Country happenings with Sylvia and Ricky Skaggs
My career in country music has allowed me the blessing of doing shows with a lot of our stars.
It always enthuses me when I can share great news about friends I have met along the way.
One of those is country chart-topper Sylvia is who will release her new CD It’s All in the Family in early October. The 12-song album was produced by Sylvia and her longtime collaborator John Mock.
“I hope this music inspires and encourages people of all ages to continue to create in whatever genre brings them joy,” stated Sylvia. “I have found that there is no age limit on creativity. Your best work is ahead of you! I’ve felt like a kid again making this record, and I can hardly wait to share it with the world!”
It’s All in the Family is Sylvia’s first album on which she co-wrote the majority of the 12 all-new songs. The highly anticipated release is the singer/songwriter’s most personal venture to date, paying homage to her family’s musical roots and touching on the choices, challenges and turns in the road that have brought her to where she stands today. The Grammy-nominated singer collaborated with some top songwriters including Thom Schuyler, Craig Bickhardt, Jeff Pennig, Kate Campbell, Bobby Tomberlin, and Mark Narmore. John Mock wrote the music for six cuts on the record as well as string arrangements for half of the album.
Known for her long list of huge hits like “Nobody” and “Tumbleweed,” Sylvia has a history of creating long-lasting fan favorites. With the release of Sylvia’s second RCA album, Just Sylvia, the single “Nobody” sold two million copies and was #1 on all country music charts. It was awarded BMI “Song of the Year” for receiving the most radio airplay in 1983. “Nobody” also reached #13 as a crossover hit on Billboard’s Top 100 chart and spent a total of 52 weeks on both charts. Recording for RCA until the end of 1987, Sylvia recorded six albums and garnered a total of 13 Top Ten and No. 1 songs, selling over 4 million records. In 1982, Sylvia was named “Female Vocalist of the Year” by the Academy of Country Music and was a Grammy nominee in the “Best Female Country Vocal Performance” category in 1983. To learn more, go to www.SylviaMusic.com. The CD can be pre-ordered at Itunes and CDBaby.
My longtime friend Ricky Skaggs is receiving musical honors including this year’s prestigious ASCAP Founders Award and the 14-time GRAMMY® winner will be inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame.
“What an incredible honor it is for me to be inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame,” says Skaggs. “Just to be named alongside so many of my musical heroes is really humbling. I’m grateful to all of the musicians who have gone before me and left a trail that I have followed and learned from. I’m so thankful for this honor.”
In addition to Skaggs, this year’s inductees include Garth Brooks, the late Jerry Reed, Brooks’ studio backing band, the G-Men and the Sigma Sound Studio Rhythm Section.
An induction ceremony and concert will be held on Wednesday, October 26, at 7 p.m. at the Municipal Auditorium in downtown Nashville. The Municipal Auditorium is home to the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and GRAMMY Museum Gallery™ at Musicians Hall of Fame.
Earning 12 #1 hit singles, 14 GRAMMY® Awards, 11 IBMA Awards, nine ACM Awards, eight CMA Awards (including Entertainer of the Year), two Dove Awards, three honorary Doctorate degrees, a GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame induction, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s 2013 Artist-In-Residence, an Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award in the Instrumentalist category along with countless other awards, Ricky Skaggs is truly a pioneer of Bluegrass and Country music. Since he began playing music more than 50 years ago, Skaggs has released more than 30 albums and has performed thousands of live shows. He started his own record label, Skaggs Family Records, in 1997 and has since released 12 consecutive GRAMMY®-nominated albums. His newest release,
For more information on Ricky Skaggs, visit www.rickyskaggs.com.
