NASHVILLE, TN (CelebrityAccess) — Country and bluegrass icon Ricky Skaggs celebrated his 70th birthday with a performance at the Grand Ole Opry.
Skaggs, who has been a member of the Opry since 1982, united with his family and friends backstage at the Opry on July 18th.
During the performance, Skaggs was surprised with a special video reel that opened with a birthday message from his manager, Charlotte Scott, followed by messages from family, friends, and business colleagues, along with some of the biggest names in country music.
The list of participating artists included Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill, Randy Travis, Ray Stevens, Jeannie Seely, Josh Turner, Shenandoah’s Marty Raybon, Doug Gray of The Marshall Tucker Band, The Frontmen, Mark Wills, Mac McAnally, Emily Ann Roberts, Skaggs’ band Kentucky Thunder, The Isaacs, TG Sheppard, and Kelly Lang.
“Wow, 70 years old, that’s pretty amazing,” says Skaggs. “As I’ve grown older and have done the things that I’ve been blessed to do, I realize that 70 is just a number. I don’t feel one bit older than I did two weeks ago. I kinda like it. When the audiences we play for hear that I’ve just turned 70, they clap a little harder and a little longer. Maybe it’s total sympathy! Or it could be the long gray hair.”
Skaggs and his band, Kentucky Thunder, are next scheduled to perform live at the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville on July 25th. The show, which is fully sold out, will be the final night of the Ryman’s annual Bluegrass Nights concert series.
