Ralph Stanley is one of the most well known bluegrass artist of our time. His excellence on the banjo and high pitched tenor voice have made him an icon in the bluegrass genre.
Ralph Stanley was born and raised in southwest Virginia. He got his first banjo when he was a teenager and his mother taught him how to play it. In 1946, after returning from the army, he formed a group with his older brother Carter. They named their bluegrass group the Clinch Mountain Boys. They played and sang typical music of the area. After performing on the local radio, they relocated to Bristol, Virginia, and created the show "Farm and Fun Time." They performed on this show on and off for 12 years. Columbia was the first record company to hire them, but they later signed on with King Records. The group performed from 1946 to 1966.
The movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" gave the people not accustomed to hearing bluegrass music a taste of the Ralph Stanley style. In the movie, he performed the song "O Death."
After the premature death of his brother Carter in 1966, Stanley decided to revive the Clinch Mountain Boys. Some of the singers in the group were Larry Sparks, Roy Lee Centers, and Charlie Sizemore. Keith Whitley and Ricky Skaggs also performed with the group. Some of their albums include "Clinch Mountain Gospel," "A Distant Land to Roam," and "Mountain Preacher's Child."
Anyone who is a fan of bluegrass music will surely agree that Ralph Stanley is a pioneer. Although Bill Monroe was the father of bluegrass, Ralph Stanley remains a favorite of his loyal fans.
Tags: ...
Comments (0):