Pickin' Party
for Washington City Paper by Eddie Dean August 2nd, 1996	

If anyone in country music deserves a hit, it’s Ricky Skaggs, who
carried the torch for traditional country in the darkest years of the
Pre-Garth Age. But at only 42 he’s been dismissed by contemporary
radio, along with discarded elders like Haggard and Jones. A regular
and crowd favorite at the Opry (where they never forget you), Skaggs
is still swinging for the charts, but his latest, an insipid cover of
Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle,” may be the low point of
his illustrious career. Skaggs’ annual Pickin’ Party resembles the
bluegrass festivals where he got his start as a boy in Kentucky: This
year’s event features Irish singer Maura O’Connell, bluegrass veteran
Tony Rice, whose recent Rounder compilation, Sings Gordon Lighfoot,
pays tribute to his folk leanings, master dobro player Jerry Douglas,
former New Grass Revival founder Sam Bush, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones,
whose spacey bluegrass fusion is a strong argument against marijuana, and
the unfortunately named Leftover Salmon, which performs an unfortunately
named hybrid the band calls “Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass.” 

At 7 p.m. at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center, 1624 Trap Rd., Vienna. $15-24.