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Sons of Ralph

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sons of Ralph
Background information
OriginMadison County, North Carolina, United States
GenresBluegrass
Years active2001–present
Members
  • Ralph Lewis
  • Martin Lewis
  • Don Lewis
  • Steve Moseley
  • Ozzie Orengo Jr.

Sons of Ralph is a bluegrass band from Asheville, North Carolina, formed by Ralph Lewis.[1]

History

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The band was formed in 2001 by Ralph Lewis (1928-2017) with his sons Martin and Don.[1] Their debut studio album was released in 2001, titled Grab a Root and Growl.[2]

Members

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  • Ralph Lewis — vocals, vocal harmony, mandolin, fiddle, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Martin Lewis — vocals, vocal harmony, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar, dobro, harmonica, percussion, keyboards
  • Don Lewis — fiddle, banjo, vocals, vocal harmony, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, harmonica
  • Steve Moseley — bass guitar, vocals, vocal harmony, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Ozzie Orengo Jr. — drums, percussion

Ralph Lewis

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Born on April 25, 1928, in Big Laurel of Madison County, North Carolina, he played the guitar and mandolin at a young age.[3] He was the youngest of seven sons, the same as his father who was also a seventh son.[4] With his brother Ervin, Ralph hosted radio shows under the name Carolina Pals. After moving to Niagara Falls, New York, he formed a band with his brother, Blanco. In 2001, he received the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Award.[5] Married to Imogene with whom he parented four children, Ralph formed the Sons of Ralph with his sons Martin and Don.[3] Known as a pioneer in bluegrass, he died at the age of 89 on August 5, 2017.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Kopp, Bill (August 11, 2017). "In memory of bluegrass patriarch Ralph Lewis". Mountain Xpress. Retrieved 2018-11-04.
  2. ^ Hage, Erik. "Sons of Ralph - Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-11-04.
  3. ^ a b Séguret, Susi Gott (2017-01-24). Appalachian Appetite: Recipes from the Heart of America. Hatherleigh Press. ISBN 9781578267057.
  4. ^ Rifkin, Carol (August 8, 2017). "Ralph Lewis, who 'knew bluegrass inside and out,' dies at 89". Citizen Times. Retrieved 2018-11-04.
  5. ^ Rekhi, Tanja. "Local bluegrass giant Ralph Lewis of 'Sons of Ralph' dies at age 89". WLOS. Retrieved 2018-11-04.