Comments on: Ricky responds to IBMA remarks

By: Clyde Scott

Clyde Scott — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:06:15 +0000

As a reporter to the BU chart, I can tell you one reason why we have not reported play of Ricky’s project. We have not had one single request for any cut to be played on Bluegrass Radio. I report play and compile out top 15 from hundreds of email request every month. I would be less than honest if I said there was not a little “gut” that goes into the chart as well. Personally I enjoyed about three cuts from the CD but it did not really excite me. Cannot wait for Ricky’s second return the bluegrass..!! This guy is a great bluegrass musician and his music with Kentucky Thunder is no less the awesome.

By: mrmando

mrmando — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 21:16:11 +0000

Please pass along my gratitude to Ricky for clarifying exactly who he was accusing of “ignorance” and “jealousy.” It’s good that we’ve got that straightened out.

Unfortunately, the reply from Skaggs Family contains not the slightest whiff of apology for Ricky’s churlish and vindictive remarks. Instead, it offers Ricky’s “frustration” and “passionate” personality as an excuse. Well, there are lots of frustrated and passionate people who learn to temper their speech.

I guess I’ll just have to agree with the reply when it says, “It would be difficult for any artist of [Ricky's] caliber not to take that personally.‚Äù If Ricky wants his petulant behavior to be taken as a sign of his artistic caliber, so be it.

To be sure, there are many talented artists who lack the maturity to deal with criticism, real or imagined.

But the truly great artists know that there will always be critics and naysayers, and they learn not to waste energy on this sort of playground name-calling. Ricky should take a cue from the great artists, and put his passion into his music, not into The Daily Herald.

By: JOHN TROUT

JOHN TROUT — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 19:54:19 +0000

There may be one very good reason for the lack of BU chart success of the Hornsby – Skaggs collaboration. I am a reporter to the BU chart, as of today I have not received the project nor have I heard it. I am aware of the intense media attention to this recording, but some of the reporting DJs have apparently been overlooked.

To be clear, many of the reporting DJs including myself, are independent producers of their programing and even if a copy was mailed to my station, it is not available to me.

I am sure if the producers of this project had requested a list of chart reporters from BU, it would have been provided along with addresses.

I do not know the label for this CD, it apparently is not Skaggs Family Records. I get all of their material, and I am sure they know who the reporters are.