"Kentucky Traveler" by Ricky Skaggs (2013)

I was hesitant to read this book at first. It is a faith based memoir, and I am somewhat suspect of those who wear their religion like a badge. But, Mr. Skaggs has done the seemingly impossible; he has managed to convey his Christian roots and the journey which brought him to international fame without being overly judgmental of others. He is firm in his beliefs; and lets the reader know it; but to separate the religion from the music would be to tell only a part of his story. And, in the case of Mr. Skaggs;  the man, the faith, and the music are all the same.

Beginning with his childhood Mr. Skaggs weaves a wonderful story of growing up as a Christian in the 1950’s and ‘60’s while pursuing his love of music. His father and mother were the main influences in his spiritual and musical development, with the elder Mr. Skaggs playing guitar himself. Young Ricky first performs on the top of the soft drink case at a local store. He was 5 years old at the time.  He was a true “child prodigy.” His instrument of choice was the mandolin, but his talent would lead him to the guitar, banjo and even the sitar for a brief moment in India.

His father’s love of music fueled Mr. Skaggs interest, and desire, to play the music he heard all around him while growing up. His father and mother were both musically inclined, with his mother singing with a strong clear mountain voice and even kicking up her feet and dancing at the frequent house parties they had on weekends. These occasions are the seeds of that would grow into a lifelong love of bluegrass music for Mr. Skaggs, taking him far away from his home, but always returning.

If you love traditional old time bluegrass music, then this book is a veritable history of the genre, beginning; as it should; with Bill Monroe. Ricky meets him as a kid and then later on as a teen when his Dad gets him behind stage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. But Ralph and Carter Stanley are the two men who most gave him his first big break.

As his career rises he finds himself at a sort of crossroads; he can go the way of so many before him in the music business, or he can remain true to his roots; both musically as well as spiritually. This is easier said than done, and the author admits it.

Crammed full of stories about the great legends he has known, and the spiritual path he has chosen for himself, make this book a very worthwhile read. His relationship with the late Keith Whitley is a bittersweet memory, as Mr. Whitley succumbs to the temptations of the road and heavy drink.

The story of the people he has played with is also the story of the salvation of the original sound of the bluegrass music he loved so well as a kid, but which had slipped away by the 1970’s, replaced by the overproduced “Nashville Sound.” Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, and so many others, along with Mr. Skaggs, have helped to not only preserve that sound, but to make it popular once again.

This remarkable family oriented, faith based memoir, is living testament of the roots of bluegrass music and the magic of where it comes from. It is also proof that you don’t necessarily need sex and drugs to make really great, timeless music.

"Live From Mountain River Stage" - John Hartford (2000 release)

I became a fan of John Hartford in about 2 seconds while watching the opening segment of the old “Glen Campbell Show” on CBS. If you’re old enough to remember, Glen Campbell used to sit in the audience and stand up as the show began, singing his landmark recording “Gentle On My Mind”. Standing with him was the song’s author, John Hartford, playing the banjo.

For years afterwards I always looked for John Hartford, either as a solo act, or playing backup on other artist’s recordings. Ask anyone in the music business and they will tell you with all honesty that John Hartford was the man who helped keep the genre of “Americana” alive through all of the changes in music which occurred during the 1970’s and 1980’s. He was the curator of part of our cultural history.

With his trademark bowler hat and sleeve garters, Mr. Hartford tap danced and fiddled his way across America during his almost 5 decades in show business, appearing on TV Shows, College Campuses and County Fairs. He was like a vision; a glimpse into the past of America; a time when steamboats roamed up and down the Mighty Mississippi, transporting cotton, and gamblers to their respective destinations. He was like a part of that scenery, although 100 years removed.

American music is composed of so many different styles, and comes from so many different roots. In it, you hear jazz, blues, slave chants, folk tunes from scores of countries, and even oriental influences combined into something unique. John Hartford fell hard for the Scots/Irish blend of fiddle music and banjo playing. And along the way he learned to write. From his earliest hits, like “Gentle On My Mind”, to his most obscure of later work, his music always evoked something of the American past. You can hear it in “Gentle On My Mind.” That banjo part just cuts through the whole song.

Curiously, he was born in New York City, before moving at an early age to Missouri, where he first saw his beloved river. In addition to all of his musical accomplishments; he played several instruments, and wrote many songs; he was a licensed riverboat Captain.

This album is a compilation of three concerts recorded by Mr. Hartford for West Virginia’s NPR “Mountain Stage” shows at the West Virginia Cultural center Auditorium in Charleston; between March of 1994 and May of 1996. This album was released in 2000, a year prior to Mr. Hartford’s death in 2001.  A quick look at the song list above will give you an idea of what he played. From classics such as Johnny Bond’s “I Wonder Where You are Tonight” and Carl Butler’s poignant “My Tears Don’t Show”, and then his own classics, such as “Lorena”, “Gentle On My Mind” and the humorous “Bring Your Clothes Back Home…”, it is easy to feel the connection that he had with his audience. They loved the man. It was that simple, and palpable. He frequently tapped danced as he played, and you can hear his feet accompanying him on many of the tracks.

His death in 2001 left a vacuum in American music which has never quite been filled. But, whenever you see a juggler, a street musician, or anyone engaged in “street” art, you are looking at part of Mr. Hartford’s soul. He was our troubadour, our wandering minstrel. And, we will likely never see his like again.