Ricky Skaggs Shares the Story Behind ‘Say A Prayer,’ His First New Release in Over a Decade

Country Music Hall of Famer Ricky Skaggs returns with his first new release in over a decade with the powerful “Say A Prayer.”

Out now via Skaggs Family Records and distributed by Virgin Music Group, the song was written by Gordon Kennedy and Ben Cooper in response to the struggles impacting communities worldwide. The track explores themes of faith, reflection, and coming together.

Ahead of the song’s release, Skaggs spoke with Country Now backstage at CMA Fest, where he joined Carly Pearce and Molly Tuttle for a special performance of “From Now On” on the Nissan Stadium stage. Moments before taking the stage, the 15-time GRAMMY winner shared the story behind the song, revealing that he originally recorded it more than 15 years ago with plans to include it on his 2010 album Mosaic.

“It’s a song I recorded right at the end of a gospel CD that I did called Mosaic…we recorded it but just didn’t feel like it was to go on that CD. And so we’ve held onto it for all these years,” Skaggs revealed.

The eight-time CMA Award winner explained that he felt now was the perfect time to release the song given the current state of the world.

“But right now with the way the world is, the way everything’s going on in our world, in our life, I felt like it was the right time for a message like ‘Say A Prayer’ because it talks about war. It talks about greed and it talks about all these things,” he shared. “I see the self-made reach for the top, always an uphill climb. I see the humble down on their knees and a God who listens every time we say a prayer.”

In a statement, Skaggs further explained the meaning behind the song, saying, “The song addresses a world carrying a lot of grief right now, serving as a universal call for everyone to stop and lean into faith.”

“Say A Prayer” blends country, bluegrass, and rock influences, featuring a unique mix of instrumentation including sitar, fiddle, mandolin, and banjo. The track also includes background vocals from Skaggs’ daughter, Molly.

“It’s just a great song and performance,” he added.

The release comes during a busy stretch for Skaggs, who continues to bring his music to stages across the country. In addition to his own headlining dates, Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder are currently performing alongside Dierks Bentley during select stops on the Off The Map Tour. He’ll also return to Nashville’s iconic Ryman Auditorium on July 21 for the closing night of the Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman series.