Personnel incudes: Ricky Skaggs (vocals, acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle); Tony Rice (vocals, guitar); Emmylou Harris, Sharon White, Cheryl White (vocals); Buddy Emmons (steel guitar); Albert Lee (electric guitar); Bobby Hicks (fiddle); Tony Brown (piano); Buck White (piano); Cheryl White (vocals); Marc Pruett (banjo); Jerry Douglas (dobro).

Personnel: Ricky Skaggs (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, violin, fiddle); Tony Rice (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar); Cheryl White, Emmylou Harris, Sharon Hicks, Mandy Skaggs, Sharon White-Skaggs, Sharon White (vocals); Albert Lee (guitar, electric guitar); Buddy Emmons (steel guitar); Jerry Douglas (dobro); Marc Pruett (banjo); Bob "Barbecue Bob" Hicks (violin); Bobby Hicks (fiddle); Tony Brown , Buck White (piano); Joseph Allen, Joey Allen (acoustic bass, electric bass); Emory Gordy (electric bass); Karl Himmel (drums).

Audio Mixers: Donivan Cowart; Stuart Taylor; Bradley Hartman.

Photographer: Jim McGuire .

In the 1970s, before he became an icon of neo-traditionalist country and contemporary bluegrass, Ricky Skaggs was simply the fiery-fingered guitarist in Emmylou Harris's Hot Band. In 1979, Skaggs introduced himself to the world as a solo artist with SWEET TEMPTATION. You'd be hard pressed to find a purer expression of love for country/bluegrass roots; amid songs from the classic-bluegrass book of the Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe, etc., Skaggs's earnest voice and energetic flatpicking ring out like a beacon to those with old-school country tastes.

Though Skaggs's career wouldn't really catch fire until 1982's HIGHWAYS & HEARTACHES, his debut set the stage for his trademark honky-tonk/newgrass blend; the fancy fingerwork of "I Know What It Means to Be Lonesome" and the saloon stroll of the title track strike just the right balance. Guest spots from Harris and fellow pickin' princes Jerry Douglas and Tony Rice help make SWEET TEMPTATION one of the finest country releases of the late '70s.

Genre:

• Country & Bluegrass

Music Categories:

• Country: Bluegrass