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Ralph Edmund Stanley (February 25, 1927 – June 23, 2016) was an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing. He began playing music in 1946, originally with his older brother Carter Stanley as part of The Stanley Brothers, and most often as the leader of his band, The Clinch Mountain Boys.
Dec 4, 2023 · Bluegrass
- 3 min
- Jon Freeman,Joseph Hudak
- “O Death” This stark ballad may have been around since time immemorial, but the traditional folk song about bargaining with death received new life when Ralph Stanley recorded it in 2000 for the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack.
- “Man of Constant Sorrow” The Stanley Brothers popularized this traditional folk tune with their 1950 recording, and it's been repurposed ever since — including as the centerpiece of the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack.
- “White Light, White Heat” As odd as it sounds to think about Ralph Stanley singing a Velvet Underground song, this recording — from the violent 2012 moonshiner film Lawless — suggests Dr. Ralph and Lou Reed could have gotten along just fine.
- “Pretty Polly” (With Patty Loveless) Never has a murder ballad sounded so enticing. With bluegrass chanteuse Patty Loveless at his side, Ralph Stanley tells the tale of poor pretty Polly, who after rebuffing a suitor pays the ultimate price.
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6 days ago · Ralph Stanley (born February 25, 1927, Stratton, Virginia, U.S.—died June 23, 2016, Sandy Ridge, Virginia) was an American banjo player and singer who was a pioneer in post-World War II bluegrass and a leading figure in the early 21st-century revival of interest in that music genre. Ralph Stanley (left) and Carter Stanley.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Ralph Edmund Stanley was an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing. He began playing music in 1946, originally with his older brother Carter Stanley as part of The Stanley Brothers, and most often as the leader of his band, The Clinch Mountain Boys. Ralph was also known as Dr. Ralph Stanley. He was part of the first generation of bluegrass musicians and ...
In late June, 2018, Ralph Stanley died and was buried near his brother and mother in the tiny family cemetery atop Smith Ridge, on land that once belonged to his grandfather. He is survived by his ...
