Upon hearing the news of the death of the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley, multi-Grammy-winning artist and multi-instrumentalist Ricky Skaggs, issued the following statement to the press.
“The end of an era, the passing of a King, a kind and humble King from the mountains. He carried the ancient sounds from God knows where,” Skaggs said in the press release.
Dr. Ralph Stanley mentored Ricky Skaggs, along with the late Keith Whitley, and was a true pioneer in the genre. In 1970, Skaggs and Whitley earned a spot opening for Stanley, and they were subsequently invited to join Stanley’s band, the Clinch Mountain Boys. “Ralph found it in the music of the mountains, in the hollows, in the people and in the churches. He was my hero and I was blessed to know him, love him and make music with him as a young teenager,” Skaggs added.
Skaggs concluded that the Scriptures tell us that “God uses the simple things to confound the wise.” “He certainly used Ralph Stanley to bring the music of the mountains to the masses.”
A member of the Grand Ole Opry and Grammy-winning musician for “Best Male Country Vocal Performance” for “O Death,” Stanley was the patriarch of bluegrass music. He died on June 23 after a battle with skin cancer, at the age of 89 years old.
Digital Journal’s interview with Dr. Ralph Stanley, from last year, may be seen by clicking here.
For more information on bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley, check out his Facebook page and his official website.
