Ricky Skaggs

Ricky Skaggs , born on July 18th, 1954 with Cordell, in the state of the Kentucky, is a Musicien of Country and Bluegrass the United States of America.

Biography

At the 10 years age, the Ricky young person had already played with three of the most important representatives of the Bluegrass: Flatt & Scruggs (in a famous televised service), the Stanley Brothers and Bill Monroe. Monroe is legitimately regarded as the " father of the Bluegrass " and will remain a mentor and a model for Ricky until its death in 1996. Ricky Skaggs becomes professional in 1971 by integrating the group of the patriarch Ralph Stanley. It forges a solid reputation quickly and creates the excitation thanks to its aptitudes of instrumentalists and its creativity. In 1975, it is reproduced on the first album that J.D. Crowe & The New South records for the label Rounder Records, and who since became a reference in the sphere Bluegrass. It becomes the " thereafter; director musical" group of Boone Creek and consolidates still a little more its already great experiment of the scene and the business.

Skaggs turns then to the country music. Old of less than thirty years, it integrates Hot Band of Emmylou Harris with which it maintains a solid friendship. Little time afterwards, it estimates to be ready and launches out in the adventure of a career solo. It signs a contract which - paradoxically prohibits to him to record music Bluegrass. It leaves the album " Waitin' For The Sun To Shine" in 1981 and immediately reached the tops of the charts Country. It will not leave them almost more during the Eighties. As its popularity grows, it collects the prices, in particular 8 Awards of the Country Music Association (CMA), of which that of " Artist of the year; in 1985,4 Grammy Awards and dozen other honorary titles. This achievement places it in the center of the movement néo-traditionalist which tries to bring a renewal of vitality and a new way of approaching a kind under-devaluated by the commercial imagery of the " cowboy urbain". The large guitarist and producing Chet Atkins will say of him that it " is saving the country music with him all alone ".

In 1997, whereas its last contract arrives in the long term, Ricky decides to assemble its own label, Skaggs Family Records, at the same time as it decides to return good once for all to its first loves, the music Bluegrass. Its first album for the label, heading " Bluegrass Rules! " explode literally the records of sale of the kind, is worth in Skaggs its sixth Grammy Award and the price of " the album of the year; IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association). It forms its own group, Kentucky Thunder, composed instrumentalists wonders met that and there on the roads or in the studios of recordings. After some adjustments, the formation seems to be stabilized around: Andy Leftwich (violin), Cody Kilby (guitar), Darrin Vincent (guitar, song - brother of the popular singer Bluegrass Rondha Vincent), Paul Webster (guitar, song), Mark Fain (double bass) and époustouflant it Jim Millets (banjo). Ricky Skaggs plays indifferently of the guitar, the violin, and its instrument fetish, of the mandoline.

In 1999 " leaves; Ancient Tones" , the second album of Skaggs on its label. For the second time of continuation, Ricky becomes prize winner of a Grammy Award, " category; Better Bluegrass" Album;. One year later, it gains its 8th Grammy Award in the " category; Better Album of Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel " thanks to " Soldier off the Cross" , a project directed around the Gospel Bluegrass.

In margin of the proper career of Ricky, the label Skaggs Family Records opens with prestigious names of the music Bluegrass, like with a whole new generation of artists: The Del McCoury Band, Jerry and Tammy Sullivan, Blue Highway, The Whites (of which the singer Sharon White is not other than the proper woman of Ricky since 1982), Mountain Heart, Melonie Canon, Ryan Holladay, Keith Sewell, Cherryholmes and Cadillac Sky.

In the year 2000, the 4th album Bluegrass de Skaggs arrives in the vats, under the title " Big My: the Songs off Bill Monroe". Since years, Skaggs does not have of cease to pay homage to that which was its major influence; it had even succeeded in adapting the standard " Uncle Pen" in Country and to make an enormous success of them. In this new album, it gathers a casting three stars which goes from the Dixie Chicks to Travis Tritt, while passing by Joan Osborne and Bruce Hornsby. Again, the album was greeted by a nomination with the Grammy Awards, in the " category; Better Country" Collaboration;.

The 5th album consecutive Bluegrass of Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder published in 2001, under the title " History off The Future". The album is a mixture of old pearls of the Bluegrass inheritance and new songs written by newcomers. Without surprise, criticism encensa the album and the industry of the disc gratifia Skaggs of a new nomination to the Grammy Awards, " category; Better Bluegrass" Album; , as well as a nomination with the album of the year for IBMA.

The first album " live" of Ricky Skaggs with Kentucky Thunder was recorded with the Charleston Music Hall. It once more makes the demonstration of the talents of instrumentalists of the group, which plays sometimes at incredible speeds and with an disconcerting ease. The album was worth with the group Award of the " Instrumental group of the year; IBMA. A distinction that Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder gained 8 times during the last decade.

" These guys leave me pantois every evening " , known as Ricky. " Each musician of Kentucky Thunder strikes me with each concert , and that counts more for me than any trophée". The song " Simple Life" drawn from the " Live At the Charleston Music Hall" was rewarded for the price of the " Better Country Performance by a Duet or Groupe" with the Grammy Awards.

One sees it collaborating regularly with the great names of the Bluegrass scene: Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, Tony Rice, Earl Scruggs, the Cherryholmes, as well as the cream of the Folk musicians like the Chieftains. In July 2003 leaves " The Three Pickers" , the visual and musical trace (CD and DVD) of the historical meeting of the 3 legendary figures from now on of the US traditional music that are Doc. Watson, Earl Scruggs and Ricky Skaggs. Inspired by the " 3 Ténors" classical music, " Three Pickers" propose a beautiful collection of songs which cover a broad panel of the Folk musics, Bluegrass, Old Time…

In 2005, Ricky gained its 10th Grammy for " Brand New Strings" , elected by the community and the industry of the disc like the " Better Bluegrass" Album; year. The album contains 4 original pieces writings by Ricky, as well as a collection of titles written by friends like Harley Al, Guy Clark, and Shawn Camp.

In 2006, new reward in Grammy for its contribution to " Songs from the Neighborhood : the Music off Mister Rogers" , but this time, in the " category; Better Musical Album for Enfants".

In the tread, the album " Instrumentals" this same year 2006 leaves and proposes, as its name indicates it, a collection of entirely original and entirely instrumental titles, where the group shines once again by its talent and its " musicalité". Acclaimed by the fans and criticisms, " Instrumentals" settle as of its exit in the first place of the classification of the sales of albums Bluegrass, and brings back the 12th Grammy Award of the career of Ricky Skaggs, " category; Better Bluegrass" Album;.

Beyond all these recordings with success, Ricky continues to carry out the load while bringing a renewal of vitality to the artistic form more the ground-with-ground of the Country Music. Of a series of dates with the Dixie Chicks in 2000, until its role of presenter of the " Al Bluegrass Celebration" diffused nationally in the USA in 2002, while passing by its participation in the round of 41 dates " Down from The Mountain" (music of the film " O'Brother " Brothers Coen interpreted into live), Ricky became one of the most talented representatives and most dynamic of the scene Bluegrass.

An album in duet with Bruce Hornsby has just left (March 2007), to pay homage to the traditional music of the mountains. Kentucky Thunder ensures obviously the musical backing of the album, proposing a new combination of the traditional instruments with the piano of Hornsby (the piano not being an instrument " habituel" kind).

Ricky Skaggs often said that it tried just " of living music which he likes ". But it is clear that its passion for the Bluegrass gently led it to become the world ambassador of this musical genre, of which it even involuntarily created the currency: " Country rock'n'rolls, goal Bluegrass rules! " (Country, that balances, but it is Bluegrass which ensures!)

Discography

Second Bluegrass Generation (with Keith Whitley) (1971)
That' S It (1975)
Sweet Temptation (1979)
Skaggs & Rice (with Tony Rice) (1980)
Waitin' For The Sun To Shine (1981)
Highway & Heartaches (1982)
Family & Friends (1982)
Don' T Cheat In Our Hometown (1983)
Country Servant boy (1984)
Favorite Country Songs (1985)
Live In London (1985)
Love' S Gonna Get Ya! (1986)
Comin' Home To Stay (1988)
Kentucky Thunder (1989)
My Father' S Its (1991)
Ricky Skaggs Portrait (1992)
Super Hits (1993)
Solid Ground (1995)
Life Has Journey (1997)

With Kentucky Thunder:

Bluegrass Rules (1997)
Ancient Tons (1999)
Soldier off The Cross-country race (1999)
History off the Future (2001)
Weapon off Prayer (2001)
Live At the Charleston Music Hall (2003)
The Three Pickers (with Doc. Watson and Earl Scruggs) 2003
Brand New Strings (2004)
Hunting Dog Blues (with Ole Smucker) (2005)
Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby (2007)

DVD

The Three Pickers (with Doc. Watson, Earl Scruggs) (2003)
Soldier Off The Cross-country race (2003)

See too

Skaggs Family Records

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