Bluegrass icon Ralph Stanley died Thursday after battling skin cancer. He was 89.
Born Feb. 25, 1927 in Stratton, Virginia, Stanley formed a duo with his guitar-playing brother, Carter, in 1946, and as the Stanley Brothers, they were leaders in the traditional bluegrass movement. After Carter died in 1966, Stanley became a solo artist. He gained a new audience when he appeared on the soundtrack for the 2000 movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and he performed well into his 80s, accompanied by family members like his son Ralphy Stanley II and grandson Nathan Stanley.
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