Bluegrass guitar legend to play at Buskirk-Chumley

To many, famous bluegrass picker Ralph Stanley is known as a guy who had a song in the film “O Brother, Where Art Thou,” but to IU alumnus Janssen Jones, he’s much more than that.

“I love Ralph Stanley,” Jones said. “I’d go so far as to say that he’s the greatest living bluegrass performer that has been around since the early days.”

Jones has seen Stanley in concert and said he is looking forward to seeing him again when Stanley plays at 8 p.m. Friday the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.

“I’ve met him a couple of times, and he’s always been extremely friendly,” he said. “As he’s gotten older, he’s given his son more of the spotlight during the last couple of shows I’ve seen, but he still puts on a great show.”

Jones, 32, plays in a bluegrass band of his own called the Blooming Tones with his wife Nicole Jones.

Stanley has played banjo since he was a teenager. After serving more than a year in the Army, he began performing in 1946. He formed Stanley Brothers with his brother Carter, and they continued to play together until Carter’s death in 1966. Stanley continued playing without his brother, and he won a Grammy Award in 2002 for his song “O Death,” which was performed in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”

Dwight Dillman, owner and operator of the Bill Monroe Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival for more than 40 years, is familiar with Stanley’s music, having first heard it in the 1960s.

“I like just about everything he does, really,” Dillman said. “It’s original and pure. He’s the real thing.”

He also said Stanley has played the festival almost every year and that Stanley will return to the festival in June.

Dillman said Stanley has had a big influence on modern music.

“He’s influenced all kinds of music,” Dillman said. “Country and rock ‘n’ roll – he’s influenced just about all of them.”

Danielle McClelland, executive director at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, said there has been a lot of buzz in the community about Stanley’s upcoming performance.

“We are selling a lot of tickets for it,” McClelland said. “He played here two years ago and almost sold out.”

McClelland expects this year’s audience to be as diverse as it was the last time Stanley took the stage in Bloomington.

“If our previous concert was any indication, the audience will be all over the map,” she said. “From little kids to people Stanley’s age, a wide range of people have an interest in Americana and folk music.”

Jimmy Ferguson, a Brownstown, Ind., native,  said he really hopes he can go to the show Friday. He first started listening to Stanley a few years ago.

“I like his old-time sound, his rawness and most of all, his voice has a unique quality like other singers such as Johnny Cash,” Ferguson said. “I’m extremely excited to see Dr. Ralph if I get to go.”

Ferguson, a 30-year-old aquatic biologist, said his favorite Stanley song is “Little Birdie.” He said he really hopes he can go to the show because it might be his last chance to see the 82-year-old legend.

“He is one of my heroes and I want to see him before he passes,” Ferguson said. “I didn’t get into bluegrass until a couple of years ago, and wish I could’ve seen Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin and others, so trying to make this show is very important to me.”