Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys perform "Little Birdie"

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Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys perform "Little Birdie"

Ralph Stanley, born in Virginia, USA, in 1927, is an influential and celebrated figure in the history of bluegrass music. He created a unique style of banjo playing, sometimes called "Stanley Style," characterized by incredibly fast "forward rolls" (a technique in banjo playing) led by the index finger. Stanley often played with a capo to use the higher registers of the banjo. This 2003 performance by Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys demonstrates the instrumental solos and breakneck speed that characterize bluegrass music. [Catalog No. - CFV10050; Copyright - 2006 Smithsonian Institution]

3 min 55 sec

culture music performance tradition folk language festival smithsonian "washington dc"