Ralph Stanley

Bio

Ralph Stanley (1927–2016) was an American bluegrass singer and banjo player from McClure, Virginia. With his brother Carter he formed the Stanley Brothers in the late 1940s, creating a distinctive high-lonesome sound that helped define the genre. After Carter’s death in 1966, Stanley continued as a solo artist and with the Clinch Mountain Boys, remaining a central figure in traditional bluegrass for five decades. His career gained renewed attention in 2000 when his a cappella performance of “O Death” appeared in the film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, earning him a Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. Stanley received the National Medal of Arts in 2006 and was inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential voices in American roots music.