Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby to Release Live Album

Bluegrass and country music star Ricky Skaggs and admired pop pianist and singer-songwriter Bruce Hornsby will release a live album in August 2013 titled Cluck Ol’ Hen (Skaggs Family Records). This is the first time the two musicians are reuniting since originally collaborating six years ago.

The live songs were originally recorded when the two popular artists toured in support of their first collaborative album, Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby. The album features Hornsby’s vigorous piano, with thrilling solos and improvisation thrown in the mix of Skaggs, Hornsby and Skaggs’ band, Kentucky Thunder.

“We recorded quite a few of the live performances from our tour and came up with a really great CD,” says Skaggs. “It’s a great merging of two different styles. Listening to this live CD just reminded me of how much fun we had touring together. Every show was a gift.”

Hornsby adds, “I’ve been fortunate to be a part of scores of collaborations through the years. Along with my time with the Grateful Dead, and the various Spike Lee projects, I consider the long-time association with Ricky to be the deepest and most satisfying collaboration of them all. Hopefully this record captures the sound of a bunch of guys having a great time playing music together. That’s what it sounds like to me.”

On collaborating with Hornsby, Skaggs notes, “Working with Bruce Hornsby is a show in itself. He’s one of the best musicians I’ve ever played with. His talent level is very high and his take on Bluegrass music is very much like Jazz. It’s all just free form and fun.”

“I have great respect for the traditions that Ricky Skaggs represents and lives in his music and his life,” says Hornsby of Skaggs. “When I come into his world, I feel it’s my job to enhance that tradition, and maybe add some new colors to the palette to paint with. I also feel it’s my job to make him (and his band) laugh a little.”

In addition to releasing the live album, Skaggs and Hornsby will on tour this fall, embarking on the Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder Tour. Thirteen dates are already scheduled:

10/3 – Carmel, IN – The Palladium

10/4 – Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theatre

10/5 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium

10/18 – Los Angeles, CA – Royce Hall – UCLA

10/19 – Scottsdale, AZ – Virginia G. Piper Theater

10/20 – Tucson, AZ – Fox Tucson Theatre

10/24 – Broken Arrow, OK – Broken Arrow Performing Center

10/25 – Overland, KS – Carlsen Center

10/26 – Salina, KS – Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts

11/1 – Milwaukee, WI – Potawatomi Bingo Casino

11/2 – Burnsville, MN – Burnsville PAC

11/20 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount

11/21 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center

Buy Cluck Ol’ Hen