With Ricky Skaggs departure from Atlantic Records to start his own recording company (Skaggs Family Records) chances are Life Is A Journey marks the bluegrass impressarios last foray into "country" music for some time. While Skaggs' talents belong to bluegrass, they were not wasted on country.
   Life Is A Journey is a cool blend of bluegrass instrumentation with a country flair. Skaggs use of the banjo fiddle and mandolin are prevalent throughout the album, though they are equally tempered with steel and acoustic guitar and a percussion backbeat. While the instruments paint a hybrid landscape, Skaggs vocals are a constant hue that threads its way through each song on the album.
   Lee Ann Womack, the upstart new country sensation, appears on two of the albums ten cuts, the plaintiff "Lonesome Dove," and "I Don't Remember Forgetting." Womack's harmonizing vocals are to say the least, awesome. With Womack, Skaggs has found a vocal partner for the ages.
   Among the myriad of guest vocalists found here and worthy of special mention is Sharon White (on "Let's Put Love Back To Work," and "Voices Singing") and the Forbes Family with their fine vocals (on "Voices Singing).
   The Steve Earle/Jimbeau Hinson penned "Hillbilly Highway" leads off and sets the stage for the album with its uptempo stylings. "The Selfishness Of Man," is resplendent in nature with a weeping steel guitar track that pays tribute to the way country music was meant to be performed.
   Ricky Skaggs will undoubtedly continue his fine musical tradition with his new musical endeavors but with Life Is A Journey he shows a tenderness of heart toward the country community to whom he has become ingratiated with over the years.

-Charlton Wiggins