Ricky Skaggs
July 18, 1954
Cordell, Kentucky, U.S.
Singer-songwriter, session musician, bandleader, producer, arranger
1961–present
Skaggs was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2016 and both the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2018.[8] On January 13, 2021, it was announced Skaggs had been awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Donald Trump, alongside fellow country musician Toby Keith.
Biography[edit]
Early career[edit]
Skaggs was born in Cordell, Kentucky.[9] 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.[10]
Skaggs later joined The Country Gentlemen in Washington, DC, J. D. Crowe's New South. In 1976, Skaggs formed progressive bluegrass band Boone Creek, including members Vince Gill and Jerry Douglas. For a few years, Skaggs was a member of Emmylou Harris's Hot Band. He wrote the arrangements for Harris's 1980 bluegrass-roots album, Roses in the Snow. In addition to arranging for Harris, Skaggs sang harmony and played mandolin and fiddle in the Hot Band.
Country career[edit]
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.[11] Skaggs is considered one of the pioneers of the Neotraditional country 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's album White Limozeen, which started her comeback in country music.
Skaggs also guested on other albums. In 1995, he sang with Vince Gill on "Go Rest High on That Mountain", which later won CMA's Song of the Year and was determined by BMI to be the Most-Performed Song in 1997.
Personal life[edit]
Ricky Skaggs was previously married to Brenda Stanley and has two children, Andrew and Mandy, from that marriage.[15] Skaggs has been married to Sharon White of The Whites since August 1981.[16] They have 2 children; a daughter, Molly, and a son, Lucas.[16] Molly Skaggs is a Christian/Gospel singer.[17][18] Lucas is a multi-instrumentalist and session musician.[19]
In June 2020, Skaggs underwent quadruple bypass surgery in Nashville.
Skaggs in 2021 was awarded the National Medal of the Arts by President Donald Trump.
