Ricky Skaggs
Sometimes in life, things come full circle. That's the story of Ricky Skaggs. By age 21, he was already considered a "recognized master" of one of America's most demanding art forms, but his career took him in other directions, catapulting him to popularity and success in the mainstream of country music. Now the road has brought him back to where it all began-bluegrass music.
2001 marked Ricky's 30th year as a professional musician, and this nine-time Grammy Award winner continues to do his part to lead the recent roots revival in music. Known affectionately today as bluegrass music's official ambassador, Ricky has brought the genre to greater levels of popularity in the past 252h71c few years than the father of bluegrass music - legendary Bill Monroe - could ever have imagined. With seven consecutive Grammy nominated classics behind him, all from his self-owned record company, (Bluegrass Rules! in 1998, Ancient Tones in 1999, both Soldier of the Cross and Big Mon: The Songs of Bill Monroe in 2000, History of the Future in 2001, Live at the Charleston Music Hall in 2003 and currently, Brand New Strings) bluegrass music is undoubtedly in good hands, with the masterful Ricky Skaggs at the helm.
Ricky was born on July 18, 1954 in Cordell, Kentucky and was already an accomplished singer and mandolin player by the time he reached his teens. In 1971 he entered the world of professional music with his friend, the late country singer, Keith Whitley, when the two young musicians were invited to join the band of bluegrass pioneer Ralph Stanley. Ricky soon began to build a reputation for creativity and excitement through live appearances and recordings with acts such as J.D. Crowe & The New South. He performed on their 1975 debut album for Rounder Records, which is widely regarded as one of the most influential bluegrass albums ever made. A stint as a bandleader with Boone Creek followed, bringing the challenges of leadership while giving him further recording and performing experience.
Beginning in the late 1970s, Ricky turned his attention to country music. Though still in his twenties, the wealth of experience and talent he possessed served him well, first as a member of Emmylou Harris' Hot Band and later as an individual recording artist on his own. With the release of Waitin' For the Sun to Shine in 1981, Skaggs reached the top of the country charts and remained there throughout most of the 1980s. As his popularity soared, he garnered eight awards from the Country Music Association (CMA), including "Entertainer of the Year" in 1985, four Grammy Awards and dozens of other honors. These achievements also placed him front and center in the neo-traditionalist movement, bringing renewed vitality and prominence to a sound that had been somewhat subdued by the commercialization of the urban cowboy fad. Renowned guitarist and producer, Chet Atkins, credited Skaggs with "single-handedly" saving country music.
In 1997, after Ricky's then-current recording contract was coming to an end, he decided to establish his own record label -- Skaggs Family Records. Since then, Ricky and Kentucky Thunder have released an amazing 7 consecutive Grammy nominated classics, (4 of which went on to earn the revered award) while also opening the label to a variety of other musical artists - all the time keeping the emphasis on bluegrass and other forms of roots music. Since then, Ricky and Skaggs Family Records have had the privilege of working with the following roster of musical talent: The Del McCoury Band, The Whites, Mountain Heart, Jerry and Tammy Sullivan, Blue Highway, Paul Brewster, Andy Leftwich - and the newly signed Melonie Cannon.
Ricky's first release from Skaggs Family Records, Bluegrass Rules!, set a new standard for bluegrass - breaking new sales records in the genre, winning Skaggs his sixth Grammy Award, and taking the International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) 'Album of the Year' award. In 1999, his second all-bluegrass album, Ancient Tones, won a Grammy Award for 'Best Bluegrass Album'-his second consecutive Grammy in that same category. Just one year later, Ricky won his eighth Grammy Award in the 'Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album' category for Soldier of the Cross - Ricky's first-and-only all-Gospel recording project to date.
Ricky made further progress with the release of his fourth bluegrass album in 2000, Big Mon: The Songs of Bill Monroe. This project injected new fire and energy into the fertile fields of traditional bluegrass, celebrating the music and the life of Ricky's mentor, Bill Monroe. By assembling an all-star cast of musicians ranging from The Dixie Chicks and Travis Tritt to Joan Osborne and Bruce Hornsby, Big Mon received much critical acclaim, including a Grammy nomination for 'Best Country Collaboration With Vocals.' The album was re-released by Lyric Street Records in 2002 under a new name--Ricky Skaggs & Friends Sing the Songs of Bill Monroe.
The fifth consecutive bluegrass album for Ricky and Kentucky Thunder album came in 2001, with the release of History of the Future - a timeless collection of both traditional bluegrass standards and newly conceived acoustic gems that paid tribute to not only bluegrass music's original founders, but also introduced some of the genre's best new songwriters, sounds and styles. Not surprisingly, the album received rave reviews and industry accolades - including a Grammy nomination in the 'Best Bluegrass Album' category and an IBMA nomination for 'Album of the Year' - once again placing Skaggs among the leading innovators in the genre.
Skaggs first all-live album with Kentucky Thunder, Live at the Charleston Music Hall, helped the band net the award for the IBMA's 'Best Instrumental Group of the Year.' (This is an award Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder has won six out of the last seven years!) The decision to go live with the album was an obvious one for Skaggs - coming off the IBMA wins, and because the current configuration of Kentucky Thunder ranks among the best group of musicians he has ever worked with. "This group of guys meets my approval every night," said Ricky. "Each and every one of the pickers in Kentucky Thunder totally amazes me in every show.and that to me, outweighs any award we could ever win." The all-star lineup of Kentucky Thunder includes: Andy Leftwich (fiddle), Paul Brewster (tenor vocals, rhythm guitar), Mark Fain (bass), Jim Mills (banjo), Cody Kilby (lead guitar) and Darrin Vincent (baritone vocals, rhythm guitar). Honored in 2004 with a Grammy win, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder - "Live" at the Charleston Music Hall is a concert album destined to take its place among country and bluegrass music's classics.
Beyond his award-winning recordings, Ricky continues to lead the charge in bringing renewed vitality to country music's most down-to-earth form. From his string of high-profile tour dates with the Dixie Chicks in 2000, to his position as host of the unprecedented 'All*Star Bluegrass Celebration' which aired nationwide on PBS in 2002, to his participation in the wildly successful 41-city 'Down From the Mountain' tour -- Ricky has become one of bluegrass' most talented and dynamic performers.
Ricky Skaggs has often said that he is "just trying to make a living" playing the music he loves. But it's clear that his passion for bluegrass puts him in the position to bring this lively, distinctively American form of music out of isolation and into the ears and hearts of audiences across the country and around the world. This has rarely been done in the half-century since Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys first gave shape to bluegrass. Blessed with a close-knit family, an abundance of talent, a lifetime of musical experience and a crack band behind him, Ricky Skaggs is well on the way to showing the world that "country rocks, but bluegrass rules!"
Bluegrass Vagabonds
Cherryholmes Sign with Skaggs Family Records
New album to feature mostly original songs
High-energy bluegrass group Cherryholmes has
signed a recording contract with Skaggs Family Records. The band is currently
in the studio recording their fourth album, with Ben Isaacs as producer.
"This is one electrifying group of entertainers that will have you on your
feet, shouting for more," said Ricky Skaggs, founder of Skaggs Family
Records. "They are crowd pleasers everywhere they play, and we're just so
excited to have them on the label."
The family act includes father Jere, mother Sandi, daughters Cia (21) and Molly
(12), and sons B.J. (16) and Skip (15). They were named the Entertaining Group
of the Year by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America
(SPBGMA) last month during its annual awards ceremony, while Cia received the
award for Banjo Performer of the Year against stiff, all-male competition.
"The whole concept is that we have high powered instrumentals that are at
warp speed," Jere Cherryholmes said. " Sandy does some country
shuffle tunesthe old time kind, you know. Weve got bluegrass; weve got
traditional stuff from the Stanleys and Monroe. The kids are writing their own
songs now. We try to take the audience on a roller coaster ride, on purpose. We
want them to experience highs and lows, and speed and excitement."
Cherryholmes, who hail from Bell, Calif. (just outside L.A.), have an amazing
life story to tell. The close-knit kin took up bluegrass as a family project in
1999, an extension of Sandy's home schooling curriculum. She assigned
individual instruments to challenge each of her children, and within four
months they were receiving invitations to play locally. This expanded to
festivals in the Western U.S. and other engagements, and in 2002 Jere quit his
job, they sold their home and hit the road full time as a band.
By spring of 2003 Cherryholmes made their first appearances on The Grand Ole
Opry, Ernest Tubbs Midnight Jamboree, the Country Music Association's Music
Fest and the International Bluegrass Music Associations Bluegrass Fan Fest. In
mid-October 2004 the band kicked off their own festival: "The Best in
Tradition, with Cherryholmes, at Hoofers Gospel Barn in La Grange , Georgia .
They have crisscrossed the country many times in their classic GM bus, covering
some 40 states, staying out for as long as 12 weeks at a time.
"What a joy it was to meet a family who loves bluegrass with such passion
and enthusiasm," Jimmy Martin writes in the album liner notes to Bluegrass
Vagabonds, their current release. "I was impressed with all of them who
have such a passion for what I have been doing for more than 50 years and it
encourages me to see these fine young musicians arriving on the bluegrass
scene."
Ryan Holladay signs with Skaggs Family Records
Bluegrass prodigy releases album April 12
Multi-instrumentalist Ryan Holladay has
signed a recording contract with Skaggs Family Records and his current album
New Kid in Town will be released to retail April 12. Already a music-industry
veteran at age 12 with three albums to his credit, Holladay has performed on
the venerable Grand Ole Opry since he was 5 and is credited with being the
youngest artist to ever appear on that famous stage.
"Every time I hear Ryan Holladay play and sing, I'm truly amazed. He just
keeps getting better all the time. He truly has a special gift," said
Ricky Skaggs, founder of Skaggs Family Records.
Ryan has performed on stage with some of the best bands in bluegrass music
including the Mike Snider Band, Lonesome River Band, Larry Cordle &
Lonesome Standard Time and many more. He has also opened shows for country
legend Roy Clark and acoustic supergroup Nickel Creek.
"This guy is a STAR! Its hard to imagine that someone could have this much
music savvy at 12 years old," Cordle said. "This is by far Ryans best
effort to date. What a talent. What instincts. This young man not only plays
the banjo, mandolin and all lead guitar parts, he also arranged all the singing
on this CD. Remarkable! Put that together with being one of the nicest, most
charismatic young men that I have ever met and there you have it folks, the
whole package as they say. Look for great things from this extraordinarily
talented young musician."
Ryans incredible musicianship is evidenced on New Kid in Town, where he
provided lead and harmony vocals, banjo, mandolin and guitar talents. The Ryan
Holladay Band includes Mark Holladay (vocals, guitar), Mike Holladay (bass,
vocals) and Tyler Andal (fiddle). Tracks include an original song written by
country artist Dierks Bentley and Mike Ward titled "Midnight Radio."
"What can I say about Ryan that his music doesnt already say?"
Bentley raved. "He is an incredible talent and well represents the future
of bluegrass music. This is the first time another artist has recorded one of
my songs and Im very honored Ryan chose it for his new project."
Ricky Skaggs Wins 10th Career Grammy Award
Skaggs and band Kentucky Thunder honored
for Best Bluegrass Album
Bluegrass ambassador Ricky Skaggs received
his 10th career Grammy at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards, televised live from
the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Skaggs and his band Kentucky Thunder were
awarded the Grammy trophy for Best Bluegrass Album - their third win in that category
- for their recent No. 1 bluegrass album Brand New Strings.
"I am so pleased to have won this award for the music that I love the
best," Skaggs smiled. "Bluegrass is enjoying its second golden age,
and it's a humbling feeling to be held in such high esteem when there are so
many great artists out there."
Brand New Strings features four original songs penned by Skaggs and several
songs from contemporary tunesmiths he admires, including Harley Allen, Guy
Clark and Shawn Camp. The project is his most contemporary bluegrass album to
date.
Skaggs has won an incredible five Grammy Awards since starting his own
bluegrass record label back in 1997 - as many as he received during his entire
country career. Each project he's released for Skaggs Family Records has been
nominated for the prestigious Grammy trophy (Bluegrass Rules!, Ancient Tones,
Soldier of the Cross, Big Mon: the Songs of Bill Monroe, History of the Future,
Live at the Charleston Music Hall and Brand New Strings). After the death of
bluegrass legend Bill Monroe - his friend and mentor - in 1996, Skaggs
rededicated himself to the music that first launched his career as a teenager.
Later this year, Skaggs will be collaborating with Bruce Hornsby on a new
project, and then, during the holidays, will release his highly anticipated
Skaggs Family Christmas album, which features performances by Skaggs, his
extended family, The Whites, his children Luke and Molly Skaggs, and his niece,
Rachel White.
In addition, Skaggs will be overseeing the development of a handful of new
artists on Skaggs Family Records, including Ryan Holladay, the Cherryholmes,
and Keith Sewell. "The future of bluegrass looks bright," Skaggs
said. "It is so great to watch the next generation carry the torch for this
original American art form. It makes me proud," he concluded.
Ricky and KT to be Guests on Prairie Home Companion
Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder will be the
guest performers on A Prairie Home Companion, to be broadcast live from the
Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul on Saturday, Jan. 29.
Skaggs recently received a Grammy nomination for his recent No. 1 bluegrass
album, Brand New Strings. The bandleader has earned nine Grammy awards
throughout his illustrious career.
"It's been such a great year for us with my new album, Brand New Strings,
reaching the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Bluegrass Album chart and now the
Grammy award nomination," Skaggs said. "My new album is a more
contemporary bluegrass approach, and it's great to know that people are enjoying
it." Last year, Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder picked up a Grammy for Best
Country Performance by a Group or Duo with Vocals for the song, "A Simple
Life" from the album, Live at the Charleston Music Hall.
"I feel like I'm getting a fresh wind in my career," Skaggs said.
"I'm doing what I love to do, and every day I count my blessings that I
get to go back to my roots and play the music that runs in my veins."
This is the 30th Anniversary season for the St. Paul-based A Prairie Home
Companion, heard each week by over 4 million listeners on over 558 public radio
stations, and abroad on America One and the Armed Forces Networks in Europe and
the Far East.
Ricky Skaggs Receives a Grammy Nomination
Bluegrass troubadour Ricky Skaggs received a
nomination for Best Bluegrass Album as the National Academy of Recording Arts
and Sciences (NARAS) announced their final list of nominees for the 47th Annual
Grammy Awards, to be televised Feb. 13, 2005 from the Staples Center in Los
Angeles.
Skaggs' recent No. 1 bluegrass album Brand New Strings was nominated in the
Best Bluegrass Album category. Ricky has earned nine Grammy awards throughout
his illustrious career and was ecstatic when he heard the news at home in
Hendersonville, Tenn.
'Wow, I just couldn't be any prouder that the Grammy folks have again chosen to
honor me and my band Kentucky Thunder,' he said. 'It's been such a great year
for us, having the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Bluegrass Album chart for the
first time, and now this award nomination. My new album is a more contemporary
bluegrass approach and it's great to see that people are enjoying it.'
With this latest Grammy nomination, Skaggs is now seven for seven - each album
he has released since starting his own label has been nominated for the prestigious
Grammy trophy (Bluegrass Rules!, Ancient Tones, Soldier of the Cross, Big Mon:
the Songs of Bill Monroe, History of the Future, Live at the Charleston Music
Hall and Brand New Strings). Last year Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder picked up a
Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Group or Duo with Vocals for the song
'A Simple Life' from the album Live at the Charleston Music Hall.
Ricky Skaggs reaches career milestone - Brand New Strings is No. 1
Seven years after founding his own bluegrass
record label, Ricky Skaggs has ascended to the top of the Billboard Bluegrass
Albums sales chart with his latest offering, Brand New Strings. The
collection of contemporary songs climbed to No. 1 just six weeks after its
release, making him the first male artist to ever attain the top position on
the chart.
'I feel like I'm getting a second wind in my career,' Skaggs said. 'I'm doing
what I love to do, and every day I count my blessings that I get to go back to
my roots and play the music that burns in my veins.'
Billboard's Top Bluegrass Albums chart debuted on July 20, 2002 and only four
releases have attained the No. 1 spot the soundtrack to the film Oh
Brother, Where Art Thou?, Nickel Creeks' This Side, the compilation album A
Very Special Acoustic Christmas, and Alison Krauss and Union Station's Live
album.
Skaggs is riding high after a busy season of touring with his crack band,
Kentucky Thunder, who won their sixth Instrumental Band of the Year honor from
the International Bluegrass Music Association in October. The band is playing
several holiday shows with the Skaggs family and The Whites through the end of
the season.
To cap off a very successful year, Skaggs will be honored with the Honorary
Degree Doctor of Art from Eastern Kentucky University on May 8, 2005. He will
receive his degree and address the graduating classes of the College of Arts
and Sciences and the College of Business and Technology at the University in
Richmond, Ky.
'Your many friends at Eastern Kentucky University have followed your career
with pride,' wrote President Joanne K. Glasser in a letter to Skaggs. 'Your
accomplishments have been well-earned and have reflected much deserved credit
upon you.'
Ricky Skaggs Inducted Into Kentucky Music Hall of Fame
One of Bluegrass music's most recognizable
leaders, Ricky Skaggs, was honored last evening by his home-state of Kentucky
as he was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.
Established just three years ago, the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame operates an
interactive/working museum, highlighting Kentucky's musical heritage and
honoring the contributions of Kentucky artists to American music. Last night's
induction event, attended by Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher, awarded several
multi-talented Kentuckians who have made significant contributions to the world
of music.
The 2004 Kentucky Music Hall of Fame Inductees honored last evening included:
Ricky Skaggs, J.D. Crowe, Billy Vaughn, Boots Randolph, The Coon Creek Girls,
Howard and Vestal Goodman, and Jerry Chesnut. Several other awards were also
presented, including Kentucky Entertainers of the Year to Montgomery Gentry,
Kentucky Music Ambassadors Award to Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson of the
Backstreet Boys, and The Governor's Lifetime Achievement Award to Dwight Yokam.
RICKY SKAGGS & KENTUCKY THUNDER WIN GRAMMY FOR BEST COUNTRY PERFORMANCE BY
GROUP OR DUO
Ricky Skaggs added to his impressive list of
career accomplishments Sunday night at the 46th Annual GRAMMY Awards, when he
received his ninth GRAMMY in the Best Country Performance by a Group or Duo
with Vocals category. The award went to the Harley Allen penned song -- "A
Simple Life" from the GRAMMY nominated album, Live at the Charleston
Music Hall, on Skaggs Family Records.
Going into Sunday's awards, Skaggs was Nashville's leading Country nominee
with 5 separate nominations in 4 different categories. Of the 5
nominations, which included Best Bluegrass Album, Best Instrumental
Performance, and Best Folk Album (categories that Skaggs has either won, or
been nominated in previously) -- the one for Best Country Performance by a
Group of Duo with Vocals was perhaps the most unlikely win for Skaggs &
Kentucky Thunder.
Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder's song, "A Simple Life," was up against
some of Country music's very biggest hit-makers 3 of which had #1
Billboard Country songs nominated in the category -- Lonestar's "Front
Porch Looking In," Brooks & Dunn's "Red Dirt Road," and
Diamond Rio's "I Believe."
Although "A Simple Life" held the #1 position on the Bluegrass
Unlimited Singles chart for 3 months, it had never entered Billboard's Top
Country Singles Chart.
So much to the surprise of everyone, when the final winners were announced
it was Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder's Bluegrass song, "A Simple
Life," that incredibly was declared the champion!
The Bluegrass great couldn't have been more shocked: "wow&what an
accomplishment. I would've never guessed we'd win in this category? Who'd have
thought? Against guys like Brooks & Dunn and Lonestar and Diamond Rio, who
all have videos playin' on CMT & GAC, and hit songs on Country
radio&man, to have 'A Simple Life,' a Bluegrass song recorded live, win
against all that is pretty amazing! I guess it goes to show that all the
promotion in the world doesn't always translate into GRAMMY wins&you know,
sometimes folks just win because of a really good song, and really good music.
And that's what the GRAMMYs are all about&it's not a 'popularity contest'
like some of the other awards out there. For the most part, our peers in NARAS
just vote for good, quality music&and that's why this award means so much
to us."
And really good music has been the name of the game for Skaggs in recent years,
especially since starting his own label in 1997. Amazingly, each one of his
albums released on Skaggs Family Records has received a GRAMMY nomination (6 in
all), while 4 have actually earned a GRAMMY Award. Based on Skaggs' nearly
impeccable GRAMMY record since his return to Bluegrass that really is
some good music!
"We want to thank everyone out there who realized what a good song 'A
Simple Life' was, even before this GRAMMY win&especially those stations who
played it right from the beginning," said Skaggs. "We really
appreciate all those folks out there in the media who keep supportin' me &
the boys. I have to thank the Grand Ole Opry for their support of the song this
year along with CMT & GAC for their broadcasts of the Opry. And of
course I have to thank Harley Allen for writing such a great song&he is a
master. Wow&what a surprise! Again, thank you to everyone who supported 'A
Simple Life' over the year&we owe it to you."
Of course, all the celebrating over his ninth GRAMMY win can't go on for too
long as Skaggs returns to the studio this week for work on a few, new highly
anticipated Skaggs Family album releases for 2004 Mountain Heart's new
studio album set for release later this spring, a new Skaggs & Kentucky
Thunder studio album expected to debut in early summer, and a Skaggs Family
Christmas album due out later this fall.
Skaggs Family Recording Artist-
Sharon White-Skaggs- Nominated for 4
DOVE Awards
Sharon White-Skaggs, member of the legendary
family Country act, The Whites, was honored with 4 Dove Award nominations for
her participation on the Daywind Records release entitled, Love Never Fails,
along with musical friends, Connie Smith and Barbara Fairchild.
Nominations for the album, produced by 9-time GRAMMY Award winner, Ricky
Skaggs, include: Bluegrass Recorded Song for "Walkin' Through The Fire,"
Country Recorded Song for both "Closer To Home," and "Love Never
Fails," and Country Album for Love Never Fails.
Dove Awards nominations go to recordings released during the eligibility year
November 1, 2002 through October 31, 2003 and voted on by the 4,500 member
Gospel Music Association in 44 categories. The winners will be announced on
Wednesday, April 28th at the Gaylord Entertainment Center.
SKAGGS & Kentucky Thunder's "A SIMPLE LIFE" Still Goin' Strong!
Just one week into the new year, and already
the reigning IBMA 'Instrumental Group of the Year,' Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky
Thunder, are making the headlines - their latest single, "A Simple
Life," is holding strong at the #2 position on the Bluegrass Unlimited
Singles Chart for January.
"A Simple Life," from Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder's latest album,
Live at the Charleston Music Hall, were both recently nominated for the most
prestigious honor in music - the highly coveted Grammy Award. "A Simple
Life," is up for Best Country Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal,
while Live at the Charleston Music Hall is up for Best Bluegrass Album.
Skaggs racked up a phenomenal 5 total Grammy nominations -- more than any other
Nashville Country artist! The Grammy winners will be announced during the Prime-time
Grammy Awards Show February 8, 2004, on CBS-TV, broadcast live from Staples
Center in Los Angeles.
Also, make sure to tune into GAC as Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder will perform
"A Simple Life," as well as other material from the Grammy nominated
Live at the Charleston Music Hall, next Saturday on Great American Country's
"Grand Old Opry Live." Skaggs will host the hour-long program, which
will premier Saturday, January 17 at 8pm EST on GAC. Encore performances will
also run Saturday evening at 11pm ET, as well as on Sunday and Tuesday.
BLUEGRASS GREAT -RICKY SKAGGS-
AMONG THE TOP GRAMMY NOMINEES
Bluegrass ambassador, Ricky Skaggs, was among
an elite group of artists who were recognized as the National Academy of
Recording Arts and Sciences announced their final list of nominees for the 2004
Grammy Awards.
The Country/Bluegrass legend received 5 total nominations (more than any other
Nashville artist), tying Missy Elliott, Eminem, Evanescence, 50 Cent, Chad
Hugo, Justin Timberlake, Luther Vandross and the late Warren Zevon with the
same, impressive number of nods. Only Jay-Z, Pharrell, Beyonce', and Outkast
had more nominations, with 6 apiece.
Skaggs and his band, Kentucky Thunder (the reigning IBMA Instrumental Group of
the Year winners), received three Grammy nominations in the following
categories: Best Country Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocal for "A
Simple Life" from the album, Live at the Charleston Music Hall, Best
Country Instrumental Performance for "Get Up John" from the album,
Live at the Charleston Music Hall, and Best Bluegrass Album for Live at the
Charleston Music Hall.
Skaggs also received two additional Grammy nominations for his participation in
one of the most distinguished musical events of the year: Best Country
Instrumental Performance for "Pick Along" from the album, The Three
Pickers - Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson & Ricky Skaggs, and Best Traditional
Folk Album for The Three Pickers - Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson & Ricky Skaggs.
Skaggs, who is certainly no stranger to music's most revered honor (Ricky has
earned a remarkable total of 8 Grammy Awards) was shocked when word of his
record-breaking 5 nominations reached him in Dallas yesterday morning,
"wow, a lot of really great things have happened for us over the past few
years...but this is the top! I mean, what more is there for a musician (bigger
or better than a Grammy nomination?)...our decision to go back to Bluegrass was
the best thing we could have ever done."
Since his return to Bluegrass, and upon the origination of his own label
(Skaggs Family Records) in 1997, each one of the six albums released by Skaggs
has been nominated for the prestigious Grammy trophy (Bluegrass Rules!, Ancient
Tones, Soldier of the Cross, Big Mon: the Songs of Bill Monroe, History of the
Future, and the newest, Live at the Charleston Music Hall) - while 3 have
earned the Grammy (Bluegrass Rules!, Ancient Tones, and Soldier of the Cross).
The announcement places the Bluegrass master among the entire music industry's
most celebrated artists -- with 6 consecutive Grammy-nominated albums, all
released back-to-back on his own independent record label, Skaggs has
accomplished what very few (if any) have ever been able to do.
Yesterday's Grammy nominations culminate one of Skaggs' busiest years on
record, "the year has been a remarkable one for us," gushed the
celebrated musician, "and I feel so blessed to be recognized like this. Of
course I'm really happy about 'Three Pickers' being nominated...that was such
an amazing project I was blessed to be a part of this year. While I wish Bill
Monroe could have been the third picker, you know I'm really happy I had the
opportunity to play with both Earl and Doc (such musical legends)...and for
them to get those Grammy nods, they both really deserve it. I'm also thrilled
the 'Live' album was nominated...I'm really proud of that project. But 5
nominations in all, that's amazing!"
While overjoyed by yesterday's announcement, Skaggs can take very little time
to slow down and celebrate the good news - as he and his family are busy with
their last-minute preparations for the first, annual Skaggs Family Christmas
Show, which kicked off in Dallas, Texas. The Bluegrass great has also begun
work on a new studio album scheduled for release by mid-year 2004, and shows no
signs of slowing his normally busy touring schedule in the new year.
"You know I'm busier than I've ever been before in my career...but I
wouldn't want it any other way," commented an elated Skaggs, rehearsing
with his two youngest children back-stage at the Morton Meyerson Center (the
site of last night's first Christmas show). "I've really been
blessed."
The final winners for the 46th Annual Grammy Awards will be announced on
Sunday, February 8, 2004, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
MOUNTAIN HEART'S NO OTHER WAY PICKED AS THE
#1 ALBUM OF THE YEAR BY
BLUEGRASS NOW MAGAZINE
Skaggs Family recording artists, Mountain
Heart, are capping off a monumental year as the reviewers at Bluegrass Now
magazine recently chose their latest album, No Other Way, as the top CD of 2003.
Here's what the critics had to say about Mountain Heart's No Other Way, their best recording
effort to date:
"Harmonious quartet singing combines with masterful instrumental
work."
-- Barbara Baird, Bluegrass Now Associate Editor
"From start to finish, this is an enthusiastic project with captivating
vocals and amazing instrumental work. Never a dull moment."
-- Bob Mitchell, Louisville Music News
"A tasteful mix of Gospel music and secular style from a very talented
group. It will appeal to a broader audience."
-- Johnny Pearce, Bay Area Bluegrass Association
"No Other Way has one of the best mixes
of songs I heard all year: traditional bluegrass, country, gospel, cowboy, a
capella and two instrumentals that raise the hair on the back of your
neck."
-- Wayne Bledsoe, Bluegrass Now Editor
Other impressive achievements for Mountain Heart this year include three
prestigious International Bluegrass Music Association nominations ('Vocal Group
of the Year,' 'Instrumental Group of the Year,' and 'Entertainer of the Year')
and, for the second year in a row, the IBMA 'Mandolin Player of the Year'
award was presented to group member, Adam Steffey.
Expect another stellar year for the six-man Bluegrass super-group, as Mountain
Heart prepares to enter the studio this winter to begin work on their highly
anticipated follow-up to No Other Way scheduled for release on Skaggs
Family Records in 2004.
RICKY SKAGGS TO EMBARK ON HIS FIRST HOLIDAY TOUR
RICKY SKAGGS & Kentucky Thunder, THE WHITES, MOUNTAIN HEART & THE
"SKAGGS KIDS"
WILL KICK OFF THE SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS TOUR THIS DECEMBER
Eight time Grammy Award winner, Ricky Skaggs,
will bring the true Christmas spirit to his fans this season as he prepares for
his very first holiday tour, The Skaggs Family Christmas, an evening of holiday
entertainment for the entire family.
The Skaggs Family Christmas will kick off on December 4th in Dallas, Texas at
the Morton Meyerson Symphony Center (presented by the Dallas Symphony
Orchestra) -- and wrap up on December 19th in Cherokee, North Carolina at
Harrah's Cherokee Casino.
"I've dreamed of creating a Christmas show for years," explained
Skaggs, "but the idea of making it a Skaggs Family Christmas show really
just came to me this summer&after a night in July, when our little Skaggs
family summer vacation, turned into a totally unplanned, unexpected Skaggs
Family show."
Skaggs is referring to an incident that the members of his award-winning band,
Kentucky Thunder, would probably rather forget. On July 11th, Skaggs &
Kentucky Thunder were scheduled to perform at the Chastin Park Amphitheater in
Atlanta, Georgia -- but unlike a typical Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder touring
situation where they would all ride together to each performance, Skaggs &
Kentucky Thunder were to arrive separately that day. Skaggs was in the midst of
a family vacation, driving north to Atlanta from Orlando, Florida while
the 8-member Kentucky Thunder crew were making their way south to the gig after
an early-morning departure from Nashville.
Things that day would not go as planned however -- as a dangerous fire broke
out on Kentucky Thunder's bus, leaving the 8-man group stranded on the side of
interstate for hours. Fortunately, all the band & crew members of Kentucky
Thunder escaped from the bus-fire with no injuries or damage to their personal
belonging and equipment but alas, the catastrophic events of that day
would ultimately prevent the Kentucky Thunder crew from making it to the
Atlanta show that night on time, leaving Skaggs alone with no band, and a
completely packed Chastin Park crowd eager to hear a great night of music.
"At first when the guys called to tell me about the fire, of course I was
just horrified&(we're so blessed, because it could have been a lot worse),"
said Skaggs. "But as soon as I heard they were all safe, and that they
were just waiting for another bus to come and pick them up&I figured it'd
all be OK. Sure, the boys were gonna miss the sound-check &but they'd still
make it on time for the show. Boy was I wrong!"
As show time neared, and Kentucky Thunder was still nowhere in sight
Ricky realized the show that night was going to be unlike any of his past
performances before. Knowing what a talented musical family he had been blessed
with, he decided to call on the help of his wife and children to assist in
putting together an improvisational performance that would so completely amaze
the Chastin Park crowd that night, it eventually would become the catalyst for
The Skaggs Family Christmas Show.
For nearly an hour, Ricky and his wife Sharon, on vocals and rhythm guitar
(legendary in her own right musically, as part of the father-daugher trio &
long-time Grand Ole Opry favorites, The Whites), their 19-year old daughter
Molly, on vocals, the accordion and the claw-hammer banjo (instruments she had
recently just begun to learn), and their 14-year old son Luke, on fiddle (an
instrument he had also been learning for a few years) entertained the crowd
with a mix of old-time Gospel hymns, traditional acappella folk songs and
acoustic instrumentals.
Eventually, the band would arrive and join him for an abbreviated,
full-of-thrills Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder Bluegrass set but it
was the impromptu Skaggs family performance that night that completely awed the
Atlanta audience, bringing them to their feet for an enthusiastic encore.
"The crowd just loved it," said Skaggs. "Me and Sharon were just
so proud of Molly & Luke&I mean the crowd was shocked, but honestly, we
were shocked too! Sittin' in the living room together at home, having our
little family pickin' parties is a lot different than performing on-stage in
front of hundreds of people&but they were great."
Since then, The Skaggs Family Christmas Show cast of characters has expanded to
include the extended White family Buck White, Cheryl White and her
21-year old daughter Rachel White, as well as fellow Skaggs Family Records
label mates, Mountain Heart for a couple shows -- but the premise still largely
remains the same. The Skaggs Family Christmas Show will feature musical sets by
Ricky & Kentucky Thunder, The Whites, The Skaggs Kids featuring Molly &
Luke Skaggs and Rachel White, and Mountain Heart respectively plus
collaborative efforts by various/all artists together presented in a very
laid-back, relaxed-at-home, family pickin' party feel. The musical format of
the show will feature a mix of both traditional Bluegrass & acoustic
favorites by each group, as well as newly-worked up Christmas classics to
create a truly memorable holiday experience for the entire family.
"I really hope this is just the beginning for the holiday show," said
Skaggs. "Next year, I'd like to see it hit a few more cities and grow even
more. This is a great show for families to attend together&for church
groups and youth groups. You know, it's a show put on by a family-for families,
celebrating the true joy of Christmas."
The following shows have been confirmed:
Thurs Dec 4, Morton Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas, TX
Sat Dec 6, Calvary Baptist Church, Beaumont, TX
Sun Dec 7, Calvary Baptist Church, Beaumont, TX
Sat Dec 13, The Grand Palace, Branson, MO
Fri Dec 19, Harrah's Cherokee Casino, Cherokee, NC
BLUEGRASS MUSIC'S NEWEST SUPER-GROUP
MOUNTAIN HEART
TO APPEAR ON A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION
One of the hottest new bands in Bluegrass,
Mountain Heart, will make their debut appearance on one of NPR's most popular
syndicated radio programs, "A Prairie Home Companion," November 8th,
in Charlottesville, Virginia at the Charlottesville Performing Arts Center.
Formed in 1999, this six-man super-group has enjoyed a remarkable ride to the
top of the Bluegrass ranks in a very short time period - in fact, Mountain
Heart is the first band to ever receive a nomination for Bluegrass music's most
prestigious honor (IBMA's 2003 'Entertainer of the Year') so quickly after
origination.
Despite not taking home the major trophy this October - the simple fact that
Mountain Heart was nominated and positioned among the very top Bluegrass bands
in the genre (i.e. Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, The Del McCoury Band,
Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Alison Krauss & Union Station), just a few
years after earning the IBMA 'Emerging Artist of the Year' award in 1999, was
proof positive that this relatively new Bluegrass group has already progressed
to a level that very few other bands could envision in such a short period of
time.
This quick rise to Bluegrass fame can be attributed to Mountain Heart's
star-studded line-up -- fueled by six of the most accomplished singers and pickers
in Bluegrass -- Steve Gulley, Barry Abernathy, Jim Van Cleve, Jason Moore, Clay
Jones and the IBMA's reigning 'Mandolin Player of Year' winner, Adam Steffey -
it's no wonder that host Garrison Keillor hand-selected Mountain Heart to be
his back-up band for the upcoming "A Prairie Home Companion"
broadcast.
"A Prairie Home Companion" is heard by approximately 3.9 million U.S.
listeners each week on over 511 public radio stations across the country. For a
complete listing of public radio stations that broadcast "A Prairie Home
Companion," as well as broadcast times, please check out:
https://www.prairiehome.org/stations/
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder's
"A Simple Life" #1 For Three
Months in a Row!
2003 is proving to be a stellar year for the
newly-crowned IBMA 'Instrumental Group of the Year,' Ricky Skaggs &
Kentucky Thunder, as their latest song, "A Simple Life," remains atop
the Bluegrass Unlimited Singles Chart in the #1 position for a third
consecutive month.
"A Simple Life," from Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder's latest album, Live at the Charleston Music Hall, shows
little sign of slowing in its three-month history as the number one Bluegrass
music single in the nation.
Skaggs attributes the song's ongoing popularity to its positive, up-beat
message: "it's such a fun, optimistic song&talkin' about all the
'simple' things, a 'simple' man enjoys throughout life his wife, his
kids, his religion. Those are the things that so many of us all have in
common&blessings that so many of us have been given, that unfortunately we
sometimes take for granted. This song just reminds us to give thanks for all
the things we've been blessed with in our 'simple lives.'"
YOUNG FIDDLE PHENOMENON - ANDY LEFTWICH
-
TO APPEAR ON THE WOODSONGS OLD-TIME RADIO HOUR
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder's
talented, young fiddle sensation - Andy Leftwich - will make his debut solo
appearance on the internationally syndicated radio program, Woodsongs Old-Time
Radio Hour, next Monday, November 3rd, to promote his critically acclaimed
album, Ride.
Joining Leftwich on stage that evening will be Kentucky Thunder band-mate, Cody
Kilby on lead acoustic guitar, IBMA's reigning 'Dobro Player of the Year,' Rob
Ickes, Richard Bailey on banjo and Todd Cook on bass.
Andy's live Woodsongs performance can be heard/viewed on the Internet next
Monday at 7:00 PM EST / 6:00 PM CST via a unique audio/video web-cast accessed
at www.woodsongs.com -- while a recorded version of Andy's performance will be
broadcast at a later date, (TBA), on the syndicated Woodsongs program which is
carried on over 400 stations in 32 countries.
RICKY SKAGGS & Kentucky Thunder to Release
First-Ever DVD, Soldier of the Cross-the Concert
Widely acknowledged as one of the most
significant Country/Bluegrass artists of the last 50 years, Ricky Skaggs has
made a name for himself as a true musical pioneer, determined to do it his own
way, on his own terms--proving time-and-time again that tradition and
innovation can be meshed successfully to create some of the most
ground-breaking music the genre has ever seen.
Today, nearly three decades after his first stint as a professional musician,
Ricky Skaggs is an artist who continues to break new ground by doing it his own
way. As one of the handful of artists who have ventured out on their own to try
their hand at running his own record label, (Skaggs Family Records), Skaggs has
found the ultimate freedom to make his own kind of music, on his own terms,
including his very first DVD, Soldier of the Cross-the Concert, available for
the first time in stores on October 28th.
Soldier of the Cross-the Concert, features music from his award winning
all-Gospel Bluegrass CD (Soldier of the Cross) released on Skaggs Family
Records in 1999. Taped at the Gibson Bluegrass Café in Nashville, the strength
and solidarity of the album transfers into an electrifying live performance of
the Gospel. Joined by label-mates, The Whites and Jerry & Tammy Sullivan
as well as some very well-known names in contemporary Christian music,
including Marty McCall and Bonnie Keen of First Call, and Lisa Bevill -- Skaggs
and Kentucky Thunder thrill a standing-room only crowd of appreciative fans,
making this Gospel Bluegrass extravaganza an evening to remember.
Combining traditional songs, like the title track first recorded by The Rowan
Brothers in the 70's, the Bill Monroe-penned "A Voice From on High,"
and "Gone Home," recorded by Flatt & Scruggs in the late 1950's
-- with such tunes as the more-recently penned "Joshua Generation,"
by noted contemporary Christian songwriter Geoff Thurman -- Soldier of the Cross-the
Concert draws heavily upon the faith and the music of Skaggs' forefathers and
shares the Gospel with his fans from all walks of life.
"Gospel has always been a major part of Bluegrass music," said
Skaggs. "Back in the 1940's, the pioneering fathers of Bluegrass -- Bill
Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Flatt & Scruggs -- all included Gospel in
their set lists&sometimes even a quarter of the show would be made up of
Gospel."
But as a major-label Country artist in the 1980's, Skaggs didn't always have
the ultimate freedom to do things entirely his own way. "Gospel fell into
the category of noncommercial music back when I was with Epic, and so I wasn't
really able to do Gospel, or even Bluegrass back then," he said. "But
I just didn't buy into the notion that the fans didn't want to hear real,
traditional Country music...which has always included Gospel."
"So while I wasn't able to record an all Bluegrass album or an all Gospel
album back then&I really tried to fit as much of my background, (who I was
as both a musician and a Christian), into my records as I could,"
explained Skaggs. "I wasn't afraid to add the fiddle, the banjo or the
mandolin to my band&instruments from the music I grew up with, (workin' in
Bluegrass bands), that were all but gone in Country music back in the early
1980's. I reworked old Bluegrass songs, doing them my own way' I brought those
old Bluegrass songs to new Country audiences who had never heard them
before."
Not surprisingly, Skaggs' musical ingenuity proved to be right on, as the
Country market enthusiastically embraced his more traditional style and sound.
Many in the industry welcomed Ricky for bringing his musical creativity and
innovation to Music City USA, and credited him for leading the
neo-traditionalist movement, which arguably may have "saved" Country
music in the early 1980's.
Much like his determination to push the musical envelope -- Ricky was also
unwavering in his right to express his personal religious views publicly.
"In shows, I've always tried to spread the Gospel, whether it was in the
words in a song, or the words I spoke in between songs&somehow I express
the word of God," said Skaggs. "Of course this didn't always sit well
with the folks over at the major labels though," admitted Skaggs,
"but I knew someday, I was going to be able to have the freedom to make
the records that were truly in my heart."
In spite of the fact that his records were going Gold, he was earning countless
awards and garnering much critical acclaim -- Ricky frequently found himself at
odds with the major-label executives who believed Skaggs' outspoken Christian
message on stage was proving to be detrimental to his career.
In 1991, Epic released My Father's Son, distributed through Word -- the closest
he would ever come to releasing a Gospel album as a major-label artist.
"After that, Epic even suggested I do a Gospel album just to appease
me&but I knew it wasn't right," said Skaggs. "I needed to just
wait patiently for my heart and attitude to be in the right place. I needed to
do it on my own terms."
And so Skaggs did just that. After a major run as one of Country music's very
best hit-makers -- racking up 12 #1 singles, winning 8 ACM Awards and another 8
CMA Awards in the 1980's, (including the esteemed 'Entertainer of the Year'
honor in 1986) -- the legendary artist went back to his musical roots in 1997,
started his own record company dedicated to making the best in Bluegrass, and
reaffirmed himself as one of the most dynamic and versatile musicians in the
genre.
"Today, being free with my own label has afforded me the luxury of finally
doing the music I've always wanted to do," related Skaggs. So it was in
1999, that Ricky finally released his very-first all-Gospel album -- Soldier of
the Cross which went on to win him his first Dove Award, for 'Bluegrass
Song of the Year' ("Are you Afraid to Die?"), as well as Ricky's most
recent Grammy Award, for 'Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album of
the Year.'
As the music industry showered Skaggs with accolades upon the release of
Soldier -- so too did his fans, who passionately embraced his first all-Gospel
project. "Soldier of the Cross remains one of my most successful releases
to date," said Skaggs. "At our shows, we get so many requests for
songs from 'Soldier,' which was all I needed to prove that my fans were truly
accepting what we were doing. That's why we went on to record the concert for
TV' why we're making it available to our fans on DVD this year."
Serving as the perfect accompaniment to the much-celebrated Soldier CD, Soldier
of the Cross-the Concert, is a true labor of love for the talented performer.
"I waited all those years for the right time to record an all-Gospel CD'
I'm so proud of the Soldier album. Releasing the new Soldier DVD is another
long-time wish come true," explained Skaggs.
"The main reason I wanted to start the label was so we could do the kind
of music we wanted to do, without having 20 people sitting around the table
saying 'it won't work, it won't sell, it's tired, it's not current
anymore,'" said Skaggs. "The truth is that Bluegrass isn't tired, and
it will sell. The same is true with Gospel Bluegrass music&one only has to
look at the success of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? sound-track and 'Down
From the Mountain' tour to see that there are millions of folks out there who
are hungry for this simple, pure traditional music steeped in the Gospel. And
that's where my heart is&this DVD is a testimony to that."
Skaggs Family Records Artists Among Top IBMA Winners
(Nashville, TN).The label where Bluegrass
RULES fared well Thursday night, as Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder and
Mountain Heart were among the top winners at the 14th Annual International
Bluegrass Music Awards.
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder continued their reign as the IBMA's 2003
'Instrumental Group of the Year,' a title the revered band has held five out of
the last six years.
Skaggs was ecstatic after the win: "You know every night I tell 'em
they're the best.but once again, the IBMA voters have chosen Kentucky Thunder
as the best group of pickers out there, and that really means a lot. Thank you
so much!"
Despite a bad case of Chicken Pox, Kentucky Thunder's veteran banjo-picker,
smilin' Jim Mills once again took home the 'Banjo Player of the Year' trophy -
an award Mills has won three previous times.
Hugely popular Bluegrass band, Mountain Heart, collected one IBMA award as
mandolin extraordinaire, Adam Steffey, defended his title as the IBMA's
'Mandolin Player of the Year.'
Steffey was moved to tears as he graciously accepted his second consecutive
trophy in that same category: "I really can't believe it.I'm so
honored."
Both Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder and Mountain Heart have had
tremendously busy touring schedules this year - and both groups plan on
entering the Skaggs Place Studio this fall to begin work on new respective
studio albums, scheduled for release on Skaggs Family Records in 2004.
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder's "A Simple Life" Remains at #1
for October
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder have
achieved yet another career milestone, as their latest hit song, "A Simple
Life," remains atop the Bluegrass Unlimited Singles Chart in the #1
position for a second straight month.
The single penned by Harley Allen, shows no signs of slowing in its two-month
history as the number one Bluegrass music single in the nation.
Upon hearing the good news, Skaggs said, "You know I'm extremely pleased
and excited 'A Simple Life' is staying put in the #1 position this month, (my
first #1 at Bluegrass radio ever), but I realize that it wouldn't have been
possible without all the support from all the fans and from the Bluegrass radio
folks out there. Thanks again to everyone.I'm really honored."
"A Simple Life" is from Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder's latest album,
Live at the Charleston Music Hall -- recently nominated for IBMA's 'Song of the
Year' and 'Album of the Year' respectively. The recipients of the 2003
International Bluegrass Music Awards will be announced next Thursday, October
2nd, at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville, Kentucky.
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder's "A Simple Life"
Reaches #1 on September's Bluegrass Unlimited Chart
Nashville, TN.For the first time ever,
bluegrass' reigning 'Instrumental Group of the Year,' Ricky Skaggs &
Kentucky Thunder, hit the #1 spot on the Bluegrass Unlimited Single's Chart
with their hit-song, "A Simple Life."
While Skaggs is certainly no stranger to #1 songs - amassing an incredible 12
#1 Country hits throughout the 1980's - amazingly, this is Skaggs &
Kentucky Thunder's very-first #1Bluegrass single since their return to the
genre in 1997.
Skaggs was ecstatic upon hearing the news that he & Kentucky Thunder
finally reached the number one position: "you know this is such a great
song, and I'm absolutely thrilled that bluegrass radio & the fans have
really gotten behind it. I knew it was going to be a hit the first time me
& the boys played it while we were recording the 'Live' album over in
Charleston.the crowd just went wild on that first chorus, which you can really hear
on the album.it's just one of those songs that people react to. Thanks to
everyone for their support with it.I'm honored!"
"A Simple Life" is from Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder's latest album,
Live at the Charleston Music Hall -- both recently nominated for IBMA's 'Song
of the Year' and 'Album of the Year' respectively.
om
BLUEGRASS RULES AT SKAGGS FAMILY RECORDS -- SFR ARTISTS AMONG THE TOP IBMA
AWARD NOMINEES
Nashville, Tennessee. Ricky Skaggs &
Kentucky Thunder -- and -- Mountain Heart made an impressive showing yesterday
morning as the final nominees were announced for the 2003 International
Bluegrass Music Awards.
Ricky received seven total nominations with his band Kentucky Thunder --
including Album of the Year for their current release, Live at the Charleston
Music Hall, as well as Song of the Year, for "A Simple Life,"
composed by Harley Allen.
Ricky & Kentucky Thunder are also nominated for Instrumental Group of the
Year - an award they have won four out of the last five years! Jim Mills is
nominated for Banjo Player of the Year - an honor he has won three previous
times.
Other nominations for Skaggs include Album of the Year for Will the Circle Be
Unbroken, Vol. III. - and two nominations for Recorded Event of the Year for
his participation in Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. III and Down the Old
Plank Road: The Nashville Sessions, with The Chieftains.
One of the most exciting new groups in bluegrass, Mountain Heart, made an
extraordinary showing with four total nominations, including the most coveted
award of all - Entertainer of the Year!
Mountain Heart is also nominated for Instrumental Group of the Year, as well as
Vocal Group of the Year.
Mountain Heart's Adam Steffey, who is IBMA's reigning Mandolin Player of the
Year, is once again nominated in this year's Mandolin Player of the Year
category.
The 14th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards will take place Thursday,
October 2nd, at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville, Kentucky.
8 TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER, RICKY SKAGGS, TO APPEAR ON CNN'S "HEADLINE
NEWS" - TONIGHT!
Nashville, Tennessee.One of today's most
persuasive ambassadors for bluegrass music, Ricky Skaggs, will appear live on
CNN's "Headline News" this evening with bluegrass legend, Earl Scruggs,
in promotion of the new, critically-acclaimed CD/DVD/PBS special -- The Three
Pickers.
The Three Pickers, which begins airing on PBS nationally today, July 28th, is a
historic concert featuring a trio of the biggest stars in bluegrass music: Earl
Scruggs on banjo, Doc Watson on guitar and vocals and Ricky Skaggs on mandolin
and vocals.
The CNN interview is tentatively scheduled to take place tonight at 6:40 EST/
5:40 CST, but please check your local cable guide for specific viewing times in
your area.
"COUNTRY IS COOL" WEEK ON TRIO NETWORK
World Premiere Of Original Special "High Lonesome - The Story Of
Bluegrass"
The TRIO network will celebrate country music
with a passion beginning July 4th, anchored by the critically-acclaimed,
original series Lost Highway: The History of American Country. This four-hour
series is considered to be the definitive story of the country music genre.
Complementing the series, TRIO will present the world premiere of the original
special High Lonesome - The Story of Bluegrass Music
High Lonesome - The Story Of Bluegrass Music is a 90-minute film tracing the
evolution of one of America's most vital forms of musical fusion, from its folk
roots in the Kentucky Hills through the innovations that shaped its most modern
forms. Featured artists include: Ricky Skaggs, The Whites, Ralph Stanley, Earl
Scruggs, Vince Gill, and Emmylou Harris. Premiere is scheduled for Saturday,
July 5, at 10:00 pm EST.
SKAGGS FAMILY RECORDING ARTISTS - RICKY SKAGGS & KENTUCKY THUNDER and THE
WHITES -- TO APPEAR on THREE NATIONAL TELEVISION SPECIALS THIS 4th of JULY
WEEKEND
U.S. MILITARY SALUTES COUNTRY MUSIC ON PBS SPECIAL
Ricky Skaggs, along with a cross section of
other major country & bluegrass music artists, will step out in a smart
salute to country music set to air nationally on the PBS -- and -- worldwide
through Armed Forces Television on this 4th of July weekend.
The programming is unique in that it offers an opportunity for some of the
biggest names in country music to step out of their typical performance mode to
offer their personal thoughts on what it means to be an American, as well as
their support for the U.S. military. The taping comes at a time of
unprecedented support for the American military overseas.
"BEST OF OPRY LIVE" on CMT IS AN ENCORE PRESENTATION OF RICKY SKAGGS
& THE WHITES
CMT will re-air the "BEST OF OPRY
LIVE," featuring a recent Grand Ole Opry performance by the Instrumental
Group of Year -- Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder - and GRAMMY award
winners, The Whites. Make sure to catch Ricky & Kentucky Thunder perform
their new-hit single, "A Simple Life." "Best of Opry Live"
will air Saturday, July 5, at 8:00 pm EST.
Make sure to tune in!!! Please check your local cable guide for specific viewing
times in your area.
EIGHT-TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER RICKY SKAGGS JOINS KEITH LOCKHART AND THE BOSTON
POPS
MAY 21 AND 22 AT SYMPHONY HALL
(Nashville, TN) Eight-time Grammy Award
winner Ricky Skaggs, and his award-winning band Kentucky Thunder, will join
Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops on May 21 and 22 at Boston's Symphony Hall.
Ricky's portion of the concert on May 22 will be taped for a July 13 (check
local listings) broadcast of the PBS television series "Evening at
Pops."
This is Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder's second major symphony orchestra
performance series this year - as bluegrass music's reigning instrumental group
of the year performed four thrilling sold-out shows with the Fort Worth
Symphony Orchestra in March.
Next week's performances with the revered Boston Pops are part of a national
tour in promotion of Skaggs' new CD, Live at the Charleston Music Hall.
RICKY SKAGGS & Kentucky Thunder to Appear on NBC's Today Show Weekend
"'LIVE' is another absolute, unqualified
triumph for one of the special artists of our time." David McGee
BARNESANDNOBLE.com
"This is absolutely the best 'live' album I have ever heard...stunning.
" Bryan Kimsey - BLUEGRASS NOW
"The energy rarely lets up as flawless hot licks fly hell bent for leather
from Skaggs and his virtuoso sidemen." Rich Kienzle, AMAZON.COM
(Nashville, Tenn.) - Bluegrass's reigning "Instrumental Group of the
Year," Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, will perform on NBC's
"Weekend Today," Saturday, May 17th, to support their new CD, Live At
The Charleston Music Hall. Ricky and the guys will perform their new hit
single, "A Simple Life," live from the Today Show studios.
"Weekend Today" airs from 7:00-9:00 AM Eastern on NBC. Don't forget
to tune in!
BLUEGRASS/OLD TIME MUSIC ICONS EARL SCRUGGS, DOC WATSON, AND RICKY SKAGGS JOIN
FOR HISTORIC BROADCAST, ALBUM and DVD
LEGENDS OF AMERICAN MUSIC TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN PERFORMANCE AND
ON LIVE CD AND DVD RELEASES OUT JULY 15 FROM ROUNDER RECORDS
'THREE PICKERS' PBS GREAT PERFORMANCES SPECIAL TO AIR STARTING JULY 28
Nashville, TN - "I can't even say it's a
dream come true, because honestly I never dreamed something like this could
ever happen," says Ricky Skaggs of the collaboration that became The Three
Pickers. The historic meeting of Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson and Ricky Skaggs,
three of the most influential performers in American roots music, is documented
on an audio CD and on a DVD, scheduled for a July 15 release on Rounder. These
three bluegrass masters are presented in a concert setting as relaxed as a
front porch picking session.
Considering their decades of shared heritage and countless meetings at
festivals and concerts, it's surprising that the three had never formally
collaborated. It was a historic evening, then, when they joined forces in
December, 2002, at the RJR Auditorium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The
concert was filmed as an episode of the acclaimed Great Performances series,
which will air on PBS beginning July 28. The DVD contains all the broadcast
footage, along with two bonus tracks and a special 22-minute documentary, with
audio in Dolby® stereo or 5.1 Dolby® surround sound. The CD contains three
additional tracks: one from each of the pickers' solo sets.
At 80, Arthel "Doc" Watson is the senior member of the trio, as
famous for his distinctive baritone voice as for his virtuoso flat-picked
guitar style. Beginning his career as a performer of the traditional songs he
learned growing up in Deep Gap, North Carolina, Watson first reached national
prominence in the folk revival of the 1960's. An ambassador of traditional
American roots and mountain music for over 40 years, Watson also ranks among
the most influential folk/country instrumentalists of the last century.
A legend since his seminal work with Bill Monroe's band in the 1940's, Earl
Scruggs, 79, is the originator of the stacatto three-finger five-string banjo
technique (called "Scruggs style") that has become the standard in
bluegrass, and has influenced every bluegrass banjo player since. With his late
partner Lester Flatt, he penned "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," the track
from the Bonnie and Clyde soundtrack that was one of the first crossover hits
in the genre.
The career of Ricky Skaggs, 49, has come full circle. From beginnings in
bluegrass, including a spot at age 15 in Ralph Stanley's band, Skaggs became a
major mainstream country star in the 1980's before returning to his roots for a
series of acclaimed (and Grammy winning) bluegrass albums in the 1990's. With
his band Kentucky Thunder, Skaggs is currently one of the genre's hardest
working and most sought after live performers.
RICKY SKAGGS PRODUCES NEW ALBUM - LOVE NEVER FAILS - FEATURING SHARON WHITE-SKAGGS, CONNIE SMITH & BARBARA FAIRCHILD
Nashville, TN.Each is a country music legend
in her own right ... Connie was catapulted to stardom during the 60's and 70's
and became one of the most celebrated female country music singers of our time.
Sharon, along with her family, The Whites, continues to enjoy tremendous success
in country and bluegrass music and had a featured role on the record-breaking
soundtrack and movie phenomenon, "O Brother Where Art Thou?" Barbara
began recording at the age of 15 and defied music genres when her signature
hit, "Teddy Bear Song," climbed to the top of the country and pop
charts.
Connie and Barbara met in 1971, but it was no ordinary meeting -- Barbara had
been invited to church by a friend who had recently become a Christian. After
the service, Barbara went to the altar and as she accepted Jesus as her Savior,
she heard a sweet voice behind her saying, "Thank You, Jesus." It was
Connie.
Sharon and Barbara shared the same manager for years, and met for the first
time through their car windows at the Grand Ole Opry House. They got their
husbands together for dinner soon after, and realizing their shared faith,
became fast friends.
The three "girls," as they are affectionately called by their
husbands, started a regular prayer meeting at the Koinonia Christian Coffee
shop on Music Row in Nashville. One week, it ended up being just the three
girls and a guitar player, so they started to sing. God's presence surrounded
them and they knew His hand was on this friendship.
Even with all their combined success within their chosen professions, they had
one dream that took a long time to come true. They wanted to record together. A
record reflecting who they are as Christians ... flavored with the musical
styles they love so dearly ... country, southern and bluegrass. Their dream
came true. Encouraged by their husbands, Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs and Roy
Morris, they contacted Norman Holland, VP of Daywind Records and a long-time
friend of Barbara's. Norman brought the project to Daywind executives Dottie
Leonard Miller and Ed Leonard, and the dream became a reality. Produced by
Sharon's husband, Grammy-winner and Bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs, Love Never
Fails, set for release August 12th, is a powerful testament to the life of
Jesus, the faith of His followers, and their ongoing desire to know Him more
and more.
BLUEGRASS MUSIC'S INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR --
RICKY SKAGGS & KENTUCKY THUNDER --
TO PERFORM ON CMT'S "MWL" & "OPRY LIVE"
Nashville, Tennessee...Bluegrass fans will
want to tune into CMT this weekend, as Ricky Skaggs & his lightning-fast
band, Kentucky Thunder, are spotlighted this Saturday, April 12th - performing
new material from their critically acclaimed new album, "Live at the
Charleston Music Hall."
The evening will kick off with a live performance by Ricky Skaggs &
Kentucky Thunder on CMT's "Most Wanted Live," - where the guys will
showcase their hot new single, "A Simple Life." ("MWL"
premiers at 7:00 PM EST / 6:00 PM CST.) Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder will then
head to the world-famous Grand Ole Opry to perform on CMT's "Opry
Live," where the band will highlight more music from their brand-new CD -
"Live at the Charleston Music Hall." Ricky will act as host of
"Opry Live," performing not only with his legendary band Kentucky
Thunder - but also sharing the stage with fellow Skaggs Family Records artists,
The Whites, as well as Capitol recording artist, Keith Urban. ("Opry
Live" premiers at 8:00 PM EST / 7:00 PM CST.)
"Live at the Charleston Music Hall" has received enthusiastic
response from radio programmers. Chuck Dauphin, program director of WDKN radio
in Dickson, Tennessee, says this of the new album: "Skaggs' stage shows
have always been impressive displays of his endless range of talent, and his
albums have been legendary: Skaggs is still a master of the live performance,
as this album shows."
Please check your local cable guide for specific viewing times in your area.
RICKY SKAGGS & KENTUCKY THUNDER'S LIVE AT THE CHARLESTON MUSIC HALL
Skaggs' highest album chart debut since 1988
"Music doesn't have to be electric to be
electrifying, as Mr. Skaggs and company decisively prove in concert."
CINNCINATI INQUIRER
Nashville, Tenn.-- Live at the Charleston Music Hall, the first live bluegrass
offering from Ricky Skaggs and his award-winning band Kentucky Thunder bounded
onto the country and bluegrass charts this week.
First-week sales catapulted Live at the Charleston Music Hall into the #2
position on Billboard's Top Bluegrass Albums Chart and the #32 position on the
Billboard Top Country Album Chart, Skaggs' highest debut in fifteen years.
Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder just kicked off an American tour to support the
record, including national performances on NPR's "Prairie Home
Companion" this week (broadcast live, nationwide on Saturday, April 5th) -
and "Most Wanted Live" & "Grand Ole Opry Live" on CMT
next week (Saturday, April 12th).
Live at the Charleston Music Hall documents Skaggs and bluegrass's reigning
International Bluegrass Music Association's "Instrumental Group of the
Year" - an honor Kentucky Thunder have won four out of the past five
years. The Tennessean recently crowned the band ".one of the most skilled
and exciting groups to ever play in the genre." Former Rolling Stone
editor Dave McGee noted on the Barnes & Noble web site, "Live at the
Charleston Music Hall is another absolute, unqualified triumph for one of the
special artists of our time."
RICKY SKAGGS HONORED AS ONE OF CMT'S 40 GREATEST MEN OF COUNTRY MUSIC
Nashville, TN. From his beginnings in
Bluegrass, including a spot in Ralph Stanley's band at the age of 15 -- to his
days as a major mainstream Country star in the 1980's where he racked up 12 #1
singles and earned 8 CMA Awards, including 'Entertainer of the Year' - and back
again to his musical roots for a series of Grammy Award winning albums from his
very own label, where 'Bluegrass rules'.Ricky Skaggs is an artist that has
truly influenced the genre over the past 30 years.
Recently, CMT honored Ricky for all of his musical contributions to Country
music, as they selected him as 1 of 40 who have made unforgettable
contributions to the genre. In a three-hour documentary, "CMT's Greatest
Men of Country Music," the network honored such legendary musicians as
Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Bill Monroe, Hank Williams and George Jones.
Ricky was completely stunned when he heard his name was among the top 40 -
"are they sure they got that right? Maybe there should be a recount!"
he joked. "Seriously though.to be chosen among legends like Merle and Hank
and Johnny Cash - not to mention the Father of Bluegrass himself, Bill
Monroe.that's quite an honor."
RICKY SKAGGS TO COMPETE ON "WHEEL OF FORTUNE"
AMERICA'S MOST POPULAR GAME SHOW HOSTS ITS
FIRST-EVER COUNTRY MUSIC STARS WEEK FROM THE
GRAND OLE OPRY HOUSE FEBRUARY 17-21, 2003
Nashville, TN - Beginning Monday, February
17th, "Wheel of Fortune" will feature fifteen of America's top
country & bluegrass recording artists, each paired with one of their fans
in the show's first ever 'Country Music Stars Week.'
8-time Grammy Award Winner, Ricky Skaggs, will compete this Thursday, February
20th, against Country Music and Rock 'N" Roll Hall of Famer Brenda Lee,
and 2003 first time Grammy Nominee Joe Nichols.
"It was really an exciting experience," said Skaggs. "My partner
and I really were tryin' hard to solve those puzzles...it's definitely a lot
tougher than it actually looks though!"
Ricky chose two of his favorite charities in which to donate his winnings,
including Samaritan's Purse and Feed the Children. Overall, the country music
stars raised an amazing $225,675 for their charities.
Other artists scheduled to appear on the 'Country Music Star Week' include:
Wynonna, George Jones, Barbara Mandrell, Pam Tillis, Alison Krauss and Charley
Pride.
"Wheel of Fortune," television's #1-rated series in syndication for
74 consecutive sweeps ratings periods, celebrated the beginning of its 20th
season on September 2, 2002. With over 16 million viewers daily, syndication's
longest running, most successful series continues to attract an audience that
out-delivers most of what airs on the networks in primetime.
Make sure to check out the backdrop behind Ricky that evening - which will
feature the front cover of his brand-new album, "Ricky Skaggs &
Kentucky Thunder - Live From the Charleston Music Hall," scheduled to
release March 25.
RICKY SKAGGS AWARDED HONORARY DOCTORATE
Nashville, TN.One of Bluegrass music's most
recognizable leaders, Ricky Skaggs, was honored last weekend as he received an
Honorary Doctorate of American Heritage Arts at Hocking College in Nelsonville,
Ohio.
Dr. John Light, President of Hocking College, presented Skaggs with the honor
last Friday prior to a show by Ricky and his award-winning band, Kentucky
Thunder. The concert that evening kicked off the grand opening of Hocking
College's new student center.
"I can think of no single musician who has done more to preserve and
promote the truly American musical art form, (Bluegrass), than Ricky
Skaggs," said Dr. Light. "We chose Ricky Skaggs and his band to
perform as part of the grand opening of our new student center. For this
'first,' and to recognize the talents of a great American, it was appropriate
to award Ricky Skaggs, whom I dubbed the 'Prime Minister of Bluegrass,' our
highest award.an Honorary Doctorate of American Heritage Arts."
Ricky was elated at the honor -- "for me, a guy from rural Kentucky who
started playing music professionally at the age of 15.you know, I didn't really
grow up with a lot of formal 'school-room education.' This is about the
greatest honor I could ever imagine receiving. Wow.an honorary doctorate. I'm
really grateful."
Hocking College, a small liberal arts college set in Southeastern Ohio, has
been working very hard to preserve the historic Appalachian arts, including
Bluegrass music.
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