Ralph Stanley at MerleFest 2014

We heard this morning from R. B. Powell,from Lewistown, PA, a banjo picker and promoter of scholarships for young musicians.   He shared this video he had shot of Ralph Stanley during MerleFest 2014 at the Creekside Stage as part of the festival’s special Banjorama segment that year.

Pete Wernick had been conducting a banjo workshop with Ralph, who had stopped playing banjo a few years earlier, so a couple of other pickers were on stage as well. Where R.B. captured this footage was when Dr. Stanley was responding to Pete’s mention of his impending retirement, followed by some video of the assembled banjo players running through Clinch Mountain Backstop, a Stanley classic.

 

We miss you already, Dr. Ralph.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.