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Bluegrass fans who remember their history may find the Skaggs-Hornsby collaboration more than a little ironic. In 1989, Hornsby won a Grammy for "Best Bluegrass Recording" for "The Valley Road," a track on The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Will the Circle be Unbroken: Volume II."

The award spawned controversy within the bluegrass community. Fans and artists were angry that a pop artist was chosen over bluegrass nominees who had devoted all their lives to bluegrass music. They also saw red over the fact that the recording included Hornsby's piano -- an instrument purists insist does not belong in bluegrass.

Skaggs feels that the controversy was misguided, and that fans should appreciate Hornsby for the vision he brings to his music.

"[Bruce] gets penalized every time he does something with piano where it refers to bluegrass, and it's just not fair," he says. "It's an acoustic instrument, and he deserves honor wherever he plays because he's a brilliant musician. I think he's one of the greatest musicians I've ever had the privilege to play with."

It's clear that Skaggs appreciates Hornsby's talent and values his friendship. He especially enjoys performing together because every song presents new challenges that test Kentucky Thunder's abilities to listen and respond.

"Bruce don't color in the lines," Skaggs says, laughing. "I bet when he was little that he didn't stay in the lines, and I bet that's followed him all his life. We will work something up and have a plan, but the best-laid plan with Bruce is to watch him and see what he wants to do.

"The spirit may hit him in the middle of something and he might want to break it down to just piano and acoustic guitar, or just piano. So we have to watch that and be ready any time he wants to do that. So everybody's got to listen to the piano and when Bruce is done, then we'll take off. But as long as he's playing, he's grooving and having a big time, and he wants to be there. So that's the most intriguing part.

"And hearing his incredible musical abilities every night. There's no way that anyone could go to a school and learn what he has naturally in his heart. He's truly got a God-given gift, and it's precious."

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