Sept. 15, 2016
For Immediate Release
By Jordan Snider, student news writer
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - The legendary 14-time Grammy Award-winner Ricky Skaggs, and his band Kentucky Thunder, will be in concert at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13 at Campbellsville University's Ransdell Chapel at 401 N. Hoskins Ave., Campbellsville, as a part of this year's Homecoming with the theme of “Best of the Bluegrass.”
General admission tickets for the concert are $35. For information, call the Office of Development at Campbellsville University at (270) 789-5211.
Skaggs has earned 14 Grammy Awards, 11 International Bluegrass Music Awards, nine Academy of Country Music Awards, eight Country Music Awards, two Dove Awards, three honorary Doctorate Museum's 2013 Artist-In-Residence and an Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award in the Instrumentalist category along with countless other awards.
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. His newest release, Hearts Like Ours, with his wife, celebrated artist Sharon White of The Whites, features the couple dueting on handpicked country love songs.
Skaggs, a Grand Ole Opry member has released his first autobiography, “Kentucky Traveler: My Life in Music.”
Skaggs was born on July 18, 1954 in Cordell, Ky. and showed signs of future stardom at an early age, playing mandolin on stage with bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe at 6 and appearing on TV with Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs at 7.
He emerged as a professional bluegrass musician in 1971, when he and his friend Keith Whitley were invited to join the legendary Ralph Stanley's band, the Clinch Mountain Boys.
He became a recording artist in his own right in 1981 when his Epic label debut album “Waitin' for the Sun to Shine” topped the country charts and yielded a pair of number 1 hits. Overall, his productive stay at Epic Records would result in a total of 12 number 1 hits.
Darryl Peavler, director of alumni relations at Campbellsville University, invites everyone to enjoy the show and to visit Campbellsville University's many Homecoming events. Details on other Homecoming events will be on the Campbellsville University website at campbellsville.edu/homecoming soon.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering over 80 programs of study including 24 master's degrees, seven postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.