Skaggs's music career began in 1970 when he joined Ralph Stanley's bluegrass band, the Clinch Mountain Boys. He plays mandolin, fiddle, guitar and banjo. For a few years, Skaggs was a member of Emmylou Harris's "Hot Band". He wrote the arrangements for Harris's bluegrass-roots album, Roses in the Snow. In addition to arranging, Skaggs sang harmony, and played mandolin and fiddle. In 2000, he shared the stage with the jam band Phish.
Skaggs moved to Nashville in 1980 and was signed to Sony Records, where he produced his debut album, Waitin' For The Sun To Shine. The album produced four successful singles, including two number one country hits. Many people say he rescued country music from the doldrums it had found itself in the 1970s. He was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry in 1982. He racked up 12 number one hits and 6 top ten singles during the 1980s. Skaggs picked up dozens of industry awards in the ensuing years.
He has made many fans due to his dedication to the traditional bluegrass style of music. "I always want to try to promote the old music, as well as trying to grow (musically), and be a pioneer too," Skaggs once said. Because of this approach to his music, Skaggs has been considered to be the founding father of Neotraditional Country.
From Wikipedia;
Early career:
Ricky Skaggs started playing music after he was given a mandolin by his fater, Hobert. At age 5, he played mandolin on stage with Bill Monroe. At age 6, he appeared on television's Martha White country music variety show, playing with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. he also wanted to audition for the Grand Ole Opry at the time, but was told he was too young.
In his mid-teens, Skaggs met a fellow teen prodigy, guitarist Keith Whitley and the two started playing together with Whitley's banjoist brothr Dwight on radio shows. By 1970, they had earned a spot opening for Ralph Stanley and Skaggs and Keith Whitley were thereafter invited to join Stanley's band, the Clinch Mountain Boys.
Skaggs later joined J.D. Crowe's New South. For a few years, Skaggs was a member of Emmylou Harris's Hot Band. He wrothe the arrangements for Harris's 1980 bluegrass-roots album, Roses in the Snow. In addition to arranging for Harris, Skaggs sang harmony and played mandolin and fiddle.
Neotraditionalism and experimentation:
Into the 1990s and 2000s, Skaggs has embraced his bluegrass roots, as well as experimenting with new sounds. With his band, Kentucky Thunder, he is a perennial winner of Grammy Awards and International Bluegrass Music Association for best bluegrass album.
"I always want to try to promote the old music, as well as trying to grow, and be a pioneer too, "Skaggs once said.
In 2000, he shared the stage with Vermont-based jam band, Phis. On March 20, 2007, Skaggs released an album with rock musician Burce Hornsby.
In 2007, Skaggs is slated to release and album he recorded with The Whites on his Skaggs Family Records label.
In 2008, Skaggs recorded a bluegrass version of "old Enough" by the Raconteurs with Ashley Monroe and the Raconteurs. He Played mandolin on the track as well as shared vocals with jack White, Brendan Benson, and Ashley Monroe.
Grammy awards
* 1983 Best Country Instrumental Performance: New South (J.D. Crowe, Jerry Douglas, Todd Phillips, Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs) for Fireball
* 1984 Best Country Instrumental Performance: Ricky Skaggs for Wheel Hoss
* 1986 Best Country Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist): Ricky Skaggs for Raisin' The Dickins
* 1991 Best Country Vocal Collaboration: Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner & Vince Gill for Restless
* 1999 Best Bluegrass Album: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for Bluegrass Rules!
* 1998 Best Country Collaboration with Vocals: Clint Black, Joe Diffie, Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, Earl Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Pam Tillis, Randy Travis, Travis Tritt & Dwight Yoakam for Same Old Train
* 2000 Best Bluegrass Album: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for Ancient Tones
* 2000 Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for Soldier Of The Cross
* 2003 Best Country Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocal: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for A Simple Life
* 2004 Best Bluegrass Album: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for Brand New Strings
* 2006 Best Bluegrass Album: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for Instrumentals
* 2006 Best Musical Album For Children, "Songs From The Neighborhood, The Music Of Mr. Rogers"
* 2008 Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album: Ricky Skaggs and The Whites for Salt Of The Earth
* 2009 Best Bluegrass Album "Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass 1946 & 47"
CMA (Country Music Association) Awards
* 1982 Male Vocalist of the Year: Ricky Skaggs
* 1982 Horizon Award: Ricky Skaggs
* 1983 Instrumental Group of the Year: Ricky Skaggs Band
* 1984 Instrumental Group of the Year: Ricky Skaggs Band
* 1985 Entertainer of the Year: Ricky Skaggs
* 1985 Instrumental Group of the Year: Ricky Skaggs Band
* 1987 Vocal Duo of the Year: Ricky Skaggs & Sharon White
IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Awards
* 1998 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
* 1998 Album Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder for Bluegrass Rules!
* 1999 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
* 2000 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
* 2000 Instrumental Album Of The Year: David Grisman, Ronnie McCoury, Sam Bush, Frank Wakefield, Bobby Osborne, Jesse McReynolds, Ricky Skaggs & Buck White for Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza
* 2000 Recorded Event Of The Year: David Grisman, Ronnie McCoury, Sam Bush, Frank Wakefield, Bobby Osborne, Jesse McReynolds, Ricky Skaggs & Buck White for Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza
* 2002 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
* 2003 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
* 2004 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
* 2005 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
* 2006 Instrumental Group Of The Year: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Other Awards and Accomplishments
* R&R Best New Artist
* Billboard magazine's Artist of the Year
* Musician Magazine- Voted One of the Top 100 Guitarists of the Century
* Artist of the Decade- Listeners' Poll Award BBC Radio 2
* CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music rank #37 in 2003.
* Judge for the 2nd annual Independent Music Awards
Highway 40 Blues
Ricky Skaggs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've walked holes in both my shoes
Counted the days since I've been gone
And I'd love to see the lights of home
Wasted time and money too
Squandered youth in search of truth
But in the end I had to lose
Lord above I've paid my dues
Got the Highway 40 blues
The highway called when I was young
Told me lies of things to come
Fame and fortune lies ahead!
That's what the billboard lights had said
Shattered dreams my mind is numb
My money's gone stick out my thumb
My eyes are filled with bitter tears
Lord I ain't been home in years
Got the Highway 40 blues
You know I've rambled all around
Like a rolling stone from town to town
Met pretty girls I have to say
But none of them could make me stay
Well I've played the music halls and bars
Had fancy clothes and big fine cars
Things a country boy can't use
Dixieland, I sure miss you
Got the Highway 40 blues
The song Highway 40 Blues by Ricky Skaggs speaks to the experience of many young musicians who leave home in search of fame and fortune. The lyrics speak of the struggles and disappointments that come with chasing a dream, of the wasted time and money, broken promises, and shattered dreams that often accompany the road to success. Skaggs sings of the toll that this chase has taken on his life, of the holes that he's worn in his shoes from walking so much, and of the bitter tears that he's cried from being away from home for so long.
The song serves as a warning of sorts, a cautionary tale of the perils of chasing fame and fortune, and a reminder that there's more to life than just success. It's a lament for the things that have been lost along the way, a longing for home and for simpler times. The lyrics are accompanied by a fast-paced, energetic melody that captures the restless and relentless spirit of the highway.
Line by Line Meaning
Well these Highway 40 blues
I'm feeling homesick and regretful about the choices I've made that led me away from home.
I've walked holes in both my shoes
I've been traveling for so long that my shoes are worn out and in need of repair.
Counted the days since I've been gone
I've been away from home so long that I've lost track of time and I miss it dearly.
And I'd love to see the lights of home
I miss my hometown and all the things that make it special to me.
Wasted time and money too
I've made poor decisions in my life and now I'm feeling the consequences of those choices.
Squandered youth in search of truth
I've spent my early years trying to find my place in the world and figure out what really matters to me.
But in the end I had to lose
Despite my efforts, I've come up short and now I'm suffering the consequences of my actions.
Lord above I've paid my dues
I've accepted responsibility for my poor decisions and I'm ready to face the consequences of my actions.
Got the Highway 40 blues
I'm feeling overwhelmed and down about my situation, and the highway is a reminder of all that I've lost and missed out on.
The highway called when I was young
I've been on the move since I was young, driven by a restless spirit and a desire to see the world beyond my hometown.
Told me lies of things to come
I was seduced by the promise of fame and fortune that the world beyond my hometown seemed to offer, and I thought that my dreams would come true if I just kept moving.
Fame and fortune lies ahead!
The road seemed to promise me all the material success that I could ever want, and I thought that it was my ticket to the good life.
That's what the billboard lights had said
The jazzy billboards on the roadside seemed to confirm that my dreams were achievable and that I was on the right path to achieving them.
Shattered dreams my mind is numb
I've seen my hopes and aspirations crumble in the face of reality, and I'm feeling disheartened and unable to think clearly.
My money's gone stick out my thumb
I've hit rock bottom and have no other option but to rely on the kindness and generosity of strangers in order to survive.
My eyes are filled with bitter tears
I'm feeling overwhelmed with sadness and heartache, realizing that I've wasted so much time and resources chasing empty promises of a better life.
Lord I ain't been home in years
I'm feeling disconnected from my hometown and all the things that make it special to me, and I'm missing the sense of belonging and familiarity that comes with it.
You know I've rambled all around
I've been on the move for so long that I've lost track of how many places I've been, and I'm feeling restless and incomplete.
Like a rolling stone from town to town
I've been moving from place to place, never really settling down, and I'm feeling lost and adrift.
Met pretty girls I have to say
I've had the pleasure of meeting many attractive women along the way, but none of them have been able to fill the void in my life or make me feel truly complete.
But none of them could make me stay
Despite my attraction to some of these women, I was never able to form a lasting connection with any of them, and I continued to move on to new places.
Well I've played the music halls and bars
I've pursued my passion for music and tried to make a name for myself by performing in a variety of venues across the country.
Had fancy clothes and big fine cars
I've tried to live the glamorous lifestyle that comes with being a successful musician, but I've found that those trappings don't bring true happiness or satisfaction.
Things a country boy can't use
Despite my success, I've realized that I'm still at heart a simple country boy, and all the fancy cars and clothes in the world can't change that.
Dixieland, I sure miss you
I'm feeling nostalgic for the South and all the things that made my childhood and early years special, and I'm longing to return to my roots.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LARRY E. CORDLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind