Mandolin master and 2018 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee RICKY SKAGGS “is without peer as a combination vocalist and instrumentalist.” (AllMusic) He struck his first chords on a mandolin over 50 years ago, and he continues to do his part to lead the roots revival in music. With 12 consecutive GRAMMY-nominated albums, all from his own Skaggs Family Records label, the diverse and masterful tones he conjures from his instrument come from a life dedicated to playing music that is both fed by the soul and felt by the heart.
In the ’80s, his string of #1 country hits made him an icon in the field, and guitarist and producer Chet Atkins credits him with “single-handedly saving country music.” In recent decades, Skaggs has favored a more experimental approach to roots and bluegrass music and has taken home a remarkable 15 GRAMMY Awards with his band Kentucky Thunder. Notable recent collaborations include Jack White, Bruce Hornsby, and Ry Cooder.
SIERRA HULL is another mandolin wizard and rising bluegrass star, of which Alison Krauss remarks, “I think she’s endless. I don’t see any boundaries. Talent like hers is so rare.” Opening the show will be Brooklyn’s own MAMIE MINCH, the soulful, old-school blues guitarist and songwriter.