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
I'm Tired
Ricky Skaggs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lookin' for your face in every crowd I meet
Searchin' every honky tonk in this town
Tryin' to find the places where you hang around
Oh Lord I'm tired tired of living this a way
Well I've been searchin' for you baby night and day
Wonderin' if your love will ever come my way
But time is runnin' out and I'm a slowin' down
Oh Lord I'm tired tired of living this a way
There ain't no happiness in anything I do
I found myself so lonely when I'm not with you
What makes you just a kinda girl a guy will love
You've got so many others that you're thinking of
Oh Lord I'm tired tired of living this a way
Oh Lord I'm tired tired of living this a way
The lyrics to Ricky Skaggs's song "I'm Tired" reflect the struggles of a man who is relentlessly searching for love, but constantly coming up empty-handed. He spends his days wandering the streets, scouring the honky-tonks, and looking for his lover's face in every crowd. The sense of desperation is palpable, as the singer wonders if he will ever find the happiness he seeks. The lines "There ain't no happiness in anything I do / I found myself so lonely when I'm not with you" are particularly poignant, highlighting the fact that his search for love has left him feeling hollow and alone.
The repeated refrain of "Oh Lord I'm tired tired of living this a way" underscores the weariness of the singer's search. He is exhausted both physically and emotionally, and seems to be nearing the breaking point. The final lines of the song, "You've got so many others that you're thinking of / Oh Lord I'm tired tired of living this a way," suggest that the object of his affection may be stringing him along, making his search all the more futile and heartbreaking.
Overall, "I'm Tired" is a beautifully melancholic song that captures the pain and desperation of unrequited love. The lyrics are simple yet powerful, and are brought to life by Ricky Skaggs's emotive delivery.
Line by Line Meaning
Standin' on the corner of a busy street
I am standing on the corner of a busy street looking for you.
Lookin' for your face in every crowd I meet
I am searching for your face in every crowd that I meet.
Searchin' every honky tonk in this town
I am searching every honky tonk in this town to find you.
Tryin' to find the places where you hang around
I am trying to find the places where you typically hang around.
Oh Lord I'm tired tired of living this a way
I am tired of living this way, Oh Lord.
Well I've been searchin' for you baby night and day
I have been searching for you, baby, night and day.
Wonderin' if your love will ever come my way
I am wondering if your love will ever come my way.
But time is runnin' out and I'm a slowin' down
Time is running out, and I am slowing down.
Tired of bein' just another hang around
I am tired of just being another person you hang around.
Oh Lord I'm tired tired of living this a way
I am tired of living this way, Oh Lord.
There ain't no happiness in anything I do
There is no happiness in anything I do.
I found myself so lonely when I'm not with you
I feel very lonely when I am not with you.
What makes you just a kinda girl a guy will love
I am wondering what makes you the kind of girl that a guy can love.
You've got so many others that you're thinking of
I think you have so many other people on your mind.
Oh Lord I'm tired tired of living this a way
I am tired of living this way, Oh Lord.
Oh Lord I'm tired tired of living this a way
I am tired of living this way, Oh Lord.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: A. R. PEDDY, MEL TILLIS, RAY PRICE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
OJ Adkins
Listened to this and a version from Marty Stuart trying to figure out who does the better job. I swear they both kill it! I'd hate to live on the difference tween the two. Glad I didn't have to pick between two performers that I love to listen to.
Angela Allen
Whatta..great hit sung by Ricky. Always liked about everything he sings. He's a true country champ.
The Unknown
On any given Friday or Saturday night. In the 80s. As a kid this and many other GREAT songs would be playing outta my dads truck. As we had family get togethers and everyone went home. My dad would have passed out asleep. And the truck radio was still on. Id go outside get in the truck and listen and sing along to hit after hit. Then id turn the tuck off . And go to bed. Years later. I would be a county singer in a band that played these 80s hits. But by this time. late 90s. Nobody wanted to come to the club to hear . Randy Travis, Merle Haggard, Alabama, George Jones, Conway Twitty, Keith Whitley, Earl Thomas Conley, John Conley, Waylon Jennings, ETC.... the list goes on and on.
Daniel Burns
this song went to #18 on the country charts in 1988!!!
Dan Silman
I HEAR YOU BROTHER SKAGGS.NEVER EVER GET TIRED OF YOU AND THE BEST BUNCH OF PICKERS THAT ILL EVER NEED TO HEAR.
Leon Childs jr
A hit for Webb Pierce in 1957. Co-written by Ray Price and Mel Tillis.
OJ Adkins
Hmmm I don't see Ray Price's name on this song? Mel Tillis, Web Pierce and Buck Peddy are listed but, no Ray Price?
Kelton King
Ricky would only hit #18 with this on 1-9-88. Happy Birthday Ricky!!!
J.W. Gauntt
Kelton King appreciate you listening Kelton, appreciate the info too
Kelton King
J.W. Gauntt You’re welcome!