Bluegrass mainstay Ralph Stanley saddles up for lengthy tour

June 26, 2003 05:12 PM

LiveDaily Contributor

Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley [ tickets ] and his Clinch Mountain Boys have mapped out an extensive tour with Stanley's son, Ralph Stanley II [ tickets ], that will visit state fairs, clubs, festivals and summer sheds.

The banjo picker and tenor singer has pursued bluegrass music for 55 years. He and his brother, Carter, formed the Stanley Brothers and his Clinch Mountain Boys as youngsters. However, Carter Stanley died in 1966.

According to Ralph Stanley's website, he has performed on more than 170 albums, tapes, and CDs.

Last year, he released a self-titled album on DMZ/Columbia Records. Producer T-Bone Burnett--the man behind the GRAMMY^®-winning "O Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack--produced the set.

Stanley eschewed the Clinch Mountain Boys for the album and opted for "O Brother" musicians Norman Blake (guitar, Weissenborn, mandocello), Stuart Duncan (banjo, fiddle), Mike Compton (mandolin) and Dennis Crouch (string bass).

[Note: The following tour dates have been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of the publication time of this story. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist websites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]

July 2003
3 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
5 - Washington, DC - Smithsonian Folklife Festival
13 - Hampton Township, PA - Hartwood Park
16 - Roanoke, VA - Jefferson Center
17 - Mineral, VA - Walton Park
18 - Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere
24 - Grundy, VA - Buchanan County Fair
25 - Los Angeles, CA - House of Blues
26 - Carson City, NV - Pavilion At Mills Park
28 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey’s
29 - Costa Mesa, CA - Orange County Fair @ Pacific Amphitheater

August 2003
1 - Paso Robles, CA - California Mid-State Fair
3 - Saratoga, CA - Mountain Winery
9 - Lansing, MI - Great Lakes Folk Festival
10 - Fountaintown, IN - Carl Hammons Mobile Homes
15 - Cherokee, NC - Happy Holiday Campground
16 - Amelia, VA - Central Virginia Bluegrass Festival
22 - Philadelphia, PA - Philadelphia Folk Festival
28 - Woodstock, VA - Shenandoah County Fair
29 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun
30 - Woodstown, NJ - Delaware Valley Bluegrass Fest
31 - Great Barrington, MA - Mahaiwe Theater

September 2003
3 - Castlewood, VA - Russell County Fair
6 - Delbarton, WV - Hatfields & McCoys Festival (Ralph)
12 - Englewood, CO - Gothic Theater
13 - Boulder, CO - Chautauqua Auditorium
14 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden
20 - Morehead, KY - Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival
26 - Bean Blossom, IN - Bill Monroe Music Park
27 - Madison, WI - Orpheum Theater
28 - St. Paul, MN - Fitzgerald Theater

October 2003
2 - Franklin, KY - Goodnight Auditorium
3 - Harrogate, TN - Lincoln Memorial University
4 - Glasgow, KY - Beaver Creek Park
5 - Chicago, IL - Old Town School of Music
9 - Norris, TN - Museum of Appalachia
10 - Athens, GA - Georgia Theater
11 - Nashville, TN - Opry Birthday Celebration
20 - Raleigh, NC - North Carolina State Fair
25 - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater
28 - New York, NY - Town Hall
29 - Tarrytown, NY - Tarrytown Music Hall

November 2003
15 - Ashland, OH - McDowell Auditorium
27 - Myrtle Beach, SC - Convention Center
28 - Roanoke, VA - Civic Center

December 2003
13 - Dublin, VA - New River Community College