Ricky Skaggs autobiography due in August

Harper Collins is set to release Kentucky Traveler – My Life In Music, an autobiography by Ricky Skaggs with Eddie Dean, on August 13.

The publishers promise an intimate look into the life and 40 year musical of this iconic performer. It follows Skaggs from a hardscrabble youth in eastern Kentucky to fame and fortune as a country music hitmaker, with star turns in bluegrass both before and after. Covered will be his time with Ralph Stanley as a teen (along with Keith Whitley), a brief but momentous stint with J.D. Crowe & the New South, the formation of 1970s supergroup Boone Creek, followed by a budding solo career and work with Emmylou Harris.

Nashville took note of the talented young Mr. Skaggs while he was with Harris, particularly his stellar singing and instrumental backing on her Roses In The Snow record in 1979. By 1981, Ricky had country music hits under his own name, reprising bluegrass classic for the radio market with a modern style. Songs from Bill Monroe, Jim Eanes, Flatt & Scruggs, and The Stanley Brothers were suddenly hip and cool again – and on the radio – during what proved to be a short-lived return to more traditional sounds in the country music world.

When his career in country begin to lose steam, Skaggs headed back to bluegrass where he has remained since 1999. Clearly, he has a story to tell.

Dean is the writer who did such a marvelous job  in 2009 assembling hours of interviews with Ralph Stanley into book form for Man Of Constant Sorrow – My Life And Times. Presuming that he will bring the same talents to bear working with Skaggs, we expect a lot from this new offering.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.