Now 86 years old and still in superb voice, the revered country and bluegrass singer Dr. Ralph Stanley will commence his final tour Oct. 16, 2013.
The tour will run through December 2014.
The event, which is projected to encompass more than 80 shows at festivals, folk clubs and performing arts centers, is being billed as Man Of Constant Sorrow Tour: The Dr.’s Farewell.
(The title “Dr.” comes from the fact that Stanley holds an honorary doctorate in music from Lincoln Memorial University and has worn that title since it was awarded in 1976.)
Accompanying the multiple Grammy winner and Grand Ole Opry star will be his band, the fabled Clinch Mountain Boys.
Various country and bluegrass artists will appear as supporting acts. The start of the tour coincides with Dr. Stanley’s 67th anniversary as a professional performer. He began his career in 1946 with his older brother Carter, touring and 
recording as the Stanley Brothers. Carter died in 1966, after which Ralph moved to center stage as a solo artist.
“What an honor it is to be a part of a musical legend and to work with my all-time hero’s final musical journey,” says Josh Trivett, Stanley’s co-manager. “Dr. Ralph is an American and an international musical icon who has influenced so many modern stars with his trademark mountain sound. Man of Constant Sorrow Tour: The Dr.'s Farewell will be a fantastic celebration of the life of Dr. Ralph, the mountain music he’s made famous and his legacy that will endure through the course of time.”
Over his historic career, Dr. Stanley has won virtually every honor America has to bestow on its master musicians. He has three Grammy awards, one as best male country vocalist, a category in which he competed with Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Lyle Lovett. His was the distinctive sound behind the seven-million-selling O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack album. He was the first performer to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in the 21st Century. Dr. Stanley is a member of the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and a recipient of the National Medal of Arts.
As a bandleader, Dr. Stanley mentored the careers of Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, Larry Sparks and Charlie Sizemore, among others.
The following dates for the opening weekend of the Man of Constant SorrowTour: The Dr.'s Farewell are:
Oct. 18 The Dunn Center - Rocky Mount, NC
Oct. 19 Morehead Center - Morehead, NC
Oct. 20 The Birchmere - Alexandria, VA
Oct. 21 The Arts Center - Carrborro, NC
For more information about Dr. Ralph Stanley, go to www.drralphstanleymusic.com .
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