Libby Hall, Lauran Price-Napier, Wyatt Ellis, William Lawson, Ralph Stanley II, John Meador, and Ashlyn Smith
Earlier this month, at the Osborne Brothers Hometown Festival in Hyden, KY, Ralph Stanley II received a Menor Award from Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars, an organization dedicated to supporting and encouraging young bluegrass artists.
Larry Smith, President of TBS, was brought on stage during Ralph’s set with The Clinch Mountain Boys to hand him an engraved trophy that read:
For your support and Encouragement of young Bluegrass Musicians
From Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars, Inc – 2021
Smith also shared this video of the presentation on August 8.
Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars has spent the past 12 years identifying and offering support to aspiring bluegrass artists under 20 years of age. More than 300 members have come through in that time, and as they either marry or reach 20 years old, they are transferred to Mentor status, offering their assistance to newer, younger members. Over the years a number of current bluegrass music professionals have been members while in their teens, including Liam Purcell, Jaelee Roberts, Ryan Paisley, Carson Peters, Jacob Greer, Tray Wellington, Jacob Burleson, Josiah Tyree, Victoria and Bethany Kelley, Jacob Metz, Jake Goforth, and many more.
The organization lists as their mission statement…
To support young, aspiring bluegrass musicians through encouragement, excitement, promotion and awareness for them to preserve ‘yesterday’s’ bluegrass music for ‘tomorrow.’
Certainly a worthy endeavor. Well done all.
