Customer Reviews

Highways & Heartaches

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Highways & Heartaches is truly a treasured classic. Thank goodness they have reissued it. Skaggs' vocal talent soars in all 10 tracks including the monster #1 hits Heartbroke, I Wouldn't Change You If I Could, and Highway 40 Blues. This is Ricky Skaggs at the peak of his career. Possibly his best stuff ever recorded. This album led the traditionalist movement of the 1980's, which is often neglected by many on music row!

Glad to see this album back in print; it's one of Skagg's best country albums and was the one that really set his solo career flying. "Heartbroke" is a great rouser and the honky-tonk rhythm of "Don't Think I'll Cry,"the strong dollup of bluegrass in "Highway 40 Blues" and "Don't Let Your Sweet Love Die" and the interplay between Skaggs and the other players here---especially The Whites and most especially the terrific Buck White on the 88s---makes this a great country outing all around. It's a shame that Ricky Skaggs decided to pack in the country side of his music and just stick to bluegrass, but at least this album's back out on the market, where it belongs. Now, if Sony'll get WAITIN' FOR THE SUN TO SHINE back in print, life would be grand!

With this album, Ricky Skaggs pointed the way out of the cheesy, overly processed, disco-diseased quagmire that country music had become by the early Eighties. Using the best elements from bluegrass, traditional country and modern country, he and his band created a sound that truly jumped out of the radio. Excellent musicianship, beautiful vocal work, and memorable songs that deal with timeless and universal human situations. This music is now 23 years old, but like all great works, it doesn't sound dated in the least. A masterpiece from one of country's greatest.

To keep it short and sweet... this is the best Ricky Skaggs album out there. I've been waiting for this one to become availible on CD. You'll love it!

Ricky, you are a terrific banjo player as well as a singer. Thank you for your contribution to the music industry.

Ricky's CDs are always tight. The musianship was first rate and without flaw, but it isn't Bluegrass as I see it. I should have sampled it before buying, because I was expecting a hard driving bluegrass version of "Can't You Hear Me Calling'?"Highways & Heartaches However, when he plays with Kentucky Thunder, it is Bluegrass turned up to eleven.

Yes if I were marooned on an island I'd want this Ricky Scaggs at his best. Well, everything he does is his best but being old school...I remember these songs and this performace is as fresh today as 2 decades ago. I like to think of this album (cd) as a classic navy blue blazer. No matter when you put it on it's in style. Geeze I wish I knew this guy well enough to sit down and talk politics with him. I feel like I know him after listening to this on cassette for years. What a talent! I surely hope he knows he didn't just "happen" upon this talent or this kind of adoration from fans like me. It's really hard to get me to spend a buck on a cd. Loveya Ricks