Ricky Skaggs will receive an honorary doctorate from Boston's prestigious Berklee School of Music during an appearance on one of the Grand Ole Opry's Tuesday night shows March 18, Top40-charts.com reports.

The event, which will be taped for a special edition of GAC's Opry Live!, puts Ricky in the company of fellow country legends Earl Scruggs and Loretta Lynn, who've both received honorary doctorates from the college. In addition, the Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines — who attended Berklee in 1995 — was once given a distinguished alumni honor.

"Ricky Skaggs is a master musician with sky-high standards who achieved mainstream success his own way, on his own terms," Berklee President Roger Brown said. "By honoring Ricky Skaggs, we shine a light on the present and future of bluegrass, its heritage and its infinite potential. And besides all that, the man can pick!"

On March 25, Ricky and his band Kentucky Thunder will release their next album, Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass: Tribute To 1946 And '47. The CD recognizes the early recordings of what is generally recorded Bill Monroe's strongest lineup of Blue Grass Boys: Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Chubby Wise and Howard Watts.