Ten Homegrown Favorites: Ricky Skaggs (#8)

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You've heard of plan B? I had to resort to plan D last night, as in "diarrhea." I was going to the Mavericks concert as compensation for not getting to go to the conference this year; however, a little too much watermelon said, "You'd better not get too far from the facilities." So I went with the next thing down the pecking order, which is the weekly golf tournament. I did exceptionally well, breaking 90 and winning! That's where I was last night. So here's the next person on the list of my favorite Kentucky-bred musicians. #8: Ricky Skaggs Ol' "Picky Ricky." Known for his perfectionism, it serves him well: he's a superstar in country and bluegrass. Skaggs started in bluegrass, and at an early age, too: he guested on Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs' syndicated TV show, playing mandolin, at the age of seven. From there he played in several bluegrass bands and migrated to country when he joined Emmylou Harris' Hot Band in the 70s. (Trivia: one of his J.D. Crowe & the New South fellow band mates was fellow Kentuckian Keith Whitley, who also had a pretty successful country career, which was sadly cut short by his untimely death in 1989.) Skaggs was one of the champions of the "neo-traditionalist" movement in country music in the 1980s (along with people like Whitley, George Strait, and Dwight Yoakam [also a Kentuckian]). As his country career waned, he returned to his bluegrass roots and launched his own record label, Skaggs Family Records. Ricky's wife is Sharon White of the family trio the Whites. Skaggs has won countless awards, and seems a shoo-in for induction into the hall of fame in the future. It's just a question of whether he'll be inducted in the country or bluegrass hall of fame first. Ricky Skaggs Born Rickie Lee Skaggs, July 18, 1954, Cordell Genres: country, bluegrass Bands: Country Gentlemen; J.D. Crowe & the New South; Emmylou Harris & the Hot Band; Kentucky Thunder Ricky Skaggs at age 7 playing with Lester & Earl: