Skaggs, Cooder join forces

The three music vets announced the "Cooder-White-Skaggs" tour today, starting in Salt Lake City this
June and will continue with scheduled performances in Denver, Milwaukee, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston and New York City.

"Getting to work with Ry Cooder has been a dream of mine for a long time. He is a world-class musician," said Skaggs. "We met at a Grammy Awards show many years ago and thought it would be a blast to do something together sometime, and now we're getting to create new sounds around old music. But the best part is getting to share the stage every night with my wife and sweetheart Sharon White. My heart is full."

Cooder and Skaggs will come together on stage to deliver a program of blues, gospel and bluegrass. They will be joined by White, Joachim Cooder on drums, and Mark Fain on bass with occasional guest performances by Buck White and Cheryl White of The Whites.

"I always love singing and playing music with Ricky... he's just my favorite in every way," said White. "And we are both so excited to be doing shows this year with Ry Cooder. What an incredible artist. He is truly a 'one-of-a-kind' musician. Ricky and I share Ry's love for traditional country, bluegrass, and old-time gospel music. He is passionate about doing music that is authentic and real. It's infectious."

"'Cooder-White-Skaggs' is the legacy express, or I'll eat a bug," joked Cooder. "You are going to hear four-part singing from the heart, the finest and best instrumental activity in the land, songs you know and love and to top it off, the indomitable Buck White on piano who will turn your money green. Now who's happy? That's the way we're gonna stay so knock on wood."

Tour dates are:

June 16 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden
June 17 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen
June 19 - Boulder, CO - Chautauqua Auditorium
June 21 - Telluride, CO - Telluride Bluegrass Festival
June 22 - Denver, CO - Denver Botanic Gardens
July 17 - Milwaukee, WI - The Pabst Theater
Sept. 30 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery
Oct. 2 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
Oct. 3 - San Francisco, CA - Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Fest
Oct. 5 - Arcata, CA - Van Duzer Theatre
Oct. 6 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater
Oct. 7 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theatre
Nov. 10-11 - Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere
Nov. 14 - New York City, NY - Carnegie Hall
Nov. 17 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Center
Nov. 18 - Portland, ME - State Theatre