| Date: | June 11, 2017 |
| Time: | 7:30 - 9:30 PM |
| Venue: | Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech |
| Organizations: | Mountains of Music Homecoming, Ricky Skaggs |
| Cost: |
Gneral Admission: $25.00 Students with ID and Children 18 and Under: $10.00
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| Description: |
The Crooked Road's 2017 Mountains of Music Homecoming festival presents The Stanley Brothers Legacy Concert featuring Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys with special guests Ricky Skaggs and Larry Sparks on Sunday, June 11, 2017 at the Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech. The Crooked Road leads to the Moss Arts Center with this spectacular celebration of heritage music uniting three bluegrass greats to honor the legacy of the Stanley Brothers and their Clinch Mountain Boys. With the passing of Dr. Ralph Stanley in 2016, his son Ralph II now carries the torch of this influential music family. Bluegrass legends Larry Sparks and Ricky Skaggs were deeply imprinted by the Stanley sound when they performed as Clinch Mountain Boys early in their careers and will join Ralph II to perform the songs that have profoundly shaped traditional bluegrass music. A life full of music. That's the story of Ricky Skaggs. By age 21, he was already considered a "recognized master" of one of America's most demanding art forms, but his career took him in other directions, catapulting him to popularity and success in the mainstream of country music. His life's path has taken him to various musical genres, from where it all began in bluegrass, to striking out on new musical journeys, while still leaving his musical roots intact. Ricky started performing over 50 years ago and this 14-time Grammy Award winner continues to do his part to lead the recent roots revival in music. With 12 consecutive Grammy-nominated classics, the diverse and masterful tones come from a life dedicated to playing music that is both fed by the soul and felt by the heart. Born on July 18, 1954 in Cordell, Kentucky, he received his first mandolin at the age of five. Two weeks after teaching him the G, C and D chords, his dad returned from working out of town shocked to see his son making chord changes and singing. When the legendary Bill Monroe came to perform, the crowd wouldn't let up until "Little Ricky Skaggs" got up to play. The father of bluegrass called six-year-old Skaggs up. No one imagined what a defining moment that would be in the life of the young prodigy. By seven, Skaggs performed with bluegrass legends Flatt & Scruggs on their popular TV show earning his first paycheck. In the late 70s, Ricky turned his attention to country music. First as a member of Emmylou Harris' Hot Band and later as a solo artist. Skaggs reached the top of the country charts in 1981 and remained there throughout most of the 80s, resulting in a total of 12 #1 hits. In 1982, he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, the youngest to be inducted at that time. As his popularity soared, he garnered eight awards from the Country Music Association (CMA), including "Entertainer of the Year" in 1985, four Grammy Awards and dozens of other honors. Ricky Skaggs has often said that he is "just trying to make a living" playing the music he loves. But it's clear that his passion for it puts him in the position to bring his lively, distinctively American form of music out of isolation and into the ears and hearts of audiences across the country and around the world. Links: • http://www.rickyskaggs.com/ • https://www.facebook.com/rickyskaggsofficial • https://www.twitter.com/RickySkaggs For more information and to purchase tickets for the event, visit: https://www.artscenter.vt.edu/Online/article/stanleybrotherslegacy. For more information on Mountains of Music Homecoming, visit: http://mtnsofmusic.com/. For more information on the Moss Arts Center, visit: http://www.artscenter.vt.edu/Online/ or https://www.facebook.com/artscenteratvt. |