Ricky Skaggs, The Skaggs Family Christmas

[Cheesecake]

Well, if you live in any of these areas.......you might catch up with this show.

And if in Branson:
For more information or reservations for THE SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS SHOW
on December 13, 2003 at The Grand Palace call 800-884-4536. Be sure and
ask your customer service representative about our money saving combo
tickets!


(Monday, November 3, 2003) Nashville, TN.8 time Grammy Award winner, Ricky
Skaggs, will bring the true Christmas spirit to his fans this season as he
prepares for his very first holiday tour, THE SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS, an
evening of holiday entertainment for the entire family.

The SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS will kick off on December 4th in Dallas, Texas
at the Morton Meyerson Symphony Center (presented by the Dallas Symphony
Orchestra) - with a stop at Branson Missouri's legendary Grand Palace and
wrap up on December 19th in Cherokee, North Carolina at Harrah's Cherokee
Casino.

"I've dreamed of creating a Christmas show for year," explained Skaggs,
"but the idea of making it a Skaggs Family Christmas show really just came
to me this summer.after a night in July, when our little Skaggs family
summer vacation, turned into a totally unplanned, unexpected Skaggs Family
Show."

Skaggs is referring to the incident that the members of his award-winning
band, Kentucky Thunder, would probably rather forget. On July 11th,
Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder were scheduled to perform at the Chastin Park
Ampitheater in Atlanta, Georgia - but unlike a typical Skaggs & Kentucky
Thunder touring situation where they would all ride together to each
performance, Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder were to arrive separately that day.
Skaggs was in the midst of a family vacation, driving north to Atlanta
from Orlando, Florida - while the 8-member Kentucky Thunder crew were
making their way south to the gig after an early-morning departure from
Nashville.

Things that day would not go as planned however - as a dangerous fire
broke out on Kentucky Thunder's bus, leaving the 8-man group stranded on
the side of the interstate for hours. Fortunately, all the band and crew
members of Kentucky Thunder escaped from the bus fire with no injuries or
damage to their personal belonging and equipment - but alas, the
catastrophic events of that day would ultimately prevent the Kentucky
Thunder crew from making it to the Atlanta show that night on time,
leaving Skaggs alone with no band, and a completely packed Chastin Park
crowd eager to hear a great night of music.

"At first when the guys called to tell me about the fire, of course I was
just horrified.(we're so blessed, because it could have been a lot
worse)," said Skaggs. "But as soon as I heard they were all safe, and
that they were just waiting for another bus to come and pick them up.I
figured it'd all be OK. Sure, the boys were gonna miss the
sound-check.but they'd still make it on time for the show. Boy was I
wrong!"

As show time neared, and Kentucky Thunder was still nowhere in sight -
Ricky realized the show that night was going to be unlike any of his past
performances before. Knowing what a talented musical family he had been
blessed with, he decided to call on the help of his wife and children to
assist in putting together an improvisational performance that would so
completely amaze the Chastin Park crowd that night, it eventually would be
the catalyst for the Skaggs Family Christmas Show.

For nearly an hour, Ricky and his wife Sharon, on vocals and rhythm guitar
(legendary in her own right musically, as part of the father-daughter trio
and long time Grand Ole Opry favorites, The Whites), their 19-year old
daughter Molly, on vocals, the accordion and the claw-hammer banjo
(instruments she had recently just begun to learn), and their 14-year old
son Luke, on fiddle (an instrument he had also been learning for a few
years) entertained the crowd with a mix of old-time Gospel hymns,
traditional acappella folk songs and acoustic instrumentals.

Eventually, the band would arrive and join him for an abbreviated,
full-of-thrills Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder Bluegrass set - but it
was the impromptu Skaggs family performance that night that completely
awed the Atlanta audience, bringing them to their feet for an enthusiastic
encore.

"The crowd just loved it," said Skaggs. "Me and Sharon were just so proud
of Molly & Luke.I mean the crowd was shocked, but honestly, we were
shocked too! Sittin' in the living room together at home, having out
little family pickin' parties is a lot different than performing on-stage
in front of hundred of people.but they were great."

Since, then The Skaggs Family Christmas Show cast of characters has
expanded to include the extended White family - Buck White, Cheryl White
and her 21-year old daughter Rachel White, as well as fellow Skaggs Family
Records label mates, Mountain Heart. The Skaggs Family Christmas Show
will feature musical sets by Ricky & Kentucky Thunder, The Whites', The
Skaggs kids featuring Molly & Luke Skaggs and Rachel White, and Mountain
Heart respectively - plus collaborative efforts by various/all artists
together - presented in a very laid-back, relaxed-at-home, family pickin'
party feel. The musical format of the show will feature a mix of
traditional Bluegrass and acoustic favorites by each group, as well as
newly-worked up Christmas classics - to create a truly memorable holiday
experience for the entire family.

"I really hop this is just the beginning for the holiday show," said
Skaggs. "Next year, I'd like to see it hit a few more cities and grow
even more. This is a great show for families to attend together.for
church groups and youth groups. You know, it a show put on by a
family-for families, celebrating the true joy of Christmas."

For more information or reservations for THE SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS SHOW
on December 13, 2003 at The Grand Palace call 800-884-4536. Be sure and
ask your customer service representative about our money saving combo
tickets!

Here's some of the Skaggs Family's favorite holiday recipes. Enjoy them
with your family! Sharon Skaggs writes special comments just for you.

Ricky's mom (Dorothy) always would make 1 or 2 of these pies for the
family at almost every Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. I've now begun to
make them for our holiday gatherings. It's a great variation on the
traditional pecan pie.

Grasshopper Pie - Recipe from Dorothy Skaggs, Submitted by Sharon
White-Skaggs
1 cup sugar
½ stick margarine, melted
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp vinegar
½ cup pecans
½ cup coconut
1 small bag of chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients and pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake for 40 to 45
minutes at 350 degrees.

Molly found this cookie recipe and made it for several of her friends for
Christmas gifts last year. She actually took it to a cookie exchange
party, and they went over great!

Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars - Recipe from Molly Skaggs, Submitted by
Sharon White-Skaggs
½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 cup (6 oz) butterscotch flavored chips
1 cup (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup chopped nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for glass dish). In 13X19-inch baking
pan, melt butter in the oven.
2. Sprinkle crumbs over butter; pour sweetened condensed milk evenly on
top with remaining ingredients in order listed; press firmly with fork.
3. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Chill if desired. Cut
into bars. Store tightly at room temperature. Makes 24 to 36 bars.

I got this recipe from Ricky's mom too.she made this jello-cranberry salad
one Thanksgiving, and I loved it! J She was sweet enough to share it with
me, so now I can include it in our holiday meals.

Cranberry Salad - Recipe from Dorothy Skaggs, Submitted by Sharon
White-Skaggs
1 large package of cherry jello
1 ½ cup hot water
2 cups cranberries (fresh)
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup 7-up
1 orange, peeled and chopped (save peel)
1 apple, chopped (with peel)
¾ cup celery (chopped fine)
¾ cup pecans, (chopped fine)
¼ tsp salt

Dissolve jello in hot water and set aside. Cook cranberries until they pop
open (about 3 minutes); drain and mash. Mix brown sugar in 7-up. Add
cranberries. Add the remaining ingredients. (Optional: add 2 tblsp grated
orange peel). Mix cranberry mixture with jello. Pour into a mold (prepared
by spraying with Pam) and chill until firm.

[James Emfinger]

Didn't I hear that Buck White passed away recently? Nevertheless, this should be a great show.

James in Texas