Ricky Skaggs, New Country Music Hall of Fame Member, Plays Blazing Set at 2018 CMA Awards

Ricky Skaggs, one of the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame, spent some time in the spotlight at the CMA Awards. The country and bluegrass legend performed during the annual awards ceremony on Wednesday night (Nov. 14) -- with some special guests, of course.

The three-song set started off with Skaggs on mandolin teaming up with his own band, Kentucky Thunder--a formidable group of players who all shredded at jaw-droppingly fast tempos.

Skaggs then shifted over on the stage and teamed up with Keith Urban for a smoking take on "Highway 40 Blues." The new Hall of Famer somehow played even faster than he had on the previous song, and wowed the crowd in the process.

Skaggs then went back to his original stage, strapped on an acoustic guitar and teamed up with CMA Awards co-host Brad Paisley (also on an acoustic) and even more special guests for "Country Boy." Skaggs' pace was nimble even on an acoustic guitar, and he matched speed with Marty Stuart, Carson Peters and Sierra Hull. The audience clapped in time to the tune, as it turned into an instrumental battle of lightning-fast picking.

In late October, Skaggs joined the Country Music Hall of Fame, as part of the organization's Class of 2018. Skaggs, a legendary bluegrass mandolinist and musical protege of Bill Monroe, was honored by country stars Dierks Bentley and Chris Stapleton, and inducted by Garth Brooks.

Before handing Skaggs his medallion, Brooks described country radio in the '80s, when he was a young musician, and explained Skaggs' role in carrying the torch of traditional country music. Monroe's iconic mandolin was removed from its case at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum for Skaggs to play during the ceremony.

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