COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME® AND MUSEUM ANNOUNCES DETAILS FOR NEW EXHIBITION RALPH STANLEY: VOICE FROM ON HIGH  Exhibition Opening July 13 Presented by Cook Out and Supported by Carter Vintage Guitars NASHVILLE, Tenn. – June 20, 2018 – The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will tell the story of legendary mountain musician Ralph Stanley in its upcoming exhibition Ralph Stanley: Voice from on High. The exhibit is set to open July 13, 2018, and will run through Jan. 6, 2019. "Stanley’s unique style and distinctive tenor broke new ground in bluegrass, and he became a standard-bearer for country music’s Appalachian folk roots," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. "He has influenced iconic musicians including Country Music Hall of Fame member Emmylou Harris and Class of 2018 member-elect Ricky Skaggs. His powerful music remains a touchstone for musicians and fans worldwide, and we are honored to examine the indelible impact he had on American music." The award-winning singer and banjo player started his professional career in 1946 playing music in the Clinch Mountains of southwest Virginia alongside his older brother Carter in the legendary duo the Stanley Brothers, with their band the Clinch Mountain Boys. When Carter died 20 years later, in 1966, Stanley took over leadership of the band himself. He went on to achieve national fame when his a cappella rendition of "O Death" appeared on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? film soundtrack in 2000. His performance captured the 2001 Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal. The National Endowment for the Arts named Stanley a National Heritage Fellow in 1984. He was elected to the Bluegrass Hall of Fame in 1992 and became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2000. When he died, in 2016, he represented one of country music’s last links to its folk roots in Appalachia. "This is a special moment for me personally and the entire family," said Stanley’s son Ralph Stanley II. "Dad has been such an influence on me as an artist, but also on countless other country music stars today. Growing up by his side and getting to witness the impact he has had is something that I cherish more than words. It really comes to life now that he is going to be highlighted in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which he highly respected." Highlights of the exhibition Ralph Stanley: Voice from on High include: · Gibson RB-2 banjo with pearloid fretboard and  headstock overlay purchased by Stanley from a Virginia coal miner. He used it extensively early in the Stanley Brothers’ career. · Modified 1957 Martin D-28 with custom pickguard and D-45 neck guitar used by Carter Stanley to write the bluegrass standard "The White Dove." · Pagano West western-style suit and Daniali USA shirt with rounded collar and key-shaped rhinestone decorative applique worn by Stanley. · Hand-tooled leather guitar strap used by Larry Sparks with the Clinch Mountain Boys. He was with the group from 1966 to 1969, when he left to pursue a solo career. · Microphones used on the Farm and Fun Time Hour, on Bristol, Virginia, radio station WCYB in the 1940s. · Radio transmitter controls and reading monitor used in the mid-1950s to help WCYB broadcast its 10,000-watt signal throughout the southern Appalachians. The signal reached five states, across valleys and mountains. This exhibition is made possible, in part, by presenting sponsor Cook Out and supporting sponsor Carter Vintage Guitars. "As devoted enthusiasts of genuine bluegrass music, we are delighted for Cook Out restaurants to join the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in honoring the legendary Ralph Stanley," said Morris and Jeremy Reaves, owners of Cook Out. "Ralph Stanley's music gave listeners a direct line to the heart and soul of Appalachia, and he is still an inspiration for everyone who plays a vintage guitar, mandolin or banjo," said Walter Carter of Carter Vintage Guitars. "We're proud to join with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in honoring one of the most important artists in any genre of music." With an unduplicated collection of more than 2.5 million artifacts, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is one of the most visited museums in the United States. Ralph Stanley’s exhibition joins a year packed with star-studded exhibitions including American Currents: The Music of 2017, Outlaws and Armadillos: Country’s Roaring ‘70s, Little Big Town: The Power of Four and upcoming exhibits featuring The Judds (opening August 10, 2018) and Emmylou Harris (opening October 2, 2018). ### Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Zoe Chichelo   615.577.7749  zchichelo@countrymusichalloffame.org Ralph Stanley II Penni McDaniel pennimcdaniel@yahoo.com              Media website: https://countrymusichalloffame.org/media-professionals/ Username: cmhofmedia Password: 4mediaonly About Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum: The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum collects, preserves, and interprets country music and its history for the education and entertainment of diverse audiences. In exhibits, publications, and educational programs, the museum explores the cultural importance and enduring beauty of the art form. The museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and for the last three years in a row has welcomed over one million patrons each year, placing it among the ten most-visited history museums in the U.S. The Country Music Foundation operates Historic RCA Studio BTM, Hatch Show Print® poster shop, CMF Records, the Frist Library and Archive, and CMF Press. Museum programs are supported by Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission, Tennessee Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts. More information about the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is available at www.countrymusichalloffame.org or by calling (615) 416-2001. About Cook Out: Cook Out is a family-owned fast food chain of more than 240 restaurants throughout the Southeast. The chain was founded in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1989, with the mission to serve absolutely fresh and delicious food. The "Cooked Outdoors Style" menu features char-grilled "fresh" hamburgers, chicken and hotdogs, North Carolina barbeque, and more than forty flavors of milkshakes. Side options include fries, onion rings, hushpuppies, quesadillas and corndogs. More information about Cook Out is available at www.cookout.com. About Carter Vintage Guitars: Carter Vintage Guitars was founded in 2012 by Christie and Walter Carter to provide a friendly comfortable atmosphere for fine fretted instruments and the people who love them. Located a few blocks from downtown Nashville, Carter Vintage has over 1,500 guitars, basses, mandolins, banjos and amplifiers, all ready to be played.