Ralph Stanley Quotes

#1. You give out the words and then sing them. You give out the words, you know, and the people can hear what you're giving out, and they sing that song or that line and they do the same thing again.

Ralph Stanley

#2. I am a man of constant sorrow. I've seen trouble all my days.

Ralph Stanley

#3. I don't listen to the radio too much, but usually I listen to Stanley Brothers and Ralph Stanley more than I do anybody!

Ralph Stanley

#4. I like for it to be mountain music or old-time country music or traditional bluegrass. Either one will fit me. It's traditional, basically.

Ralph Stanley

#5. The soundtrack of O Brother is the most publicity I've gotten. I don't feel that I have lost any of my old fans, but I have gained new ones.

Ralph Stanley

#6. I would have quit before I went rock-n-roll. I know one way, and that's natural, and when I can't make it, I'll come home and stay. I believe in my music.

Ralph Stanley

#7. I always enjoyed playing around Washington, because we always have a good crowd. I've never had a bad crowd in this vicinity from here [Alexandria], up to Washington and on to right around Baltimore. They've been some good fans.

Ralph Stanley

#8. Speaking of WAMU, [bluegrass and old time music DJ] Ray Davis did a lot of work there. I've know Ray, I guess for 50 years - 40, or 50 years. And, he plays a lot of my records.

Ralph Stanley

#9. I guess the first time I played around Washington, D.C. was at a place called The Famous. That was the first place I played, I believe.

Ralph Stanley

#10. My mother played a little bit of the old time clawhammer. She tuned the banjo up and picked one tune for me, and it just become natural to me. When she picked it, I just started and picked it, too.

Ralph Stanley

#11. I'm a member of the Primitive Baptist Church, and they will buy every CD that I have released, but they don't me just to bring the instruments much into the church.

Ralph Stanley

#12. I live about six miles from where I was born and raised.

Ralph Stanley

#13. I've done it all. I'm thankful and proud of what I've accomplished in my life. I hope to keep doing it.

Ralph Stanley

#14. No pleasure here on Earth I find. For in this world, I'm bound to ramble.

Ralph Stanley

#15. I don't - I don't like that style, myself. I never did like Elvis's singing, but there was millions that did.

Ralph Stanley

#16. [Regarding President Obama] Yeah, yeah, yeah, I talked to him. I sorta, I guess, helped him get elected.

Ralph Stanley

#17. I have plenty of good friends that I think the world of - and Bob [Dylan] is one of them, and I like his music - but with some others ... their music I just don't care too much about all of it. Some of it I like.

Ralph Stanley

#18. I don't see any harm in brining an instrument into the church itself.

Ralph Stanley

#19. I think - I really think my voice has gotten better in the last two or three years. I don't know why. I've been doing a lot of - a lot more lead singing, and everybody tells me that my voice was better than ever and I agree with them. Maybe I've learned to do more with it. I don't know what.

Ralph Stanley

#20. I'm thankful that I have lived long enough to become a legend, and I hope I deserve it.

Ralph Stanley

#21. I believe in my music.

Ralph Stanley