Bluegrass Legend Ralph Stanley Dead at 89

Ralph Stanley, a patriarch of Appalachian music who helped expand and popularize the genre that became known as bluegrass, died on Thursday from difficulties of skin cancer. He was 89.

Born and raised in southwest Virginia in a land of coal mines and deep forests, Ralph and his brother Carter would form the Stanley Brothers and their Clinch Mountain Boys in 1946.

The Stanleys created a distinctive three-part harmony that combined the lead vocal of Carter along with Ralph's tenor and an even higher part sung by bandmate Pee Wee Lambert.

The brothers were swept into the folk movement into the '60s as they toured the country playing folk and bluegrass festivals during that decade.

However, Carter would pass away in 1966 due to liver disease and Ralph wasn't sure he would continue.

But Ralph would later reform the Clinch Mountain Boys and toured for years. The group would even mentor younger artists like Keith Whitley and Ricky Skaggs.

Ralph was given an honorary doctorate of music from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, in 1976 and was often introduced as "Dr. Ralph Stanley".

He would become a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2000.

But at age 73, he was introduced to a new generation of fans in 2000 due to his chilling a cappella performance of "O Death" from the hit Coen Brothers' "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" movie soundtrack.

He would also win a Grammy for best male country vocal performance in 2002, beating out the likes of Tim McGraw, Ryan Adams, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett. The following year he and Jim Lauderdale would win a Grammy for best bluegrass album for "Lost in the Lonesome Pines."

In 2007, Ralph teamed up with Josh Turner for the mainstream hit "Me and God", a song that would only hit #16 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, but would garner a nomination for an Academy of Country Music award for Vocal Event of the Year.

Ralph Stanley is survived by his wife Jimmie Stanley. They were set to celebrate their 48th wedding anniversary on July 2nd. He is also survived by three children, seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Memorial service details are pending and will be announced shortly.