Search - Ralph Stanley :: Ralph Stanley

Kevin G. (kkg-ct) from NEW FAIRFIELD, CT
Reviewed on 7/9/2017...

First came upon Ralph Stanley on the 'O Brother' sound track and hypnotized by the style and voice. The marrow of the mountains solid in a style that evokes the simple desire to exist in harmony and humility. A time capsule to a less certain fate when one faced the darkness and daily troubles with inner strength. With simplest of arrangements Stanley's laments and invocations are piercing. Highly recommend anything by Ralph or with his brother. If on the other side of the planet looking at 'world" music to understand and gain insight grab this

Not an object of mass appeal---just a masterful rough beauty

William E. Adams | Midland, Texas USA | 05/12/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The fiddles, guitars and banjos here represent bluegrass music, but Ralph Stanley's voice and persona, life experience and song choices more properly belong to the centuries-old Appalachian traditional mountain music which derived from the ballads of the British isles. Somehow, however, in his soul, Mr. Stanley has found a kinship with the black acoustic blues players of pre-World War II---Rev. Gary Davis, Lightnin' Hopkins, Sonnie Terry and Brownie McGhee. Fans of those kinds of singers and fans of Bill Monroe can meet at a Ralph Stanley gig and all have a good time. This collection is sung by a man in his seventies, and it shows. It is sung by a man who knows his art, and that shows. The 11 songs are a nice mix of spirituals and bloody ballads and everything inbetween. If you only know Mr. Stanley because of his appearance in the film "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" as a Klan leader who wails the song "Oh Death!" you need to know that every song on this disc is better and more interesting than that lament. Ralph is not a Klan kind of guy, and "Oh Death!" is far from the best song he's ever tackled. So here we have an old fella performing 40 minutes of stuff that sounds like traditional folk ballads bump into white Protestant spirituals and bounce back onto a bit of the Delta blues, which pushes them on stage at a bluegrass festival. Ralph isn't as nice to look at or to hear as a Dixie Chick might be, but he has more sense and substance. If that matters, check him out."

The best of the best bluegrass of all time

Roland | Idaho | 05/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the very best bluegrass/old country recordings of all time. It is not some sort of phony pop imitation of this music, but is really old time music - raw and real and original.

They even mention in the inlay booklet that this album is intended to stay true to real, genuine bluegrass music.

It really does this, and has infinite replay value because the songs are timeless and the recording quality is great.

Alot of bluegrass music has been given cheesy and superficial treatment, but this album is the real, hard core dark and dusty bluegrass we all love. Norman Blake appears on this recording as well giving it a true old school sound."