President Bush Honors Ralph Stanley With National Medal of Arts

Award is Nation’s Highest for Artistic Excellence

Nashville, TN (November 10, 2006) - President George W. Bush presented Ralph Stanley the National Medal of Arts Thursday (Nov. 9) at a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House.  The medal, which is awarded through the National Endowment for the Arts, is the nation’s highest honor for artistic excellence.

The 79-year-old Stanley has been performing and recording professionally for more than 60 years—the first 20 as co-star of the Stanley Brothers mountain and bluegrass music team.  He has recorded approximately 200 albums, is a multiple Grammy Award winner, a member (with his late brother Carter) of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Hall of Honor and a member of the world-famous Grand Ole Opry.

Also receiving medals during the ceremony were classical composer William Bolcom, dancer Cyd Charisse, photographer Roy R. DeCarava, arts patron Wilhelmina Holladay, orchestra conductor Erich Kunzel, literary translator Gregory Rabassa, industrial designer and sculptor Viktor Schreckengost, the Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.