It's a rare treat to hear Ralph Stanley in an intimate setting like the Freight since the film Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? and the subsequent Down From the Mountain tour swept him to stardom three years ago. Those who saw the movie will recall the goosebumps raised by this superb musician's bone-chilling a cappella rendition of "Oh Death" -- no one can sing like Dr. Ralph, with his voice that seems to distill all the world's sorrows and carry them straight to your soul.

Born in 1927 near the rugged Virginia-Tennessee border, Ralph and his brother Carter became ground-breaking pioneers who helped re-shape the Anglo-Celtic ballads and fiddle tunes of southeast Appalachia into a bold new string band music now known as bluegrass. Following Carter's death in 1966, Ralph shifted the band's emphasis to an older, sparer mountain style, placing his own stamp on the music with his haunting voice and banjo playing. His music is a uniquely American form: sometimes rough-hewn, sometimes satin-smooth, it is always filled with powerful, raw emotion that seems to have poured straight out of the rocks and runs of his native Virginia mountains.

In six decades of performing, Ralph has set a standard for accomplishment and integrity unequaled in any category of music. He has toured throughout the world, earned dozens of honors (most recently the Living Legend Award from the Library of Congress, the 2002 Grammys for Best Country Male Vocalist Performance and Album of the Year, and the 2004 opening of the Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Center in Clintwood, Virginia), and recorded more than 200 albums, including his recent self-named solo album from DMZ/Columbia.

Ralph's band, the Clinch Mountain Boys, includes his son, guitarist Ralph Stanley ll and his grandson, Nathan Stanley on mandolin, along with guitarist James Shelton, Steve Sparkman on banjo, Dewey Brown on violin, and Jack Cooke on string bass.

But wait: there's more! Local heroes Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum kick off each show with a set spotlighting their great energy and artistry and joining Ralph and the boys for a round of Clinch Mountain favorites as well. A big fan of Ralph ever since she saw him perform when she was a student at Berkeley High, Laurie's collaborations with the bluegrass legend include the internationally acclaimed Masters of the Banjo tour and album of the 1990s, and Ralph's inclusion of Laurie on his critically acclaimed Clinch Mountain Country album of more recent vintage. Laurie is looking forward to sharing the stage with him in her hometown tonight, as part of their tour of major West Coast performing arts centers.

A key figure in bluegrass, traditional and folk music circles, Laurie's songwriting, fiddling and crystal-clear singing have brought her national recognition, a Grammy and two International Bluegrass Music Association Awards for Female Vocalist of the Year. Tom Rozum, Laurie's Grammy-nominated duet partner, adds his dextrous mandolin, expressive vocals and wry humor to the red-hot duo.

Visit Ralph Stanley's website

Visit Laurie Lewis's website

Visit the San Francisco Bluegrass & Old-Time Festival website