Skaggs Family Records label.

In 2008, Skaggs recorded a bluegrass version of "Old Enough" by the Raconteurs with Ashley Monroe and the Raconteurs. He played the mandolin on the track as well as sharing vocals with Jack White, Brendan Benson, and Ashley Monroe.

In 2011, Skaggs, along with other musicians including the Irish band The Brock McGuire Band, released their album 'Green Grass Blue Grass", an exploration of the connection between Irish Traditional Music and American Bluegrass and Appalachian music.

Also in 2011, Skaggs contributed to Moody Bluegrass TWO...Much Love, a bluegrass tribute album to the British Progressive Rock band the Moody Blues. Skaggs sang lead vocal on the song "You And Me".

In 2012, Skaggs collaborated with Barry Gibb on the song, "Soldier's Son" which was released on Music to My Ears.

In 2015, Skaggs toured with Ry Cooder, Sharon White and other members of The Whites.

In 2016, he produced the Grammy-winning album Love Remains for Lady Antebellum member Hillary Scott.

In 2019, he collaborated with Steven Curtis Chapman for Chapman's album Deeper Roots: Where the Bluegrass Grows.

In 2019, Skaggs performed at the 6th Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum Concert and Induction Ceremony. As of recent years, Skaggs continues performing at the historic Grand Ole Opry house in Nashville, Tennessee

(Picture: Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White, McGlohon Theater, Charlotte, NC, August 19, 2015)

Personal life

Ricky Skaggs was previously married to Brenda Stanley and has two children, Andrew and Mandy, from that relationship. Skaggs has been married to Sharon White of The Whites since August 1981. They have 2 children; a daughter, Molly, and a son, Lucas. Molly Skaggs is a Christian/Gospel singer.

(It's all about a Skaggs Family Christmas, this week, in the Knee-Deep Artist Spotlight. Buck, Sharon and Cheryl White (in-laws of Ricky Skaggs) are here to talk about Vol. 2 of A Skaggs Family Christmas, but also the tour they have been enjoying with Ricky and Kentucky Thunder and their children.)