Uncle Pen

About the Artist
Ricky Skaggs was born Kentucky blue in 1954. He called the little farming community of Cordell home back then. When he was five, Ricky made his auspicious stage debut, playing mandolin with Bill Monroe! It wasn’t long after that, he began performing with his parents calling themselves the Skaggs Family.

In 1961 the family moved to Nashville to take their chances with Ricky on The Grand Ole Opry. Unable to secure him a spot on the classic radio show, “Little Ricky” instead landed a spot on the Flatt & Scruggs TV show. But, after two years of only limited success in Nashville, the family moved back to Kentucky.

When Ricky Skaggs was fifteen, he and his pal Keith Whitley became the one-time fill-in band for Ralph Stanley. It seems Ralph’s bus broke down on the way to a gig in Estill, Kentucky. When Stanley finally arrived, he heard Ricky and Keith pickin’ out his own songs. He was so impressed; he asked his opening act to be part of his Clinch Mountain Boys. They ended up recording six projects together! Even after the boys left Stanley’s employ, Ricky and Keith still worked together, recording two more projects.

In 1973 Skaggs became dissatisfied with the travel and low pay of being a bluegrass road musician. Subsequently, he quit playing for a couple of years and moved to Washington, D.C. Thankfully, his stay in the nation’s capitol working as a boiler operator was short-lived. He soon returned to the pursuit of his passion when he joined the Country Gentlemen in the late 1970’s.

After stints with J.D. Crowe and the New South and the Seldom Scene he formed his own group Boone Creek. This country/bluegrass hybrid band recorded two projects from 1977-78. Skaggs went on to join Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band. It was while he was still with Emmylou that Ricky Skaggs began recording as a solo act in 1980.

In 1981, Ricky Skaggs finally broke through. He convinced Epic Records’ label chief, Rick Blackburn, to allow him to produce his own albums. A very good move! The first single from his debut Epic release Waitin’ for the Sun to Shine was a Top 20 re-make of the Flatt & Scruggs hit “Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’.” From there, his list of accomplishments reads like a hillbilly dream.

From 1981-89 Skaggs charted eleven #1 country hits. In 1982 he was named CMA’s “Male Vocalist of the Year,” won CMA’s “Horizon Award” and became the 61st member of The Grand Ole Opry. In 1985 he was named CMA’s “Entertainer” and “Instrumentalist of the Year.” In 1987 he won “Vocal Duo” honors with his wife Sharon White (Whites). In 1989 he worked with Dolly Parton when he produced her White Limozeen project. Since the 90’s, Ricky has developed his own syndicated radio show Simple Life and founded his own Gospel/bluegrass label, for which he continues to record. One might still catch his live show when he hits the stage as a solo act or with his group Kentucky Thunder.

Ricky Skaggs made his mark, like a modern day farmer, by mixing together different seeds and strains to produce a resilient crop. He used a healthy dose of the strong line in contemporary country music, threw in some jazz for variety, but he always began and ended with the strongest roots – those grass seeds whose roots are Kentucky blue.

Product Description:
Music Mill Entertainment is proud to make available this ten-song, ALL-BLUEGRASS collection, recorded for Epic during Ricky Skaggs’ heyday of the 1980’s. Named after Ricky’s tribute to the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe. We call this set Uncle Pen.

Tracks:

Uncle Pen
Don't Get Above Your Raisin'
Your Old Love Letters
If That's the Way You Feel
Don't Let Your Sweet Love Die
Lost To a Stranger
Hold Whatcha Got
Wheel Hoss
I'm Ready To Go
Can't You Hear Me Callin'

Album Description

Music Mill Entertainment is proud to make available this ten-song, ALL-BLUEGRASS collection, recorded for Epic during Ricky Skaggs' heyday of the 1980's. Named after Ricky's tribute to the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe. We call this set Uncle Pen.

Music Album:

Music Album