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
This World Is Not My Home
Ricky Skaggs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Verse 1:
This world is not my home
I’m just a pass’n through
My treasures and my hope
Is placed beyond the blue
Many friends and kindred
Have gone on before
In this world anymore
Refrain:
O Lord yyou know
I have no friend like you
If Heaven’s not my home
O lord what will I do
Angels beckon me
To Heaven’s open door
And Ican’t feel at home
In this world anymore
Verse 2:
Over in gloryland
They’ll be no dyin’ there
The saints all shouting
“victory”
And singing everywhere
I hear the voice of them
Who’ve gone on before
And I can’t feel at home
In this world anymore
Verse 3:
Heaven’s expecting me
That’s one thing I know
I fixed it up with Jesus
A long time ago
He will take me through
Though I am weak and poor
And I can’t feel at home
In this world anymore
Verse 4:
If you get there before me
I’ll be there just the same
You’ll hear me when I shout
“O glory to his name!”
I’ll fly away with Him
My savior I adore
And I can’t feel at home
In this world anymore.
The lyrics of Ricky Skaggs's song "This World is not my Home" reflect a feeling of longing for something beyond this present world. The first verse establishes the idea that the singer is just "passing through" this life and places their "treasures and hope" in a place beyond what they can see. The refrain begs Lord for help, asking what they will do if they cannot reach their desired destination. The second verse describes what the singer anticipates experiencing in "gloryland," where "there'll be no dyin'" and the "saints" will be singing "victory" everywhere. The verse concludes with a declaration of the singer's inability to feel at home in this world anymore. The third verse speaks directly of the singer's expectation of going to heaven after making arrangements with Jesus in the past, despite feeling weak and poor. The final verse is addressed to someone who may reach the destination before the singer and invites them to reunite in glory, ending with a declaration of the singer’s unwavering adoration of their savior.
The lyrics are a reminder that Christians shouldn't be satisfied with the world, but that they must long for heaven. The concept of heaven is consistent with views of Christianity and reflects the idea that this life is only temporary in comparison to eternal life in heaven. The concept of heaven is a common theme echoed in many church songs and hymns. The song encourages believers to keep their minds set on eternal life in heaven and to remain faithful until the end. This message of the song is meant to provide comfort to those who trust in God, while offering hope for those who may feel alone or lost without Him.
Line by Line Meaning
This world is not my home
I don't belong to this world
I'm just a pass'n through
I'm just passing by, not staying
My treasures and my hope
My valuable possessions and expectations
Is placed beyond the blue
Are in a place beyond the sky
Many friends and kindred
Many friends and relatives
Have gone on before
Have left this world already
And I can't feel at home
I don't feel comfortable, at home
In this world anymore
In this world that I don't belong anymore
O Lord you know
God, you are aware
I have no friend like you
I don't have any friend like you
If Heaven's not my home
If my true home is not in Heaven
O Lord what will I do
What should I do, God?
Angels beckon me
Angels are calling me
To Heaven's open door
To the door that leads to Heaven
And I can't feel at home
I don't feel at home
In this world anymore
In this world that I don't belong anymore
Over in gloryland
In the glorious land of Heaven
They'll be no dyin' there
Death will not exist there
The saints all shouting
The holy people are all joyfully exclaiming
'victory'
The word 'victory'
And singing everywhere
And singing throughout the place
I hear the voice of them
I hear the voice of those people
Who've gone on before
Who have passed away to Heaven
And I can't feel at home
I don't feel at home
In this world anymore
In this world that I don't belong anymore
Heaven's expecting me
Heaven is waiting for me
That's one thing I know
I'm certain about that
I fixed it up with Jesus
I made an agreement with Jesus
A long time ago
A while back
He will take me through
He will get me through it
Though I am weak and poor
Even though I'm weak and poor
And I can't feel at home
I don't feel at home
In this world anymore
In this world that I don't belong anymore
If you get there before me
If you arrive there before me
I'll be there just the same
I'll also be there
You'll hear me when I shout
You'll hear me when I exclaim
'O glory to his name!'
The words 'O glory to his name!'
I'll fly away with Him
I'll leave with Him, the savior I adore
My savior I adore
The savior I love and admire
And I can't feel at home
I don't feel at home
In this world anymore
In this world that I don't belong anymore
Contributed by Bailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.