Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys

Ralph Stanley February 25 1927 – June 23 2016 Also Known As Dr. Ralph Stanley Was An American Bluegrass Artist Known For His Distinctive Singing And Banjo Playing. Stanley Began Playing Music In 1946 Originally With His Brother Carter As Part Of "The Stanley Brothers" And Most Often As The Leader Of His Band "the Clinch Mountain Boys". He Was Part Of The First Generation Of Bluegrass Musicians And Was Inducted Into Both The International Bluegrass Music Hall Of Honor And The Grand Ole Opry.
Ralph And Carter Performed As The Stanley Brothers With Their Band The Clinch Mountain Boys From 1946 To 1966. Ralph Kept The Band Name When He Continued As A Solo After Carter's Death From 1967.
Ralph Stanley Decided To Go It Alone Eventually Reviving The Clinch Mountain Boys. Larry Sparks Roy Lee Centers And Charlie Sizemore Were Among Those With Whom He Played In The Revived Band. He Encountered Ricky Skaggs And Keith Whitley Arriving Late To His Own Show "They Were About 16 Or 17 And They Were Holding The Crowd 'til We Got There. . . They Sounded Just Exactly Like The Stanley Brothers ." Seeing Their Potential He Hired Them "to Give 'em A Chance" Though That Meant A Seven-Member Band. Eventually His Son Ralph Stanley II Took Over As Lead Singer And Rhythm Guitarist For The Clinch Mountain Boys. Clinch Mountain Boys Members 1967 To 2016 Ralph Stanley Lead Vocalist Banjo Jack Cooke Bass Curly Ray Cline Fiddle George Shuffler Guitar Bass Melvin Goins Bass Guitar Larry Sparks Lead Vocalist Guitar Roy Lee Centers Lead Vocalist Guitar Ricky Skaggs Mandolin Fiddle Keith Whitley Lead Vocalist Guitar Charlie Sizemore Lead Vocalist Guitar Ricky Lee Guitar Junior Blankenship Guitar Kenneth Davis Guitar Renfro Proffit Guitar Ron Thomason Mandolin Steve Sparkman Banjo James Alan Shelton Guitar Sammy Adkins Lead Vocalist Guitar Todd Meade Fiddle Ralph 'Hank' Smith Lead Guitar Ernie Thacker Lead Vocalist Guitar Mandolin John Rigsby Mandolin Dewey Brown Fiddle Audey Ratliff Bass Ralph Stanley II Lead Vocalist Guitar Nathan Stanley Mandolin Lead Vocalist Guitar James Price Fiddle Randall Joe Hibbitts Bass Mitchell Van Dyke Banjo Jarrod Church Banjo Alex Hibbitts Mandolin Jimmy Vaughn Rhythm Guitar Vocals read less