Dr. Ralph Stanley: In His Own Words

[@lizzydom]

Thank you Ralph Stanley the Greatest for giving me so many hours of pleasure and still do.

[@SquirrelsForAll]

A true American icon. someone to be cherished and appreciated. Few can leave a legacy such as his.

[@dunexapa1016]

A man that I believe has been touched by God. Simply, a sincere person that loves the LORD, and plays and sings righteous music. Thank you Sir, for enriching my existence.

[@jerryhilliard4233]

Best Bluegrass Duet to ever take the stage Carter and Ralph Stanley The Stanley Brothers

[@t4texastom587]

I'm a🇨🇱Texan🇨🇱, but my roots run deep into Virginia.... Jamestown to be precise. My very favorite bluegrass group has always been Carter & Ralph and the legendary pickers that backed them. 🎻🪕

[@joehuff1605]

Great man just a common man I have a lots of respect for ralph Stanley

[@CAROLUSPRIMA]

Ralph Stanley was one of my best friends; I think about him almost every day. Two influences in Ralph’s life can’t be overstated: his mother and his military service.

[@dunexapa1016]

Agree 100% on the military service. I appreciate the benefit military discipline has brought to millions of men and women. Maybe for the first time in many young men's lives they are thinking clearly, and they have focus in their life.

[@N2Mtns2]

Proud to be a Stanley. Cumberland Gap Pirch & Radio Music. RIP Ralph & Daddy.

[@SADFORIAN]

I got to tell Mr. Stanley at a signing after a show in Minneapolis back in 2006 how much I adored his and Carter's live recording of "An Evening Long Ago", despite my mostly rock-oriented musical interests, and his thoughtful reaction to that sticks with me today. I was invited to sit down at the table through the rest of the signing, and Jack Cooke talked my ear off just like he did at a show I attended the year before in Kentucky.

[@mariemccarter6412]

I'm 76 and I have that album and most of their music, 2 very talented men ❤❤

[@dabneyoffermein595]

is it a 33 1/3 ?

[@michaelmullins1290]

I played music with a friend of Ralphs, that use to step in for Carter when he couldn't. Kelly Chafin. Ralph ask me to work for him once, but God didn't want that. I've played in thousands of church services. My group, New Harvest Brothers is still traveling on. God bless all of yall.

[@ThroughKinAndClan]

Hi Michael Mullins, I just looked your group New Harvest Brothers up, yall are fantastic! I love that old country gospel singin. You guys every do any churches in the Somerset, KY area or do yall play on king of kings radio which is out of somerset? Yall would be great on there.

[@kennethmarshall1550]

We will always Remember you Dr. Ralph~ Thank You for Paving the Way~

[@dustbat]

A while ago my son called me and said "Dad, I am looking thru an eatery window and I believe Ralph Stanley is eating in there. I am going in and I will leave the phone on. "(Richmond, Va.) He went to the table and I could hear him talk to Ralph and sons. He was so not wanting to blow his chance and just asked, are you Dr. Ralph- - - Yes. He told them Dad's favorite song" Rollin on Rubber Wheels". Cut it short out of respect. We both cherish that moment.🦇

[@DavidMFChapman]

Excellent!

[@TreyBratcher-l4s]

God i love Ralph i wish Carter had lived as long I love and miss the Stanley Brothers

[@fuggedaboudit223]

I wouldnt be playing banjo if not nor Ralph. Earl played with finesse. Ralph played with soul.

[@jenniferjeantackett6498]

Ralph Stanley was the man and his music will live forever, my uncles loved him and were good friends with him , the Hamilton brothers Eddie, Sam, Harold, and my cousins Andy lee , and his brother Pearl Jr Hamilton all played with Ralph and bill Monroe back in the bean blossom days plus countless other shows together, My uncle's Sam and Eddie were on there way home from a bluegrass festival in Toledo Ohio and wrecked my uncle Eddie was killed , That was such a big loss for the family, he wrote songs about my brother Forrest Dean Tackett and his mother and daddy plus sung About the other people he loved, Ralph Stanley came up to my uncle Eddie's home place in McDowell KY up in this holler just to play for him one more time , and did a great show , Ralph stopped what he was doing to do this for my uncle ED and my family, that shows you the kind of man RALPH STANLEY was ,

[@ellisritchie6686]

What a great life.

[@LadyJefferson]

Love this family..Ralph II is excellent too..

[@philosophyoftrucking]

Man, he had a bluesy style. A real delta blues feel to his singing and playing.

[@micah-hooka7275]

I completely understand how you are trying to explain his “Style”. I was raised by the same mountain people. Most of us are Baptist. We Revere Jesus and in the hills and hollers where our mammaw’s and papaw’s were raised was very secluded deep in the Blue Ridge mountains. That “Style” as you referred to was simply the way of life and the circumstances that shaped them. We all love our daddy’s, but there’s something about our southern momma’s that can’t be explained. It’s a love like no other. They’d take us to church and in our mammaw and pappaw’s days the old Baptist Churches in the hills didn’t allow instruments to be played in the church house. They learned to sing the old hymns a cappella. So what you’re listening to is the Lonesome Mountain way. It’s beyond a rural upbringing. There was hardly anyone in those hills back when Ralph and Carter were being brought up. Life could be very lonesome, even for a young boy. Your nearest neighbor was usually a few hollers away from each other. Sometimes only a footpath through the woods would connect them and they’d usually walk far to visit neighbors. Or, if they were fortunate enough, the family had a mule to ride from place to place. The mule helped with plowing the fields too. Most of their days would be spent helping their mothers keep up the homestead while their daddy’s were off in a coal mine or sawing off timbers at a little sawmill. I know I said a mouthful, but any of us who had a pappaw or mammaw from Southwest Virginia, East Tennessee and down around Ashe County/Boone North Carolina areas will know exactly what I referring to about Ralph’s way of living. I can only imagine how much he missed his mother ,family, and home when the Army stationed him in Germany.

[@philosophyoftrucking]

@@micah-hooka7275 interesting

[@t4texastom587]

​@@micah-hooka7275 Fantastic analogy! You hit the nail right on the head 👍 Micah, you should write a book about Southerners and the Southern way of life. I would definitely buy it.👍🎻🪕

[@videoview2007]

Dr. Ralph Stanley was an American treasure and a true patriot. A true gentleman. Oh Death at 17:25 was a fantastic performance

[@N2Mtns2]

As a Stanley I agree. Chilling. RIP Carter, Ralph & Daddy. Cumberland Gap.

[@davidfraley8770]

Love the Stanley's

[@dabneyoffermein595]

that Army story is crazy. that's what I call moving up the ladder. he must have been so good to turn the head of a general.

[@jarrodhalfacre7449]

I wished they talked about carter more

[@Margaretv-x8l]

Yes, Carter was always the backbone of the group!

[@glendatroutt7103]

Missing a very sweet Man

[@diamondblue5327]

I really don't understand why he's referred to as Dr. Ralph Stanley.That was a one day honorary title, and not meant to be used as a permanent title.

[@BlueRidgeStreaming]

He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Lincoln Memorial University in 1976. From then on the band called him Dr. Ralph. Yale University gave him a second honorary Doctor of Music degree in 2014. I called him Doctor Ralph...I didn't ask for music or medical advice. In music and entertainment, you can call yourself whatever you want. Elvis wasn't a King, Cat Stephens isn't a feline, Snoop Dog isn't a dog, and Frank Sinatra wasn't a Chairman.

[@jimmyb1456]

​@BlueRidgeStreaming you are correct

[@t4texastom587]

​@@jimmyb1456 NAILED it!👍

[@mikevetter271]

@@BlueRidgeStreaming I do not know how it could be explained any clearer than that.

[@rickkilgore1147]

I loved and love Ralphs music im sorry he got snooked by Brry Obama.

[@harryholyfield1550]

America you can put some of the blame Ralph Stanley for the election of Barry obammy ,he ran radio advertisements on local radio,I turned the station off . I never listen to any of his music anymore,or the radio station. What a disgrace.

[@lildannefantom6195]

Nathan looks alot like Carter

[@redfoley9608]

Yes