REVIEW: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder Entertain Crowd at the Sheldon

More than the passage of time has turned country singer/musician Ricky Skaggs into one of the elder statesmen of bluegrass. The die was cast from the minute he stepped onto a stage at age five to pick his mandolin with the legendary Bill Monroe. And, while his long locks may have almost completely faded to gray, there's still a fire for producing the authentic sounds of country music that burns within him. On this particular occasion (January 15, 2010 at the Sheldon Concert Hall) Skaggs was afforded the opportunity to reminisce about his musical roots due to some persistent tuning problems with a balky mandolin, and it was interesting to hear him reflect on his long, storied career. Skaggs is an engaging performer, and whether he's picking a mandolin, guitar or pulling a bow across a fiddle, his considerable talents are always on display.

The night was structured into two sets split by an intermission, which gave the sell-out crowd a chance to check out Skaggs and his band, Kentucky Thunder, up close and personal. The first set featured some blistering picking, with highlights that included tunes from The catalog of Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley. Some favorites were: "Bluegrass Breakdown", "Lonesome River", "Another Night", and the life-affirming tune "Enjoy the Ride". Wildly uptempo bluegrass raves mixed with the "high lonesome" sound of heartache and longing to provide a unique portrait of "old school" country music. The second set proved equally enjoyable, as the band really let loose on a collection of similarly themed material.

Backing up Skaggs are the members of Kentucky Thunder, and each of them brings something special to the mix, whether it's their talent as a musician or as a singer. The band consists of: Andy Leftwich (fiddle), Cody Kilby (lead guitar), Mark Fain (bass), Jimmy Mills (banjo), Paul Brewster (rhythm guitar and tenor vocals), and Ed Faris (rhythm guitar and baritone vocals). They're as fine a collection of musicians as you're likely to find. This group provides a perfect blend of talent and taste, allowing the melodies of these timeless songs to soar without any unnecessary clutter, just a sense of joyful abandon.

If you have a chance to see Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, check them out, and on a night when Ricky's in the mood to chat you might just learn a little bit about the history of country music along the way. If you're lucky enough to see them at a splendid venue like the Sheldon, you'll certainly be able to more fully appreciate the unique and lovely three part harmonies of these mountain bred tunes