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Stephans Site

2015

17.10.2015 Samstag

Original-Text

07:30 PM

Ricky's Rattlin' Roarin' Roots

Born in Kentucky and playing mandolin since he was 5 years old, there is no doubt that Country music and Bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs has lived “a life full of music”. The 14 time Grammy Award winner made a name for himself early, first sharing a stage with Bill Munroe at age 6, and appearing on Flatt & Scruggs’ syndicated TV show at 7 years old. By the late 1970s, while still in his twenties, Ricky turned his attention to Country music and went on to spend most of the 1980s at the top of the Country charts with twelve Number 1 singles, before forming Kentucky Thunder and returning to his Bluegrass roots in the 1990s. Bluegrass has a strong connection to the musical traditions of immigrants from Ireland and Scotland who arrived in Appalachia in the 18th century. Ricky explored this connection with Ireland’s Brock McGuire band on their acclaimed 2011 album Green Grass Blue Grass. And Ricky will revisit those roots again tonight at Centre 200 with the Barra MacNeils and J.P. Cormier. J.P. Cormier is arguably as well-versed in the Bluegrass tradition as he is in Celtic/trad and spent 10 years playing around the South, including many appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. Tonight J.P. and Ricky will get to reconnect on our festival stage. The Barra MacNeils, of course, represent a vast array of influences beyond the expected Scottish tradition. It’ll be pure musician’s heaven when these performers collaborate on stage!

Venue - Centre 200 - 481 George Street, Sydney, NS

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