Ricky Skaggs' "Highways and Heartaches"

Gerald Menke · From: Stormville NY, USA

Hey all:
I am still rather new to the steel, and have a lot of catching up to do in terms of exploring all the important records. I bought a reissue of this 1982 Ricky Skaggs record yesterday and I just have to say that it knocked me out. How many other records from the '80s have performances by Bruce, Lloyd and Weldon? I am curious to know how this record was received in 1982; it's so pure and sincere compared to what was going on it the mainstream at that time. I'd love to hear what my colleagues on the Forum have to say about it, recommendations on other Skaggs records, where this one fits into his chronology, etc.
Thanks!

Jeff Lampert · From: queens, new york city

One of the songs from the album is "Highway 40 Blues". This song has been discussed many times on the Forum. The steelwork on it was performed by Bruce Bouton, and the solo is generally considered to be one of the best examples of pedal steel playing ever recorded.

J Fletcher · From: London,Ont,Canada

That record and the "Waiting for the sun to shine" record knocked me out when I heard them back in the mid 80's. They both cover similar musical territory, and contain no filler. Still get played at my house.
They are the essential Ricky Skaggs. IMHO of course.....Jerry

Alan Michael · From: Winston-Salem North Carolina U.S.A.

Ricky Skaggs grew up picking bluegrass with the very best in the buisness. Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Country Gentlemen, Boone Creek, The Whites, and most recently Kentucky Thunder to name a few. I have followed his music and seen him play many times in the last thirty years or so. I think his journey into country music was purely for the money because his heart is definitely in bluegrass. His country recording contract must have had a "no bluegrass" clause in it because he dropped out of sight in bluegrass circles. He is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist (I like his harmony more than his lead singing) and he puts together great bands. His current bluegrass material with Kentucky Thunder is flawless and he is now considered to be the best in the business, but unfortunately....no steel.

Jeff Evans · From: Cowtown and The Bill Cox Outfit

Excellent choice! Some superlative Lloyd Green tone and playing is found on this record. I'm thankful--on Thanksgiving Eve--you mentioned this album.

The next one for you to get is Country Boy from 1984. The waltz "Patiently Waiting" from that record is the country music so many of us miss so much.

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Don't miss "Ricky Scaggs Live in London".
Basically the same material in a live setting. Great stuff.

Bob Mainwaring · From: Qualicum Beach Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

All Ricky Scaggs's stuff just blows me away.
Every record that I have of him has been played and played until I think it must be ready to go through one side or the other.

Seeing him play live is also an eye opener - he sounds just the same. He must surely go down in history as one of the best original sounding - purest artist to emerge from later day Country/Bluegrass singer/players.
Just MHO for what it's worth.

Bob Mainwaring. Z.Bs. and other weird things.

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Duane Becker · From: Elk,Wa 99009 USA

I was playing in a local top 40 country band in Spokane, Wa., when the Ricky Skagg albums hit country radio. All of us in the band could not believe the sound and traditional country western music that Skaggs was doing. Dont recall anyone else at the time doing such a thing. It sure changed the country bands sounds around here for a long time. Kinda wish something like that would happen in 2001. Duane Becker

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I heard a new Ricky Skaggs Bluegrass song yesterday on "country" radio (which is a feat in itself). It was typical Skaggs as it was more instrumental than it was singing. I don't remember the song title but I recognized it as an old Bluegrass song.

I think Highway 40 Blues put Bruce Bouton "on the map" like Together Again did for Tom Brumley.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Guys, lets not forget Ray Flacke here, he and Bruce played some of the best Steel/Tele licks known to man on the early Skaggs records.

TP

Mark Kelchen · From: Cedar Rapids, Iowa USA

Ricky is a musical icon. His versatility and multiple insturment talent is rare. Lets not forget the bluegrass background that has produced some of the finest pickers around. Vince Gill for example, who worked extensively with Ricky in the bluegrass days with Emmy Lou Harrris etc. Now Vince in the country side comes up with tunes such as "Look at Us" with John Hughey on steel. AWESOME steel to say the least.

Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

I'll be going to the Calvin Theatre in
Northampton, MA not too long from now [Dec.14] to see Ricky and Company.
Row 2 from from stagefront and to the right side. Getting excited now. FWIW.

ChipsAhoy

Will Bartell · From: Medford, Oregon USA

Lloyd's work on "Nothing Can Hurt You" has got to be a high water mark in pedal steel.
That song, and his playing, STILL put a lump in my throat after several hundred listenings. (Maybe the fact that I got divorced in '82 has something to do with that...)

Jeff Evans · From: Cowtown and The Bill Cox Outfit

What an ear-friendly tone on "Nothing Can Hurt You!" Why have full tones like this been banished from records?

B Bailey Brown · From: San Antonio, TX (USA)

Gerald,

In answer to you basic question, “How was it received”…I would say VERY WELL!!

I have the album, and to this day it is one of my favorites. It was far ahead of its time in my opinion, and produced several #1 hits.

Ricky is a great player in his own right, but he brought Bruce Bouton and Ray Flacke to the public’s attention. Bruce played some things on that album that are truly “memorable”, and had probably not been thought of before. Other than Hank DeVito with Emmy Lou Harris’s “Hot Band”, I had never really heard any thing like that before. It was, and still is a thrill to listen to!

Ray Flacke brought a style of guitar playing to country music that remains to this day. I am not sure how to describe it…maybe 1/3 Rock, 1/3 country and 1/3 who knows what!! But the point is, it worked, and created a new sound.

As Will Bartell mentioned, Lloyd Green’s playing on “Nothing Can Hurt You” is one of the “classic” Steel Guitar examples. Excuse me, but Steel Guitar really doesn’t get any better than that. I listen to that cut on the album and when it comes to the end, and Lloyd takes off, it starts to build…and build, and gets better and better!! I have always believed that Lloyd probably really got into what he was doing, and did a 10 minute Steel solo. He was COOKIN’. And then the producer just faded it out. Stupid record producers!!

B. Bailey Brown

Mike Weirauch · From: Harrisburg, Illinois**The Hub of the Universe

B. Bailey, you don't know how close you were to being right about the length of the ending to that song. The original ride on the ending was three minutes long. Ricky Skaggs produced his own record and tried to use as much of the ending as he could but had to fade it out after a minute and a half, leaving that much that was never heard. As much as he wanted the steel ending to go on and on, he had to end the song within a timely fashion.

Larry Miller · From: Dothan AL,USA

Ray Flacke and Albert Lee have very similar styles. Albert was on the Indie Ricky Skaggs album with Buddy Emmons on Steel, before the CBS Records.

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