Kentucky stars shined bright on CMA Awards

Chris Stapleton at CMA Awards.
Photo by Erika Goldring/FilmMagic

If you noticed carefully throughout the night, several Kentucky country music stars were featured on the CMA Award 50th anniversary broadcast.  Here are a few of those highlights:

Keith Whitley Remembered Twice

During Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood's melody of hits, they performed Keith Whitley's "Don't Close Your Eyes."  Then when Alan Jackson sang "Remember When" and George Strait sang "Troubadour," a photo of Keith Whitley was shown in the background as to honor the legends.

Trisha Yearwood pays tribute to Crystal Gayle & Loretta Lynn

Trisha Yearwood performed "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" as Crystal Gayle looked on in the audience beside her sister Loretta Lynn.  Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks also sang "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man," in tribute to Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty.

Bill Monroe and Keith Whitley Memoralized

During Alan Jackson and George Strait's duet, you will see photos on the wall in the background that included Bill Monroe and Keith Whitley among those that helped build the foundation of country music.

Ricky Skaggs & Dwight Yoakam Pickin' and Grinnin' in Opener

During the CMA Award show opener, Ricky Skaggs and Brad Paisley picked their way through "Country Boy," complete with fast guitar picking skills.  We also got to see Dwight Yoakam singing "Guitars, Cadillacs" during the opener.

Ricky Skaggs, Brad Paisley, and Charlie Daniels at the CMA Awards. Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images.

Roy Clark looks on as Dwight Yoakam sings "Guitars, Cadillacs" at the CMA Awards.
Photo by Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images

Dwight Yoakam and Chris Stapleton singing "Seven Spanish Angels"

Here is some six degrees of Kentucky: Pikeville native Dwight Yoakam performed with Paintsville native Chris Stapleton on the hit tune, "Seven Spanish Angels."  That song was made famous with the performance by Ray Charles and Willie Nelson.  Willie Nelson leased part of Renfro Valley Entertainment Center back in the day, but has never played there.  One of the co-writers of that song, Eddie Setser, is from Corbin, Kentucky, which is home of the original KFC.

Chris Stapleton Takes Home 2 Awards

A humbled Chris Stapleton took home the award for Best Male Vocalist, along with Best Video for the powerful tune "Fire Away."

Darrell Scott is Long Time Gone

Laurel County native, Darrell Scott, has made a living on songwriting and performing.  He wrote "Long Time Gone" that the Dixie Chicks sang last night alongside Beyonce at the CMA Awards.  Ironically the tune is about the dismay of country music with the lyrics, "Now they sound tired but they don't sound Haggard / They got money but they don't have Cash / They got Junior but they don't have Hank..."

Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle in the audience

Believe me when I say this, it was just a disgrace that Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle were only given a few seconds of screentime rather than have them up on stage performing showing how it is done.

What were some of your favorite moments of the awards? Did your favorite win?

Ricky Skaggs honored with prestigious ASCAP Founders Award

Ricky Skaggs (via Facebook)

ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, presented acclaimed bluegrass and country music songwriter-artist and Grand Ole Opry member Ricky Skaggs with its prestigious Founders Award at the 54th annual ASCAP Country Music Awards. The exclusive, invitation-only gala, which celebrated the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most performed country songs of 2016, took place at the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville, Tennessee on October 31st.

ASCAP President Paul Williams said: "For more than four decades Ricky Skaggs has been a musical force in bluegrass and country music. His incredible gifts as a musician combined with his boundless creativity and energy continue to fuel a passion for American roots music around the world. A national treasure, he has influenced generations of fellow music creators and we are honored to present him with the ASCAP Founders Award."

The Founders Award is one of ASCAP’s highest honors and is presented to songwriters and composers who have made pioneering contributions to music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators. Each recipient is a musical innovator who possesses a unique style of creative genius, which will enrich generations to come. Previous recipients include George Strait, Alan Jackson, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Melissa Etheridge and Neil Young.

Ricky Skaggs is a renowned musician of bluegrass and country music, having earned 12 #1 singles, 14 Grammy Awards, 11 IBMA Awards, nine ACM Awards, eight CMA Awards (including Entertainer of the Year), two Dove Awards, three honorary Doctorate degrees, a GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame induction, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s 2013 Artist-In-Residence, and an Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award, along with numerous other accolades. Since he began playing music more than 50 years ago, Skaggs has released more than 30 albums and has performed thousands of live shows. He started his own record label, Skaggs Family Records, in 1997 and has since released 12 consecutive Grammy-nominated albums. His newest release, Hearts Like Ours, with his wife, celebrated artist Sharon White of The Whites, features the couple performing duets of handpicked country love songs. The Grand Ole Opry member has also released his first-ever autobiography, "Kentucky Traveler," which details the life and times of Skaggs and provides a descriptive history of country and bluegrass music. In addition to his regular touring schedule with his band, Kentucky Thunder, he has recently performed a string of dates with Sharon White and guitar legend Ry Cooder, and continues to tour with versatile singer-songwriter and pianist Bruce Hornsby.

The Angel Band has called up Ralph Stanley

Dr. Ralph Stanley

Back in 1998, I was fortunate to go to Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival with some college friends.  My main mission - to meet Ralph Stanley.  I got to see the frail looking man in a suit, a roll of money nestled in his front pocket, sitting at a merchandise table.  He would talk to anyone that wanted to talk and sign anything that he had for sale.  I was able to purchase a cd, shake his hand, and tell my friends that I got to meet Ralph Stanley.  Later on, he would stand up on the stage with his band, the Clinch Mountain Boys, to sing pure Appalachian gospel and bluegrass tunes that resonated among the crowd.

A couple of years later, I continued to travel to bluegrass festivals in the summer and write more for the college newspaper on music.  I became friends with guitarist, James Alan Shelton, who allowed me to do an interview with Ralph Stanley.  In the summer of 2001, it was blazing hot at the Shriners Bluegrass Festival in Olive Hill, Kentucky.  It would be the first interview that I would conduct with someone in music and it was with Ralph Stanley.  I was doing quite a bit of research on bluegrass music for papers and presentations in college.  The movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou" was a hit on the silverscreen and bluegrass saw a resurgence of listeners and fans.  We spoke about the connection of bluegrass and movies.  Needless to say, I learned quite a bit from Mr. Stanley that day.  Ralph, along with the Clinch Mountain Boys, all signed the coversheet of one of my research papers, much to my surprise.  I did get an A+ on that particular paper.

Later on, Ralph Stanley would perform at Renfro Valley Entertainment Center over the years.  James Alan Shelton said I always had a standing invitation to come out and see them.  I took him up on that offer one cold December evening when they played in the Old Barn.  Afterwards, Ralph Stanley would sit at the merchandise table shaking hands, signing autographs, and greeting fans.  He would sign my mandolin that is now hanging on the wall at my house.

Many fans can tell you that seeing Ralph Stanley sing put a haunted eerie feeling over the crowd.  Everyone would be silenced by the reverend vocal style of Ralph Stanley booming through the speakers.  It didn't matter what music style you liked, but you would easily turn your heard and listen to what he would sing.  It is rare to see someone on stage take command with performing the traditional Baptist hymns.  

Appalachian music and heritage has always been strong through Ralph Stanley.  He embraced the mountains, the people, and the music.  For 70 years, he stood on stage performing, with most of those years accompanied by his clawhammer banjo picking.  The skies are weeping in the mountains of Virginia as we say goodbye to the legend that passed away on June 23, 2016 at the age of 89.

Dwight Yoakam and Ricky Skaggs to be honored by ACM Awards

Dwight Yoakam

Kentucky natives Ricky Skaggs and Dwight Yoakam have been announced as recipients of the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award. The announcement came today from the Academy of Country Music. They will be honored during the 6th Annual ACM Honors event in Nashville on September 24, 2012.

Ricky Skaggs is best known for both his country and bluegrass music. During the 1980s, he had over 15 Top 10 Singles, with 11 of those being number one hits. He was named the ACM’s 1981 Top New Male Vocalist and received five ACM Awards for Touring Band of the Year.

Dwight Yoakam captured the imagination of traditionalists and new listeners alike by giving hillbilly music a modern twist. Born in Kentucky but based in Los Angeles, Yoakam debuted with a twangy cover of Johnny Horton’s “Honky Tonk Man,” which led him to the ACM’s 1986 Top New Male Vocalist trophy. In all, Yoakam landed 14 Top 10 hits – some he wrote (“I Sang Dixie”) and others he revived (Elvis Presley’s “Little Sister”). Along with acclaimed albums and music videos, Yoakam proudly partnered with Buck Owens on the endearing 1988 duet, “Streets of Bakersfield.” He remains active in music and film.

Past recipients of the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award include Alabama, Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, Jerry Reed, Tex Ritter, Marty Robbins, Kenny Rogers, Mel Tillis, Randy Travis, Conway Twitty, Porter Wagoner, Hank Williams, Sr., Hank Williams Jr. and Bob Wills, among others.