Cody Kilby: Get Down On The BG Breakdown

Bluegrass Breakdown by Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder

My friend Phil Wells (Country Music Historian) who recently moved back home to western Massachusetts told me a long time ago of his first experience with bluegrass music.

He was out plowing the fields on a tractor when the Bluegrass Breakdown by Bill Monroe came on the radio. “Well,  I nearly had an accident,” he said with a big smile on his face. “No one had ever heard anything like that before, such a high powered music with so much drive.”

And now following in the footsteps of Monroe is Ricky Scaggs with his version.

Well Ricky’s is faster for sure and perhaps a little more accurate in the playing. But if you get a chance to listen to Bill Monroe’s version, well, it’s the original and you know what they say about the originals… Plus Monroe had Earl Scruggs who was at his very best during those years, and for many years to come.

Okay, sorry for all of that. This is supposed to be about Cody Kilby, who in my opinion is perhaps the best bluegrass flatpicking gun slinger today on the guitar.  Many guitarist are not going to be able to play at this speed but, no problem for Cody, as he rips though the Bluegrass Breakdown like a hot knife on warm butter. The only problem with this video is, it is a little difficult to hear his guitar, and I guess that is due a few reasons we won’t get into now.

The question I have- what is all that stuff under his right foot? Is he plugged in and using a foot pedal? It certainly doesn’t sound plugged in cause it’s not loud enough.