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
Cat
Ricky Skaggs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He came to the world in the usual way.
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay,
He learned to walk while I was away,
And he was talking 'fore I knew it.
And as he grew he'd say, I'm gonna be like you dad,
You know I'm gonna be like you.
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
When you coming home dad? I don't know when,
But we'll get together then,
You know we'll have a good time then.
My son turned ten just the other day,
He said, thanks for the ball come on let's play,
Can you teach me to throw? I said, Not today,
I got a lot to do. He said, That's okay.
He walked away but his smile never dimmed,
He said, I'm gonna be like him,
Yeah, you know I'm gonna be like him.
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon.
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
When you coming home dad? I don't know when,
But we'll get together then,
You know we'll have a good time then.
Well, he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man I just had to say,
Son I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while.
He shook his head and then he said with a smile,
What I'd really like dad is to borrow the car keys,
See you later can I have them please.
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon.
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
When you coming home son? I don't know when,
But we'll have a good time then dad,
You know we'll have a good time then.
I've long since retired my son's moved away.
I called him up just the other day,
I said, I'd like to see you if you don't mind.
He said, I'd love to dad if I could find the time,
You see my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu,
But it's sure nice talking to you dad,
It's been sure nice talking to you.
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me,
He'd grown up just like me, my boy was just like me.
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon.
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
When you coming home son? I don't know when,
But we'll have a good time then dad,
You know we'll have a good time then
The song "Cat's in the Cradle" by Ricky Skaggs is a melancholic tale about a father's detachment from his son's life, which leads to a reversal of roles as the son grows up to be just like him. The opening lines set the tone for the song by describing the birth of the child "in the usual way" but also acknowledging the father's preoccupation with worldly obligations. As the child grows older, he learns to walk and talk without his father's presence, but his desire to emulate his dad's behavior remains steadfast. The lack of communication between the father and son is evident in the chorus, where the image of a cat in a cradle with a silver spoon symbolizes a privileged life that the son has missed out on.
The second verse further explores the strained relationship between the father and son, as the son seeks his father's attention and approval, but the father is too busy to spend quality time with him. The son's request to be taught how to throw a ball is rejected, and it marks a turning point in their relationship. The third verse shows the son grown up and independent, but his own life circumstances leave him with little time for his father. The father's realization that his son has become just like him, detached and busy with his life, underscores the tragic irony of the song. The repetition of the chorus throughout the song suggests that the cycle of detachment and unfulfilled expectations is a universal experience that touches many lives.
Line by Line Meaning
A child arrived the other day,
A baby boy was born recently.
He came to the world in the usual way.
The birth of the baby boy was a normal delivery.
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay,
Despite the new arrival, the father had responsibilities and obligations he couldn't ignore.
He learned to walk while I was away,
The father spent time away from home due to his work, and missed significant milestones in his son's life like learning to walk.
And he was talking 'fore I knew it.
The son learned to talk so quickly that the father barely realized it was happening.
And as he grew he'd say, I'm gonna be like you dad,
The son looked up to his father and wanted to be like him when he grew up.
You know I'm gonna be like you.
The son was determined to emulate his father.
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon.
This is a metaphor capturing the pattern of neglect in the relationship between father and son.
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
Little boy blue is a reference to the nursery rhyme of the same name, while the man in the moon is a symbol of the passage of time.
When you coming home dad? I don't know when,
The son is eager to spend time with his father, but the father's busy schedule makes it difficult.
But we'll get together then,
The father doesn't want to disappoint his son and so agrees to spend time with him in the future.
You know we'll have a good time then.
Both father and son look forward to spending time together and enjoying each other's company.
My son turned ten just the other day,
The son has reached a milestone in his life - he has turned ten years old.
He said, thanks for the ball come on let's play,
The son wants to spend quality time with his father, and suggests playing catch with the ball that he's been given.
Can you teach me to throw? I said, Not today,
The father is too busy to spend time playing catch and has to refuse his son's request to teach him to throw the ball.
He said, That's okay.
Despite the father's refusal, the son is understanding and doesn't hold it against him.
He walked away but his smile never dimmed,
The son isn't upset or disappointed, but instead continues to be happy and optimistic.
He said, I'm gonna be like him,
The son's desire to emulate his father is reiterated.
Yeah, you know I'm gonna be like him.
The son is firm in his determination to be like his father.
Well, he came from college just the other day,
The son, now grown up and having finished college, comes back to visit his father.
So much like a man I just had to say,
The father can see that his son has grown up into a mature and responsible adult.
Son I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while.
The father expresses his feelings of pride for his son and invites him to sit and talk.
He shook his head and then he said with a smile,
The son declines the invitation, but does so kindly and with a smile.
What I'd really like dad is to borrow the car keys,
The son has a practical request for his father - he wants to borrow the car to go somewhere.
See you later can I have them please.
The son is polite in his request for the car keys.
I've long since retired my son's moved away.
The father is now retired and his son has moved out of the family home.
I called him up just the other day,
The father reaches out to his son, now that he's older and living on his own.
I said, I'd like to see you if you don't mind.
The father expresses his desire to spend time with his son.
He said, I'd love to dad if I could find the time,
The son is willing to see his father, but has a busy life of his own to manage.
You see my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu,
The son shares with his father some of the stressors in his life, which are making it difficult for him to find time to visit.
But it's sure nice talking to you dad,
Despite not being able to meet, the son is glad to be able to talk to his father.
It's been sure nice talking to you.
The father and son enjoy spending time connecting with each other, even if they can't physically be together.
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me,
The father has a moment of realization after talking to his son.
He'd grown up just like me, my boy was just like me.
The father realizes that his son has grown up to be just like him - and this brings mixed emotions, as he reflects back on his own life and relationship with his father.
But we'll have a good time then dad,
The son reiterates his desire to spend time with his father in the future.
You know we'll have a good time then.
Both father and son look forward to a future reunion, where they can enjoy a good time together.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sandy Chapin, Harry F. Chapin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind