Episode #202: Ralph Stanley’s Story

“Featuring fabulous performances, Smith takes us on a delightful, old-time music journey.” – Northwest Film Center, Portland Art Museum

The documentary succeeds admirably… It captures the quiet conviction and uncompromising integrity that enabled this American musician to become one of the folk masters of our time.” – Bill C. Malone, author, Country Music, USA

If you love the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, see the story of the man whose spare, ardent music served as its template.” -- Minneapolis City Pages

Synopsis: Ralph Stanley’s Story is a portrait of this Grammy award–winning bluegrass great and current star of the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack, the program explores Stanley’s musical roots in the Clinch Mountains of Virginia.

Full Description: Ralph Stanley’s Story is a portrait of the Grammy award-winning bluegrass great and star of the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack. For over 50 years, Ralph Stanley’s “clawhammer” style banjo playing, haunting tenor voice and tradition-inspired repertoire have epitomized old time bluegrass music. This documentary explores Stanley’s musical roots in the Clinch Mountains of Virginia, the early days of The Stanley Brothers, and Ralph’s decision to continue on after the untimely death of brother Carter. Interviews with Ralph, former band members, and fellow musicians like Patty Loveless and Dwight Yoakam are intercut with live performances of such songs as "Rank Stranger," "Pretty Polly," and "Man of Constant Sorrow." Ralph also performs with Larry Sparks and Ricky Skaggs at his annual “Hills of Home Bluegrass Festival.”

Funding provided by KET Fund for Independent Production, National Endowment for the Arts, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and Public Policy, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Kentucky Arts Council, Fund for Folk Culture.

Producer --Herb E. Smith: A Whitesburg native, Herb was one of the original trainees in the Community Film Workshop of Appalachia (Appalshop’s genesis), and has been with Appalshop since its inception. He completed Ralph Stanley’s Story in 2000. Other award-winning films include Beyond Measure: Appalachian Culture and Economy, Unbroken Tradition: Jerry Brown Pottery, Strangers and Kin, and Hand Carved.

Screening Highlights ** Gene Siskel Film Center, Art Institute of Chicago * Barbican Art Center, London, England * Experience Music Project, Seattle * Northwest Film Center, Portland Art Museum * Ozark Foothills Film Festival

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Bluegrass master Ralph Stanley with filmmaker Herb Smith

Photos for press and private use. All rights reserved. Photos by Clark Thomas