Ralph Stanley Guitarist James Alan Shelton Passes Away
Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys lost their long-time lead guitarist and Ralph’s right hand man James Alan Shelton Tuesday night (6-3) due to Cancer. He was 53-years-old. According to Bluegrass Today, he was in an East Tennessee hospital near his home in Church Hill when he passed peacefully with his wife Greta at his side.
James Alan Shelton played lead guitar for Ralph Stanley for 20 years, first joining the Clinch Mountain Boys in 1994. But Shelton he also did so much more. For many years Ralph Stanley was known for wanting to handle his own affairs, but after gaining the trust of Stanley, James Shelton handled much of Stanley’s booking, publicity, and also acted as the band’s road manager and ambassador.
Shelton was born in Kingsport, TN, and raised on a tobacco farm just over the Virginia border near Gate City, listening to the bluegrass music of greats like Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, The Carter Family, and of course, The Stanley Brothers. He was a cross-picking style guitar player, and was known for his melodic approach that was more oriented toward respecting the style and structure of a tune as opposed to showing off his skill. His instrument was a 1946 D-28 Martin Herringbone, and he also had a Huss & Dalton signature series guitar named after him.
James Alan Shelton released his own records on the side, including the 2005 album Half Moon Bay that went on to be nominated for Best Instrumental Album Of The Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association, and the album Where I’m Bound released in 2010.
Beyond his musical accomplishments, James Alan Shelton was a valued member of the bluegrass community as one of the biggest champions of the old-time mountain style of bluegrass music.
The news comes amidst new reassurances from Ralph Stanley that he is not retiring from playing as he first announced in June of 2013. “God has had his hand on my career for the past 68 years. It’s up to him when I will quit. I have no plans of slowing down. I love my fans, and I love performing,” Stanley said in a statement.
Upon the news of James Shelton’s passing, Ralph Stanley said “James Shelton gave me twenty years of dedicated years service as a Clinch Mountain Boy. He was always honest, dependable, and a very good man to travel with. I will surly miss him. He was a wonderful friend.”
Photos from Ralph Stanley’s Facebook Page
June 4, 2014 @ 5:01 am
R.I.P.
What a shame that this horrible disease took such a young talent.
June 4, 2014 @ 5:38 am
A terrible loss for bluegrass. He leaves us much too soon.
June 4, 2014 @ 6:00 am
RIP James! The Clinch Mountain Boys have lost a big part of their band. James was a distant cousin of mine. Although i never did meet him he was close with alot of members of my family and he was a good man. The whole community of his hometown is very sadden by this news.To many people in that area are dying too young of cancer.
June 4, 2014 @ 7:18 am
Many years ago I was fortunate to interview Ralph Stanley and meet James Alan Shelton in the process. Both were so pleasant and without even a sniff arrogance or self-aggrandization. When the interview was wrapping James Alan politely interrupted to check in with Ralph to let him know that he had Snickers bar and a Three Musketeers. James Alan wanted to know which bar Ralph would perfer and he, James Alan would take the other. After a brief chat and James Alan noting how much Ralph liked peanuts it was decided that James Alan would take the Three Musketeers bar and Ralph the Snickers. It was so wonderful to witness just how “regular” these legends were.
On his way back to the tour bus James Alan took a moment to let me know that the CD Ralph gave me as a kindness was a great one which featured the Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley version of the Clinch Mountain Boys.
I am not ashamed to say that I shed some tears when I read Trig’s article.
June 4, 2014 @ 7:29 am
Cancer is terrible, prayers to his family and friends.
Speaking of Stanley’s former band members, give a listen to Ernie Thacker’s album The Hangman. Great album and the song “Keith How Many” is an awesome tribute to Keith Whitley.
June 4, 2014 @ 10:47 am
Thanks for sharing, Bigfoot.
Under better circumstances, I want to ask you if you’ve seen the real deal.
That sounded like an oxymoron because of course, you’ve seen and met Ralph Stanley and James Alan Shelton.
June 5, 2014 @ 10:16 am
Thanks Cammie Jo. I consider myself fortunate to have seen and met many real deals over the years.
June 4, 2014 @ 5:40 pm
I’ve had the honor of doing shows with Dr. Ralph and the Boys for about ten years. Bigfoot’s reminiscence is right to the point. James Alan was as down to earth as they come. He was as clean a picker as I’ve ever heard, and his harmony singing was perfect. He was Doctor Ralph’s right hand man until the end. James Alan was one of those quiet ol’ boys who had a great sense of humor and he was an anchor for the band in more ways than one. Traditional music has lost a master. And a whole lot of folks have lost a friend. Sing a sad song.
June 5, 2014 @ 10:27 am
Thanks Ben. (Want to let you know that we share the same view on Sturgill Simpson too.)
June 5, 2014 @ 8:20 am
“known for his melodic approach that was more oriented toward respecting the style and structure of a tune ”
He actually played the melody of the tune in the video you posted!
This probably gets less oohs and ahhhs from the crowd, but
is a lot nicer to listen to than “pick as fast as I can” stuff.
Thanks.
June 5, 2014 @ 12:47 pm
Wow, 53, that’s my age. Life is so fleeting. We should all do our best to live honorably, because we never know. My prayers are with his family. RIP James Alan Shelton.
June 26, 2014 @ 11:06 pm
What a loss….”50 Miles of Elbow Room” and “Song for Greta” are two wonderful examples of “Shelton Picking.”……may the Lord bless his memory and his family.