Ralph Stanley
at Home, Coburn, Virginia, 1974
Among fans of bluegrass music, Stanley stands a notch below the mighty
Bill Monroe in importance and popularity. Starting out in 1947 with
his brother Carter, as the Stanley Brothers, he regrouped after Carter's
death in 1966, becoming a favorite on the emerging folk circuit. This
new audience helped preserve the band and the unique "high and
lonesome" Stanley sound. In 2001, "Dr. Ralph" won the
Grammy Award for best male vocal performance for his "O Death,"
a traditional tune from the soundtrack of the film O
Brother Where Art Thou? Ralph was seventy-five years old and
had never won a Grammy before. In fact, he had never even had a hit
record. |
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