Ricky Skaggs, Bruce Hornsby Announce New Album and Tour

Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby are reuniting for a new album and tour. The seemingly unlikely pair will release a live album, 'Cluck Ol' Hen,' in August, followed by a string of live dates.

They first collaborated on 'Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby' six years ago. The new live album was culled from some of the performances in support of that release. “We recorded quite a few of the live performances from our tour and came up with a really great CD," Skaggs says in a press release. "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 has wandered stylistically throughout much of his career, undertaking collaborations with the Grateful Dead and director Spike Lee. "I consider the long-time association with Ricky to be the deepest and most satisfying collaboration of them all," he states. "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."

Along with Skagg's band, Kentucky Thunder, the pair undertake three Bill Monroe classics, including the furiously up-tempo 'Bluegrass Breakdown.' They also essay Hornsby's early pop hit 'The Way It Is,' as well as 'White Wheeled Limousine.' And of course there's the title track, the classic fiddle tune 'Cluck Ol' Hen.'

"Working with Bruce Hornsby is a show in itself," Skaggs observes of the collaboration. "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."

That admiration is clearly mutual. "I have great respect for the traditions that Ricky Skaggs represents and lives in his music and his life," says Hornsby. He adds, "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."

'Cluck Ol' Hen' is set for release on Aug. 20 via Skaggs Family Records. It is currently available for pre-order here.

Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby With Kentucky Thunder Tour Dates:

10/3 – Carmel, Ind. – The Palladium
10/4 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Taft Theatre
10/5 – Nashville, Tenn. – Ryman Auditorium
10/18 – Los Angeles, Calif. – Royce Hall – UCLA
10/19 – Scottsdale, Ari. – Virginia G. Piper Theater
10/20 – Tucson, Ari. – Fox Tucson Theatre
10/24 – Broken Arrow, Okla. – Broken Arrow Performing Center
10/25 – Overland, Kan. – Carlsen Center
10/26 – Salina, Kan. – Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts
11/1 – Milwaukee, Ws. – Potawatomi Bingo Casino
11/2 – Burnsville, Minn. – Burnsville PAC
11/20 – Huntington, N.Y. – The Paramount
11/21 – Morristown, N.J. – Mayo Performing Arts Center