Art Stamper Dies

Bluegrass pioneer Art Stamper, 71, died January 23rd in Louisville, Ky., after a four-year battle with throat cancer.

In his career, the fiddler performed with the likes of the Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys, the Osborne Brothers, and the Goins Brothers, among others.

He was a professional musician by age 16 and joined Ralph and Carter Stanley’s band in 1952, just in time to help define a new genre of music eventually called bluegrass.

In 2004, Stamper received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association.

He retired from music in 1956 to raise a family, and returned in 1978. His final recording, “Wake Up Darlin’ Corey,” was released late last year.