Ricky Skaggs

Singer-Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ricky Skaggs started his career in Bluegrass playing mandolin and guitar with the Stanley Brothers in 1970. He kept developing his skills as both a sideman and a leader throughout the '70s, working mostly in Bluegrass. He was also a member of Emmylou Harris' Hot Band for a couple of years. In the early '80s, he had a streak of mainstream country (a genre plagued with pop gloss and overproduction) chart success. Skaggs and his sidemen's virtuoso country picking was heavily influenced by Bluegrass. That, when combined with his lean, no-frills production, makes Skaggs' gold and platinum success even more remarkable.