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Special Guests
Saturday, July 7, 2001
RALPH STANLEY was born in Stratton, Virginia in 1927. His mother taught him the claw hammer style of banjo picking, and with his older brother Carter, he formed the Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys. They recorded for such companies as the small Rich-R-Tone label and later Columbia, a relationship that lasted from 1949 until 1952. These classic sessions defined the Stanleys’ approach to bluegrass and made them as important as Bill Monroe. In December of 1966, Carter Stanley died at just
41 years of age. After much consideration and grief, Ralph carried on and< took his “high lonesome” vocals to a new plane. Popular at bluegrass festivals, Stanley and each edition of the Clinch Mountain Boys grew to be one of the most respected outfits in bluegrass. He has continued to record for a wide variety of labels, including Stanleytone, his own label. A Bluegrass Hall of Fame member, Stanley has inspired Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, and the late Keith Whitley, and has played on over 150 recordings. His most recent CD is Man Of Constant Sorrow, a compilation disc on Rebel Records. Stanley’s rendition of “Oh Death” and the Stanley Brothers’ “Angel Band” are also featured on the soundtrack for the new Coen Brothers’ film O Brother, Where Art Thou? Joining Stanley tonight are the current Clinch Mountain Boys: James Price (fiddle), James Alan Shelton (lead guitar), Ralph Stanley II (rhythm guitar), Jack Cooke (bass), Steve Sparkman (banjo), and John Rigsby (mandolin).
MARIA JETTE enjoys a wide-ranging career, singing chamber music, oratorio,
and operatic repertoire. A Twin Cities resident, she has performed locally with The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Plymouth Music Series, Ex Machina Baroque Opera, and others. Other engagements have included performances with the Los Angeles Chamber and Portland Baroque orchestras, the New York Chamber and Kansas City symphonies, and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Her 45+ operatic roles range from Handel’s Cleopatra and Alcina to Mozart’s Fiordiligi and Countess. Last summer, Jette made return appearances at the Oregon Bach Festival, the San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival, and the Victoria Bach Festival. With harpist Judith Kogan, she has two recordings of Britten’s Folksongs of the British Isles and songs of Fauré scheduled for release< later this year on Centaur Records.
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