Ricky Skaggs

at: Mayo Civic Center - Presentation Hall

5/6/2006 7:30 PM

ROCHESTER, MN - Davies Printing and KXLT Fox 47 present Country and Bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs on Saturday, May 6, 2006 at 7:30 PM in the Mayo Civic Center - Presentation Hall. Ricky's performance will showcase his band, Kentucky Thunder, with a repertoire heavily influenced by the traditional tunes of the Stanley Brothers and Bill Monroe combined with some of Ricky?s biggest hit singles.



2006 marks Ricky's 35th year as a professional musician, and this eleven-time Grammy Award winner continues to do his part to lead the recent roots revival in music. Known affectionately today as bluegrass music's official ambassador, Ricky has brought the genre to greater levels of popularity in the past few years than the father of bluegrass music - the legendary Bill Monroe - could ever have imagined. With seven consecutive Grammy- nominated classics behind him, all from his own Skaggs Family Records label, (Bluegrass Rules! in 1998, Ancient Tones in 1999, both Soldier of the Cross and Big Mon: The Songs of Bill Monroe in 2000, History of the Future in 2001, Live at the Charleston Music Hall in 2003 and currently, Brand New Strings) bluegrass music is undoubtedly in good hands, with the masterful Skaggs at the helm.



Beginning in the late 1970s, Ricky turned his attention to country music. Though still in his 20s, the wealth of experience and talent he possessed served him well, first as a member of Emmylou Harris' Hot Band and later as an individual recording artist on his own. With the release of Waitin' for the Sun to Shine in 1981, Skaggs reached the top of the country charts and remained there throughout most of the 1980s. As his popularity soared, he garnered eight awards from the Country Music Association (CMA), including "Entertainer of the Year" in 1985, four Grammy Awards and dozens of other honors. These achievements also placed him front and center in the neo-traditionalist movement, bringing renewed vitality and prominence to a sound that had been somewhat subdued by the commercialization of the Urban Cowboy fad. Renowned guitarist and producer, Chet Atkins, credited Skaggs with "single-handedly" saving country music.



In 1997, after Ricky's then-current recording contract was coming to an end, he decided to establish his own record label -- Skaggs Family Records. Since then, Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder have released an amazing 7 consecutive Grammy-nominated classics, (5 of which went on to earn the revered award) while also opening the label to a variety of other musical artists - all the time keeping the emphasis on bluegrass and other forms of roots music. Since then, Ricky and Skaggs Family Records have had the privilege of working with many musical talents including: The Del McCoury Band, The Whites, Mountain Heart, Blue Highway, Melonie Cannon, Cherryholmes, Keith Sewell and 13-year wonderkind Ryan Holladay.



"This group of guys meets my approval every night," Ricky says. "Each and every one of the pickers in Kentucky Thunder totally amazes me in every show? and that to me, outweighs any award we could ever win." The all-star lineup of Kentucky Thunder includes: Andy Leftwich (fiddle), Paul Brewster (tenor vocals, rhythm guitar), Mark Fain (bass), Jim Mills (banjo), Cody Kilby (lead guitar) and Darrin Vincent (baritone vocals, rhythm guitar). Live at the Charleston Music Hall was honored in 2004 with a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal for the Harley Allen-penned track "A Simple Life."



In 2005, his current album Brand New Strings earned him another Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album - marking his 10th career Grammy.



Single tickets are $20 & $14, with a variety of discounts available, and can be purchased at Riverside Concerts in City Hall, the Mayo Civic Center and all Ticketmaster outlets including Marshall Fields and Hy-Vee, charge by phone through Riverside Concerts (members only) at (507)-285-8076 or (800) 657-3980 or through Ticketmaster at (507) 252-1010, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Full and partial season ticket packages are also available at Riverside Concerts in City Hall only. Riverside Concerts Box Office hours are Monday ? Friday, 9am ? 4pm.