Pioneering Bluegrass Musician Ralph Stanley 1927 – 2016

While Ralph Stanley may not have loved the term “bluegrass,” there’s no doubt he was one of the pioneers of the genre. Sadly, Stanley died yesterday at age 89 due to difficulties from skin cancer. The news of Ralph’s passing was confirmed with a note posted by his publicist on Stanley’s website.

Ralph Stanley was born in Big Spraddle Creek, Virginia in 1927 and after a stint in the army formed the Stanley Brothers and their Clinch Mountain Boys with his brother Carter. The shy Ralph thrilled crowds with his powerful, heart-felt vocals and distinctive “Stanley style” of banjo playing. The band went on to perform before huge audiences and were the first bluegrass act to play the Newport Folk Festival. Ralph took over leadership of the group following Carter’s death in 1966. Many musicians such as Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley were members of Clinch Mountain Boys and helped learn their craft under Ralph’s tutelage. The vocalist/banjo master received plenty of acclaim over the years including his induction into the Bluegrass Hall Of Fame, the Grand Old Opry and also was honored with a Living Legend award from the Library Of Congress.

Stanley didn’t slow down over the last few decades of his life and was thrust back into the spotlight with the release of the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou? Ralph provided much of the music for the Coen Brothers’ film’s soundtrack including the Grammy-winning a capella dirge “O Death.” The O Brother soundtrack topped the Billboard 200 chart and introduced his music to a new generation of fans.

Our thoughts are with Ralph Stanley’s friends and family.

Watch a documentary on the life and times of Ralph Stanley:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHinziS4O4g