Live at the Charleston Music Hall

by Ricky Skaggs

Overview

As Ricky Skaggs' career progressed, he steadily got more traditional in his aesthetic and approach. So, when he announces partway through his 2003 album, Live at the Charleston Music Hall (recorded over two dates in November 2002 in South Carolina), that the band is largely playing new songs, it may come as a bit of a shock to casual listeners, since everything sounds traditional -- even Harley Allen's Internet-referencing "A Simple Life" sounds as if it was written years and years ago. Since traditionalism is celebrated, not shunned, by bluegrass musicians, this is hardly unexpected or a problem, even if it does give Skaggs' recent music a comfortable predictability. That familiarity is undercut slightly by kinetic energy on this record, since this superb band has enough energy to make the traditionalism sound energetic, even when it still sounds very familiar. All of which adds up to an enjoyable record that nevertheless embodies a paradox: It's nothing that the serious fan hasn't heard before, but only the serious fan will truly thrill on the nuances and interplay that make Live at the Charleston Music Hall worth a spin. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	03/25/2003
Label:	Hollywood / Skaggs Family Records
UPC:	0669890100421
Rank:	120444

Tracks

1. Introduction
2. Black-Eyed Suzie
3. How Mountain Girls Can Love
4. On a Lonesome Night
5. Song Intro
6. Amanda Jewell
7. Why Did You Wander
8. Song Intro
9. A Simple Life
10. Band Intro
11. Goin' to the Ceili
12. The Old Home Place
13. Song Intro
14. I Heard My Mother Call My Name in Prayer
15. Song Intro
16. Crossville
17. Song Intro
18. Somewhere Nice Forever
19. Uncle Pen
20. Pig in a Pen
21. Song Intro
22. Cat's in the Cradle
23. Song Intro
24. Get up John
25. [Untitled Track]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Ricky Skaggs   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Mandolin,Guitar (Acoustic)
Kentucky Thunder   Primary Artist
Bobby Hicks   Guest Artist,Soloist,Fiddle
Cody Kilby   Guest Artist,Guitar
Jim Mills   Guest Artist,Banjo,Vocals (Background)
Jeff Taylor   Accordion,Tin Whistle
Darrin Vincent   Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Andy Leftwich   Fiddle,Soloist,Mandolin
Mark Fain   Bass
Paul Brewster   Vocals (Background),Guitar,Mandolin

Technical Credits

Bill Monroe   Composer
Carter Stanley   Composer
Mac McAnally   Composer
Lyman C. Corbitt McAnally Jr.   Composer
Dean Webb   Composer
Sandy Chapin   Composer
Lester Flatt   Composer
Ricky Skaggs   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Ruby Rakes   Composer
Ralph Stanley   Composer
Harry Chapin   Composer
Brent King   Engineer
Harley Allen   Composer
Andrew Mendelson   Mastering
Lee Groitzsch   Assistant Engineer
Red Smiley   Composer
Mitch Jayne   Composer
Mitchell Jayne   Composer
Erick Anderson   Design,Photography
Traditional   Composer
Sandy Campbell Chapin   Composer