I wish the video quality were better, but with singing this heartfelt, it’s easy to overlook technical glitches. This is Nathan Stanley with “Mother’s At Rest”.

Reviving A Style

Ralph Stanley’s grandson, Nathan, out in front of the Clinch Mountain Boys, with the grassiest version of “Long Black Veil” I’ve ever heard.

Nathan is still young; the technique will come in time. But he has the soul – and a real feel for mountain-style bluegrass – that can’t be taught. Nobody in bluegrass is doing this kind of heavily-ornamented singing anymore. It’s wonderful to see Nathan Stanley reviving the style.

The Future of Mountain Music

The future of hardcore, mountain-style, bluegrass singing is in secure hands with Nathan Stanley — Ralph’s grandson. If he can regain his momentum after endorsing Donald Trump for president, that is (facepalm).

Nathan’s style is squarely in the mold of one of Ralph’s best-ever singers, Keith Whitley. Considering that Nathan was only twenty-one in this clip from 2014, we can look forward to years of powerful bluegrass from him.

I haven’t been so moved by a performance in a long, long time. This is an a capella gospel number called “One Day I Will”.