Ricky Skaggs Inducted Into Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame

Last night in Raleigh, N.C. at the 29th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, 15-time GRAMMY® winner Ricky Skaggs was officially inducted into the IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.

Skaggs was inducted by his longtime friend and fellow GRAMMY® winner, Marty Stuart.

"He's a radical revisionist, he's a traditionalist, he's a keeper of the flame, he's an innovator, he's always keeping his music moving forward, he's invited so many people into the world of country and bluegrass music, he has become a universal touchstone to our kind of music," Stuart said from the stage. "Tonight, it's my honor to ask Ricky Skaggs to come up here and receive bluegrass music's most coveted award. I induct Ricky Skaggs, gladly, into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame."

Skaggs took the stage to thunderous applause where he was bestowed the highest honor in bluegrass music.

"I appreciate this award so much," said Skaggs upon accepting the honor. "This means so much to me because it's the music of my youth. It's the foundation of everything I've ever recorded. I want to thank the IBMA and all those who voted for me. And I want to thank the Lord Jesus. He deserves all glory."

Along with Paul Williams, Tom T. Hall and the late Dixie Hall, Skaggs was inducted as part of the Class of 2018.

Skaggs promised the late Bill Monroe that he'd do his part to keep bluegrass alive. Since Monroe's passing in 1996, he has kept that promise, playing thousands of live bluegrass shows and releasing several albums dedicated to the genre. In 1997, he founded his own record label, Skaggs Family Records, to help keep bluegrass music alive and growing. Over the years, he's helped numerous bluegrass acts forge ahead, nurturing their careers with invaluable advice and counsel.

This year is shaping up to be one of the biggest of Skaggs' lengthy career. Last spring, he was announced as a 2018 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He will be formally inducted into the historic institution next month.

Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder will perform a headline show at IBMA's Wide Open Bluegrass Festival tomorrow, September 29, in Raleigh. The concert will feature a special collaborative performance with Patty Loveless. Tickets are on-sale now at wideopenbluegrass.com.

About Ricky Skaggs

Earning 12 #1 hit singles, 15 GRAMMY® Awards, 13 IBMA Awards, nine ACM Awards, eight CMA Awards (including Entertainer of the Year), two Dove Awards, the ASCAP Founders Award, three honorary Doctorate degrees, inductions into the Musicians Hall of Fame and GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the 2013 Artist-In-Residence at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, an Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award in the Instrumentalist category along with countless other awards, Ricky Skaggs is truly a pioneer of Bluegrass and Country music. Since he began playing music more than 50 years ago, Skaggs has released more than 30 albums and has performed thousands of live shows. He started his own record label, Skaggs Family Records, in 1997 and has since released 12 consecutive GRAMMY®-nominated albums. His latest release, Hearts Like Ours, with his wife, celebrated artist Sharon White of The Whites features the couple dueting on handpicked country love songs. And the Grand Ole Opry member has released his first-ever autobiography, "Kentucky Traveler." The book details the life and times of Skaggs and provides a descriptive history of Country and Bluegrass music, as told by the master himself. In addition to his regular touring schedule with his band, Kentucky Thunder, he has performed a string of dates with his better half Sharon White along with guitar legend Ry Cooder on the critically-acclaimed "Cooder-White-Skaggs" tour and from time to time hits the road with versatile singer/songwriter and pianist Bruce Hornsby on another critically-acclaimed tour, "Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder." Most recently, Skaggs has added Country tour dates as he plugs in and plays full shows of his chart-topping hits and is due to be inducted into the revered Country Music Hall of Fame Class of 2018 this fall.

Photo credit: Jeff Fasano

To post a comment, you must register and login.