Dec 27, 2024
Ricky Skaggs: A Bluegrass and Country Music Legend heads to Maryland Hall on January 5
Ricky Skaggs, a fifteen-time GRAMMY® Award-winner, is one of the most influential figures in modern country and bluegrass music. Hailed by guitar legend Chet Atkins as the artist who “single-handedly saved country music,” Skaggs has seamlessly bridged traditional bluegrass roots with contemporary sounds throughout his career.
Born on July 18, 1954, in Cordell, Kentucky, Skaggs showcased prodigious talent early on, performing with bluegrass greats Bill Monroe at age 6 and Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs at age 7. His professional journey began in 1971 as a member of Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys, followed by groundbreaking work with progressive acts like J.D. Crowe & the New South and Boone Creek, alongside Jerry Douglas.
In the late ’70s, Skaggs joined Emmylou Harris’s Hot Band before launching a successful solo career with his 1981 debut Waitin’ for the Sun to Shine, producing 12 #1 country hits and earning eight CMA Awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 1985. Skaggs helped rejuvenate country music’s “new-traditionalist” movement while infusing it with his bluegrass sensibilities.
His 1997 album Bluegrass Rules! marked a celebrated return to bluegrass, earning critical acclaim with his band Kentucky Thunder, winners of eight IBMA ‘Instrumental Group of the Year’ awards. Through Skaggs Family Records, he has supported bluegrass and roots artists like The Whites.
In 2018, Skaggs was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the IBMA Bluegrass Hall of Fame, and the National Fiddler Hall of Fame. Honored with the National Medal of Arts in 2020, Skaggs remains a driving force in music, blending genres and inspiring audiences worldwide with his passion for authentic American sounds.
Don't miss Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder at Maryland Hall on January 5th!
Maryland Hall is located at 801 Chase St, Annapolis, MD 21401. Parking is free!