Music Lane

Posted by jamesgarvin (A) on June 26, 2016 at 20:13:27

In Reply to: RE: Ralph Stanley, a patriarch of mountain and Appalachian music, has died posted by Mike K on June 25, 2016 at 06:35:08

Saw him for the first time in 2012 at an old historic theater in Cincinnati. He was in fine form, though his Clinch Mountain Boys did help him a lot. His grandson seemed to be the leader of the band. He signed autographs after the show.

Then I saw him again last year, and he was much more frail. It was pretty clear, to me, he was nearing the end of his road. He did not play any banjo, and only sang about half the songs. At the end of the show he met some old friends for a short period of time, but was clearly too exhausted to meet fans.

I brought with me a black and white print of a shot I took from his 2012 performance, and my wife talked someone into taking the print to the tour bus to present it to him for a signature, which this person did. I had a feeling that was going to be the last time I'd have an opportunity to have Ralph Stanley sign the print.

Deaths like Ralph Stanley's and other legends in their respective musical genres remind us that Death comes for us all, despite asking Death to wait another year, as he did the two times I saw him.

• Ralph Stanley   (Open in New Window)