Fifteen years after leaving bluegrass behind, Ricky Skaggs returned to his first love in 1997 with Bluegrass Rules! It may have taken him a while to make this record, but the wait was well worth it. Bluegrass Rules! is an energetic, invigorating listen, filled with joy and spirited playing. Backed by Kentucky Thunder (Bryan Sutton, Bobby Hicks, Dennis Parker, Paul Brewster, Marc Pruett, Mark Fain), Skaggs enlivens traditional bluegrass songs with unpredictable arrangements, unexpected licks and impassioned singing. It's one of Skaggs' very best records, proving that most bluegrass musicians just improve with age.