Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American

neotraditional country Neotraditional country (also known as new traditional country and hardcore country) is a country music style that emphasizes the instrumental background and a traditional country vocal style. Neo-traditional country artists often dress in the fas ...

and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar,

mandocaster The electric mandolin is an instrument tuned and played as the mandolin and amplified in similar fashion to an electric guitar. As with electric guitars, electric mandolins take many forms. Most common is a carved-top eight-string instrument fit ...

, and banjo. Skaggs was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2016 and the

Country Music Hall of Fame The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has ama ...

in 2018. On January 13, 2021, it was announced Skaggs had been awarded the National Medal of Arts by President

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

, alongside fellow country musician

Toby Keith Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961), known professionally as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He released his first four studio albums—1993's '' Toby Keith'', 1994's ''Boomtown'', 19 ...

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 Skaggs. 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 banjo playing 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 The Country Gentlemen was a progressive bluegrass band that originated during the 1950s in the area of Washington, D.C., United States, and recorded and toured with various members until the death in 2004 of Charlie Waller, one of the group's ...

in Washington, DC, J. D. Crowe's New South. In 1976, Skaggs formed progressive bluegrass band Boone Creek, including members

Vince Gill Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist ...

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 ''Roses in the Snow'' is the seventh album by country music artist Emmylou Harris, released in 1980. While Harris' previous release, 1979's '' Blue Kentucky Girl'', featured traditional, straight-ahead country (as opposed to the country-rock of ...

''. In addition to arranging for Harris, Skaggs sang harmony and played mandolin and fiddle in the Hot Band.

Country career

Skaggs launched his own career in 1980, achieving 12 No. 1 hits, 8 CMA awards, and 8 ACM awards. In 1982, he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, the youngest musician ever to 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 Neotraditional country (also known as new traditional country and hardcore country) is a country music style that emphasizes the instrumental background and a traditional country vocal style. Neo-traditional country artists often dress in the fas ...

sub-genre. In 1981, he debuted on Epic Records with the album ''Waitin for the Sun to Shine'', which brought him to both the country and pop charts and produced two No. 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 Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album ...

's album '' White Limozeen'', which started her comeback in country music. Skaggs also guested on other albums. In 1995, he sang with

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.

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. Ricky Skaggs in May 2016 (cropped)

In 2000, he shared the stage with Vermont-based

jam band A jam band is a musical group whose concerts (and live albums) are characterized by lengthy improvisational " jams." These include extended musical improvisation over rhythmic grooves and chord patterns, and long sets of music which often ...

, 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 The Whites is an American country music vocal group from Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It consists of sisters Sharon White and Cheryl White, and their father, Buck White. Sharon on guitar, Cheryl on bass and Buck on Mandolin. Formed in 1972 ...

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 Brendan Benson (born November 14, 1970) is an American musician and singer-songwriter. He plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and drums. He has released eight solo albums and is a member of the band The Raconteurs. Recording career ''One Miss ...

, 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. Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White 19Aug2015

Also in 2011, Skaggs contributed to ''

Moody Bluegrass Moody Bluegrass is a bluegrass music project that produced two tribute albums to the British progressive rock band the Moody Blues. The albums consist of bluegrass-style cover versions of Moody Blues songs performed by a variety of noted bluegra ...

TWO...Much Love'', a bluegrass tribute album to the British

Progressive Rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. I ...

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

. 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. In 2021 Skaggs was nominated for the SOTE award which was delayed by the Covid pandemic.

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

since August 1981. They have 2 children; a daughter, Molly, and a son, Lucas. Molly Skaggs is a Christian/Gospel singer. In June 2020, Skaggs underwent quadruple bypass surgery in Nashville. Skaggs in 2021 was awarded the National Medal of the Arts by President

Discography

Awards

Grammy Awards

* 1983 Best Country Instrumental Performance: New South ( J.D. Crowe, Jerry Douglas, Todd Phillips, Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs) for ''Fireball'' * 1984 Best Country Instrumental Performance: Ricky Skaggs for ''Wheel Hoss'' * 1986 Best Country Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist): Ricky Skaggs for ''Raisin' The Dickins'' * 1991 Best Country Vocal Collaboration: Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner &

for ''

Restless Restless may refer to: *Psychomotor agitation, restlessness experienced as a result of certain medications or conditions Music * Restless Records Albums * ''Restless'' (Sara Evans album) and its title track, 2003 * ''Restless'' (Murray He ...

'' * 1998 Best Bluegrass Album: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for ''Bluegrass Rules!'' * 1998 Best Country Collaboration with Vocals:

Clint Black Clint Patrick Black (born February 4, 1962) is an American country music singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Signed to RCA Nashville in 1989, Black's debut album '' Killin' Time'' produced four straight number one singles on th ...

, Joe Diffie, Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris,

Alison Krauss Alison Maria Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass- country singer and musician. She entered the music industry at an early age, competing in local contests by the age of 8 and recording for the first time at 14. She signed wit ...

, Patty Loveless, Earl Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Pam Tillis, Randy Travis,

Travis Tritt James Travis Tritt (born February 9, 1963) is an American country music singer and songwriter. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 20 ...

& Dwight Yoakam for ''Same Old Train'' * 1999 Best Bluegrass Album: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for ''Ancient Tones'' * 2000 Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for ''Soldier Of The Cross'' * 2003 Best Country Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocal: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for ''A Simple Life'' * 2004 Best Bluegrass Album: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for ''Brand New Strings'' * 2005 Best Musical Album For Children, "Songs From The Neighborhood, The Music Of Mr. Rogers" * 2006 Best Bluegrass Album: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for ''Instrumentals'' * 2008 Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album: Ricky Skaggs and

for '' Salt of the Earth'' * 2009 Best Bluegrass Album ''Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass 1946 & 47'' * 2016 Best Contemporary Christian Music Album (as producer for ''Love Remains'' by Hillary Scott & The Scott Family )

CMA (Country Music Association) Awards

* 1982 Male Vocalist of the Year: Ricky Skaggs * 1982 Horizon Award: Ricky Skaggs * 1983 Instrumental Group of the Year: Ricky Skaggs Band * 1984 Instrumental Group of the Year: Ricky Skaggs Band * 1985 Entertainer of the Year: Ricky Skaggs * 1985 Instrumental Group of the Year: Ricky Skaggs Band * 1987 Vocal Duo of the Year: Ricky Skaggs & Sharon White * 1991 Vocal Event of the Year (with Mark O'Connor & New Nashville Cats)

ACM (Academy of Country Music) Awards

* 1981 Top New Male Vocalist of the Year: Ricky Skaggs * 1982 Band of the Year – Touring: Ricky Skaggs Band * 1983 Band of the Year – Touring: Ricky Skaggs Band * 1984 Band of the Year – Touring: Ricky Skaggs Band * 1984 Specialty Instrument: Ricky Skaggs (Mandolin) * 1985 Band of the Year – Touring: Ricky Skaggs Band * 1986 Band of the Year – Touring: Ricky Skaggs Band * 1987 Specialty Instrument: Ricky Skaggs

IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Awards

* 1998 Instrumental Group of the Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder * 1998 Album Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder for ''Bluegrass Rules!'' * 1999 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder * 2000 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder * 2000 Instrumental Album Of The Year: David Grisman,

Ronnie McCoury Ronnie McCoury is an American mandolin player, singer, and songwriter (born March 16, 1967). He is the son of bluegrass musician Del McCoury, and is best known for his work with the Del McCoury Band and the Travelin' McCourys. Biography Ronnie M ...

, Sam Bush, Frank Wakefield,

Bobby Osborne Bobby Osborne (born December 7, 1931) is an American bluegrass musician. He is the co-founder (with his brother Sonny Osborne) of the Osborne Brothers and a member of the Grand Ole Opry and the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. He also ...

, Jesse McReynolds, Ricky Skaggs & Buck White for ''Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza'' * 2000 Recorded Event of the Year: David Grisman, Ronnie McCoury, Frank Wakefield, Sam Bush, Bobby Osborne, Jesse McReynolds, Ricky Skaggs & Buck White for ''Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza'' * 2002 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder * 2003 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder * 2004 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder * 2005 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder * 2006 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder * 2008 Recorded Event of the Year: Everett Lilly & Everybody and Their Brother; Featuring Everett Lilly, Bea Lilly, Charles Lilly, Daniel Lilly, Mark Lilly, Marty Stuart, Rhonda Vincent, Billy Walker, Ronnie McCoury, Rob McCoury, David Ball, Charlie Cushman, Larry Stephenson, Joe Spivey, Eddie Stubbs, Jason Carter, Dickey Lee, Freddy Weller, Mike Bub, Rad Lewis, Andy May, Darrin Vincent, Marcia Campbell, Clay Rigdon, Eric Blankenship and Bill Wolfenbarger (artists); Charles Lilly & Bill Wolfenbarger (producers); Swift River Music * 2012 Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year: "Singing as We Rise", Gibson Brothers with Ricky Skaggs * 2017 Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year for song "Sacred Memories", Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers with Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White Skaggs * 2018 International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductee

TNN/Music City News Country Awards

* 1982 Bluegrass Act of the Year * 1983 Bluegrass Act of the Year * 1983 Star of Tomorrow * 1984 Bluegrass Act of the Year * 1988 Instrumentalist of the Year * 1989 Instrumentalist of the Year * 1990 Instrumentalist of the Year * 1996 Vocal Collaboration of the Year (with Vince Gill & Patty Loveless)

Other awards and accomplishments

* National Medal of Arts, awarded by President

in 2021 * Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on March 27, 2018, in the Modern Era category * R&R Best New Artist *

Billboard magazine ''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the musi ...

's Artist of the Year * Musician Magazine- Voted One of the Top 100 Guitarists of the Century * Artist of the Decade- Listeners' Poll Award BBC Radio 2 * CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music rank No. 37 in 2003. * Judge for the 2nd annual Independent Music Awards * ACM's Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award, 2012 * Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee, 2012 * Bluegrass Star Award, presented by the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation of Dallas, Texas (2017). * Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Eastern Kentucky University – 2005 * Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music – received in March 2008 * Plaque on Nashville's StarWalk, 1987

References

External links

*
1997 Interview with Ricky Skaggs

Ricky Skaggs Biography

Interview with Ricky Skaggs
NAMM Oral History Library (2010) {{DEFAULTSORT:Skaggs, Ricky 1954 births 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers American bluegrass mandolinists American country guitarists American country singer-songwriters American male guitarists American male singer-songwriters American mandolinists American multi-instrumentalists Bluegrass musicians from Kentucky Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Country musicians from Kentucky Epic Records artists Grammy Award winners Grand Ole Opry members Guitarists from Kentucky Kentucky Thunder members Living people Musicians from Appalachia New South (band) members People from Lawrence County, Kentucky Rebel Records artists Rounder Records artists Songwriters from Kentucky The Country Gentlemen members United States National Medal of Arts recipients