Ricky Skaggs
PMP Network Presents
Ricky Skaggs, a prominent figure in country and bluegrass music, reflects on his beginnings in the industry. He shares anecdotes about his early performances and the pivotal moments that shaped his career.
Singer
Ricky Skaggs
About Ricky Skaggs
Ricky Skaggs is a country and bluegrass musician who performed with Bill Monroe at age six and Flatt & Scruggs at age seven. He achieved twelve number-one hits during his tenure at Epic Records in the 1980s and was named Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year in 1985. A fifteen-time Grammy Award winner, he founded Skaggs Family Records label in 1997.
In this interview
- Recalls his first paycheck of fifty-two dollars and fifty cents from early performances.
- Discusses performing two songs, Ruby and a bluegrass special, for early recordings.
- Talks about meeting Keith Whitley at a high school music show in eastern Kentucky.
- Describes playing fiddle and singing harmony with his father at music shows.
“That was my first paycheck, fifty two dollars and fifty cents. I thought man there's millions in this.”— Ricky Skaggs, in this interview
Since this interview
Skaggs was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2018. In 2020, he received the National Medal of Arts for his contributions to American music.
