Ricky Skaggs’ connection to Ralph Stanley is well-documented, from his having worked as a Clinch Mountain Boy in the early 1970s to making a number Stanley songs into country hits in the late 1980s when Skaggs was a Nashville country phenom.
I first heard Skaggs during those Stanley days, when both he and Keith Whitley were teenaged members of the band, along with Curly Ray Cline, Jack Cooke, and the incomparable Roy Lee Centers. It was during that time that some of Ralph’s most memorable post-Carter music was recorded, including one that Ricky’s mom, Dorothy Skaggs had written, All I Ever Loved Was You.
CMT reported last week that Skaggs has now arranged to write his autobiography, with Eddie Dean, the same co-author Dr. Ralph used for his delightful 2010 memoir, Man of Constant Sorrow: My Life and Times. A fall release from Harper Collins is anticipated.
We’ll be sure to speak with Ricky about this as the publication date draws near.
Here are a couple of video clips from 1987 when a mullet-headed Skaggs was guest hosting the Nashville Now program. First, here is Ralph laying one down…
…and Ricky interviewing Ralph after performing If That’s The Way You Feel, a classic Stanley Brothers number he had recorded.
Count us among the many country and bluegrass fans looking forward to this, as yet, untitled book.
