Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Bouton

Paul Wade · Post by **Paul Wade** » 2 Jun 2023 5:58 am

great tune and tone to the bone !!!
https://www.facebook.com/rickyskaggs.mu ... 8539955754

p.w

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 2 Jun 2023 9:15 am

Thanks for posting that. I remember seeing them play back in that era. That stage was full of outstanding talent.
Ray Flacke was with them then.

~Lee

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 2 Jun 2023 1:23 pm

I think this is a sound track, not live playing. Bobby Hicks is the only fiddler seen, but I hear multiple fiddles. It's good stuff.

RC

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 3 Jun 2023 2:05 pm

Bruce Bouton was the first steel guitarist I saw on TV! He was working with Ricky at the time, and the video I was watching was Ricky and his band playing "Don't Get Above Your Raisin', and I was spending time with my aunt Denise, and as we were watching the video, I noticed an instrument that looked like a table with strings, so I asked Denise what that instrument was, and she said, "It's a steel guitar", and my eyes lit up! At the time, I didn't know any steel players or steel brands like I do now. At the time, I knew what a guitar is, but didn't know the difference between acoustic, electric, bass, and steel guitar-I just knew what a guitar was.

Bruce Bouton · Post by **Bruce Bouton** » 5 Jun 2023 2:35 pm

We must have lip synced that particular tv show. You could here my doubled steel guitar part. I think I doubled almost everything on that first Skaggs album. Ricky called it "cloning" Also you can hear the twin fiddles.

Sonny Garrish was a master of it. He did it alot on records that he worked on.

thank's for the kind words!

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 5 Jun 2023 7:31 pm

Bruce Bouton wrote:We must have lip synced that particular tv show. You could here my doupled steel guitar part. I think I doubled almost everything on that first Skaggs album. Ricky called it "cloning" Also you can hear the twin fiddles.

Sonny Garrish was a master of it. He did it alot on records that he worked on.

thank's for the kind words!

Bruce... you are a master player. I've always enjoyed your playing.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 6 Jun 2023 12:56 am

Bruce , I hope I say this properly as I am not trying to diminish any other players or music. For those of us who were playing PRE SKAGGS, The Skaggs band with you, Ray, Bobby and Ricky moved the goal post . For example: As local players very often when we sit in with a band, the question is asked, "can you cover Heartborke and Hwy 40" ? As local players, it defines us. We still have to cover Satin Sheets and Together Again, but now we have bigger fish to fry ! LOL Big thanks for your influence, contribution and work. I believe it has made many of us better players overall, we had no choice , we had to step out of the box !

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 6 Jun 2023 3:38 am

Bruce Bouton wrote:We must have lip synced that particular tv show. You could here my doupled steel guitar part. I think I doubled almost everything on that first Skaggs album. Ricky called it "cloning" Also you can hear the twin fiddles.

Sonny Garrish was a master of it. He did it alot on records that he worked on.

thank's for the kind words!

Bruce,that first Skaggs record was sure a game changer!Lots of steel!I loved every lick on it!

Mrs.Hinson and I wore out a couple of cassette tapes worth!

SH

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 6 Jun 2023 5:20 am

I was still in England then but I remember it as though it was yesterday. Country music had begun to get a little off-track, for want of a better phrase, but this album and the emergence of Randy Travis put things right again.

'Waiting For the Sun to Shine', 'Highways & Heartaches' and 'Don't Cheat in Our Hometown' were close to perfect. Thanks to Bruce, Ray, Ricky and everyone involved, it seems now like a golden era.

Bruce Bouton · Post by **Bruce Bouton** » 6 Jun 2023 6:41 am

I appreciate the recognition. It was definately a moment in time.
I was working with Lacy J Dalton when Ray Flacke told me about a session that he had just done with RodneyCrowell. Ricky was playing on the session and told Ray that he had just been signed to Columbia Records. He asked ray to be in his band and mentioned that he was looking for a steel player. Ray recomended me (thank you Ray!
Ricky came over to my house and played through the whole Waiting for Sun album, just acoustic guitar and steel. Afterwards he asked if I'd be interested in joining his band. He was such a traditional country artist ,which made me hesitant to say yes. I didn't know if it would be successful on the radio. I stupidly asked him if I could sleep on it and surprisingly he said yes.
Later that night I called Steve Fishell and he advised me to call Ricky back asap and say yes. I think he said something like "it won't be the Hot Band but will be mighty close" .. Steve had been working with Ricky in Emmy Lou's band.

I called Ricky back early the next morning and accepted the gig then immediatly asked him if I could play on his record. Two weeks later we cut "crying my Heart out" and the rest of the "Waiting for the Sun " album.
I'd barely been in the recording studio much less played on a record.
The stars certainly lined up.
Ricky started taking over the radio and blew the doors open for Randy Travis and the new traditionalist movement.
I often reflect on what my career would have been like if I hadn't met Ricky,arguably one of the best musicians on the planet.
I feel incredibly fortunate and am incredibly thankful for the folks that have encouraged and helped me along the way.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 6 Jun 2023 6:50 am

Nice post, Bruce!

I wasn't sure of the actual timeline; Randy Travis seemed to break at around the same time but clearly that wasn't the case.

We never know what's in store for us but I'm delighted that things worked out so well for you. Yes, luck's involved, but you had the talent. Thanks for all the terrific fills and solos over the years!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 6 Jun 2023 7:44 am

Bruce Bouton wrote: I feel incredibly fortunate and am incredibly thankful for the folks that have encouraged and helped me along the way.

And you in turn influenced and helped an entire generation of Steel players !

John Lacey · Post by **John Lacey** » 6 Jun 2023 2:34 pm

Bruce, I heard you at the ‘83 convention and it sounded like you were using a doubler. Sounded really fat.

Ron Shalita · Post by **Ron Shalita** » 6 Jun 2023 4:28 pm

Those were the days!

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 6 Jun 2023 5:23 pm

It definitely was a Golden Age. I remember hearing a local band playing “You May See Me Walkin” in about 1980 and thinking holy crap what is that I like it I love it I need some more of it! Within a couple years we were all singing Crying My Heart Out and Heartbroke, and giving Highway 40 our best shot. Thanks to Bruce, Ray, Ricky, Randy, and all of the other great players and singers of that era for saving Country Music. We need you again…

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 7 Jun 2023 10:03 am

Once in a while, a wonderful post like this one comes up. Then the actual artist chimes in. I love this forum! Mr. Bouton gave me chills the first time I heard him with Ricky Skaggs. I have a home movie somewhere of my two little ones dancing to the record, both in diapers, one of ‘em was wearing my old 8 point police cap. Good times!

Ron Funk · Post by **Ron Funk** » 8 Jun 2023 5:22 am

Bruce Bouton's catalog of work definitely impacted many steel players (myself included) - and he is one fine gentleman to boot.

We can only hope that another "traditionalist movement" arrives to reinstate the music we all miss so much.

Ron

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 8 Jun 2023 8:41 am

I saw that band (late '80s?) when they played in the sanctuary of some obscure neighborhood church in SW Richfield, MN, and boy, they were cookin'. I was dubious when I saw the ad and the venue -- was this the Ricky Skaggs? Sure enough. A show I have not forgotten.

Michael Weaver · Post by **Michael Weaver** » 8 Jun 2023 5:30 pm

Back in the 80s, I was playing in a 7 piece country band. We were big fans of Ricky and the band, and played quite a few of their songs. One summer, Ricky and the boys were playing at a venue called Sunset Park in southeastern PA, south of Philly. Four of us went to see the show, and one of us made a huge sign saying, We love Ray Flacke!!!, as we were all huge fans of his playing. We did get to say hi to the guys behind the stage after their performance. It quite a show, to say the least.

Olaf van Roggen · Post by **Olaf van Roggen** » 10 Jun 2023 11:53 am

I remember going to a Ricky Skaggs concert in Rotterdam in 1984, They published an interview in a Dutch magazine called "Country Gazette"it included his adress. I wrote him a letter and he answered, to try to meet him backstage after the Concert. Somehow i met Bruce and we had a nice conversation and Bruce signed a piece of paper that I still have.
I got the chance to meet Ricky and some other nice people.
There was also a Film crew and they asked me some questions.
Unforgettable moment for a 16 year old guy.
Ray Flacke already left the band and Ricky took over the guitar parts.
Bruce is still one of my favourite Steel players.

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 12 Jun 2023 6:18 am

I saw Ricky in Concert in Midland Tx. in the early part of 1982. Bruce Bouton, Ray Flacke. Bobby Hicks, just blew me away. Never had seen or heard anything like it. It was just AWESOME. J.R. Rose

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 12 Jun 2023 8:36 am

I saw Ricky on numerous occasions. It's hard to pick one as personnel changed each time, but I'll long recall the weekend that the 'live album ('...In London') was recorded.

I'm not sure how much got doctored later on but their show was pretty flawless. By that time, Skaggs had taken over guitar duties from Ray (playing that purple (?) Glaser-built Tele), Bobby Hicks was there and so was our own Bruce Bouton. It's almost the norm for 'live' albums to get tidied up during final mixing but the band was essentially 'spot on'.

I didn't ever see the band with Ray on guitar but he and I played together a few times; I'm more than familiar with his playing and his character! Most times I'd pass through Nashville, he and I would lunch at Brown's Diner where he'd arrive on his bicycle! I assume that his ancient Lincoln bit the dust. Last time we spoke, he told me he no longer owns a guitar but that he's written a children's book!

Another time I saw them in Derby: Terry Crisp played steel. I believe that Terry played at the Shepherds Bush Empire show when I heard the remarkable Tele-whacking of Keith Sewell. He had no problem replicating some of Brent Mason's more demanding fills from RS' later records.

Then I found myself playing the Peterborough Festival (I was with Joe Brown) and Ricky & Co were there too. I remember seeing the massive road-case that contained his ultra-precious wartime-built D-28.

(I often wondered if the luthier that cut into the sides of this collectors' gem to install Takamine electrics shared a padded-cell with the pilot of the Enola Gay'.)

Finally, Susie and I were in Gatlinburg and heard on the radio that he was at Dollywood that night. By then, it was the full bluegrass/acoustic ensemble.

I've seen Skaggs in most of his incarnations. He is an outstandingly gifted musician but, equally, he surrounds himself with more of the same.

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 12 Jun 2023 12:17 pm

I was returning from a trip with my pal Smitty where we had stopped through Colorado Springs to see another pal. He had this wonderful stereo and proceeded to turn me on to Emmylou.

Late the next night we were nearly home, just south of Kansas City. The radio station had a "make it or break it" bit going and Ricky's "Don't Get Above Your Raising" came on. Ricky didn't make the cut on the radio station that night, but he sure made two fans for life out of me and Smitty.

To say that those 36 hours changed my life would not be an exaggeration.

Thanks Bruce!! You guys made some great music with that band. I have enjoyed all of your playing I have ever heard since.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 12 Jun 2023 10:48 pm

I think another good factor was that the Skaggs music of that time brought back the importance of the band in country music. Porter Waggoner featured his band, as did the Wilburn Brothers, Earnest Tubb, etc... Skaggs had songs that the band could shine on. For a long time, prior to Skaggs country hits, some the country music TV shows would not show the musicians, or just show their hands and never their face. Sometimes the musicians would be sitting in the dark in a shadowed place. Also, on TV they would often shorten the songs to just turn around, etc... to save time. Skaggs would have full breaks and did instrumentals (Wheelhoss, Raisin The Dickens) on his shows and records.

I guess Ricky and his management saw the direction country music was going as the line dance clubs, etc... gained popularity and they made the decision for Ricky to go back to bluegrass, which he also does quite well.

RC

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 13 Jun 2023 7:24 am

another good factor was that the Skaggs music of that time brought back the importance of the band in country music.

Good point, Rick. It certainly made fans out of us musicians. And not just that there were solos and instrumental hooks - there were absolutely fabulous solos and hooks.

Doug’s nod to Emmylou is pertinent too, because one could argue that her band was the model for the neo-traditionalist movement in country. Not to mention that Ricky and Rodney Crowell were members of the Hot Band.

Merle Haggard definitely set an example as a kind of bridge between classic honky tonk, swing, and the bluegrass/country rock fusion that rose from the thankfully short lived urban cowboy disaster. There was always a great Strangers band, and many of his tunes featured excellent soloists.

Ricky, Randy Travis, George Strait, Rodney, others - they did their homework and respectfully put the pieces together and made a genuinely creative musical statement.

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Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Bouton

Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Bouton

Good memories...