Ricky Skaggs - Family & Friends

(Rounder 0151) 1982.

Also issued in Australia (Rounda 1001) 1982, Canada (Stony Plain SPL-1050) 1982, Japan (Trio 20012) 1982, and UK (LP/CD) (Sundown 015) 1985. Also issued on CD by Rounder in 1986.

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On this album Ricky Skaggs plays a selection of mostly old bluegrass tracks, with three old Stanley Brothers classics, one Bill Monroe song and some Gospel tracks. As expected with such a consumate musician, the album is pretty flawlessly polished, with pitch perfect vocal harmonies & a variety of instrument combinations generally used to good effect. The 'friends & family' on the album include Peter Rowan, Jerry Douglas, Marc Pruett, The Whites, and his parents Hobert & Dorothy Skaggs.

The Stanley Brothers cuts featured are I'm Lost, I'll Never Find The Way, Think Of What You've Done, and Say, Won't You Be Mine; plus another three Gospel songs which the Stanley's also recorded: Hallelujah I'm Ready (aka I'm Ready To Go), River Of Jordan and Won't It Be Wonderful There.

I'm not too keen on Buck White's piano, and I'll never get used to dobro being used on any Stanley material, but otherwise it's quite a pleasant album.

Marc Pruett, Jerry Douglas and Ricky's parents also assisted on his 1975 "That's It!" LP.

• Ricky Skaggs: mandolin, guitar vocals
• Joe Allen: bass
• Jerry Douglas: dobro
• Bobby Hicks: fiddle
• Marc Pruett: banjo
• Peter Rowan: guitar, mandolin vocal
• Dorothy Skaggs: tenor vocal
• Hobert Skaggs: guitar, vocal
• Cheryl Warren: vocals
• Buck White: piano
• Sharon White: vocals

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