Bluegrass legend Stanley cuts Obama radio ad

[DogPoundPup]

Source: Examiner.com

RICHMOND, Va. - Democrat Barack Obama has a famous, twangy voice speaking for him in Virginia's mountains: bluegrass music legend Ralph Stanley.

The Grammy-winning pioneer of the high lonesome sound of Appalachian music is featured in a new radio ad for Obama's presidential campaign playing across southwestern Virginia, Stanley's home.

Obama is fiercely contesting the region covered mostly by the mountainous, coal-mining, rural and largely white 9th Congressional District. Though Obama crushed rival Hillary Clinton in Virginia's February Democratic primary, Clinton won 65 percent of the vote.

Obama has visited Southside and southwestern Virginia at least three times since June, and his running mate, Joe Biden, addressed a mine workers union picnic in the heart of the district last month.

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/a-1618448~Bluegrass_legend_Stan...

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cont'd...
With banjos picking in the background, Stanley opens the folksy 60-second ad with, "Howdy, friends ..." He claims Obama will cut taxes for "everyday folks" and invest in rural areas to keep children from leaving home to find jobs.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

1. Here's the audio

http://e1.video.blip.tv/1040005601740/Tpmtv-ObamaRadioA...

[DogPoundPup]

4. Thank You ~ n/t

[demnan]

2. Mudcat Saunders scored one for Obama

n/t

[GoddessOfGuinness]

3. Ralph Stanley is a fantastic musician!

I'm so glad he's on our side!

[TomInTib]

6. He's playing here on Sunday, and I will be there.

http://www.strictlybluegrass.com/

[GoddessOfGuinness]

9. Ooo...Iris DeMent is singing later on...

Makes me wish I was over there!

[TomInTib]

12. I love Iris. And the whole thing is free.

One guy bankrolls the entire weekend.

This event is the coolest deal in the Bay Area.

[Lance_Boyle]

5. Holy New Math, Batman!

"Though Obama crushed rival Hillary Clinton in Virginia's February Democratic primary, Clinton won 65 percent of the vote."

So are we to assume that Obama garnered more than 65% of the vote? And I guess *substantially* more, as he "crushed" Clinton, according to the article.

[boobooday]

7. I love it!

Perfect. Very well done.

[BigAnth]

8. God bless you Dr. Ralph Stanley!

I'm hoping that this could make a real difference in the Appalachian area.

[LeftHander]

10. The "Sofa in the Lawn" voting segment could tip the election.

lol

[greyghost]

13. It would SW of here.

[Wickerman]

11. Very good, Dr. Stanley!

[The Stranger]

14. I keep reading and re-reading this sentence over and over, and still can't understand it.

Though Obama crushed rival Hillary Clinton in Virginia's February Democratic primary, Clinton won 65 percent of the vote.

Help me, please.

[klook]

15. You're right, that sentence is scrambled.

They're probably referring to the fact that Obama won the state overall, while Clinton did very well in several of the counties in the mountainous southwestern part of the state.

At any rate, ain't it great that Ralph Stanley is supporting Obama and backing it up with a radio ad?!?!?! He's one of their own, having been born in McClure and living now in Dickenson County. He is the perfect guy to help put Virginia in the Obama column.

I just listened to the ad here, and it's great. I love this guy!!

[canetoad]

16. Love Ralph Stanley's music

and in rememberance of John McCain I am playing 'Old Man's Tears' right now.

[roguevalley]

17. I grew up with Ralph Stanley. This is awesome.

[phiddle]

18. This is big in other areas, as well:

Kentucky is probably out of reach, but this could help in W. VA, PA, and the NC Piedmont.

[Ian David]

19. What happened to Music Row Democrats? Their website is down.

http://www.musicrowdemocrats.com /



See also:

Music Row Democrats working with the 50 State Strategy. I love this idea.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Music Row Democrats: "I'm takin' my country back"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[grammysandie]

20. Holy cow

That's great!

[jbane]

21. I'm from SW Virginia and I'm kinda suprised.

I still think McCain will win in Va. but you can forget about Gilmore. Warner will be the next senator no doubt about that.
Gilmore could not get elected mayor of Richmond.

[Bake]

22. Thank you, Ralph!!!

I'm on a banjo/bluegrass listserv, and some of the members are just furious that Stanley did this! My idiot brother, e.g., commented, "And to think, I used to like Ralph ..."

A lot of us still do, bro, a lot of us still do (and even more so now!).

Bake

[Bake]

23. Anybody have a different link?

The one given above is blocked at my office (ooh, the dreaded video sharing ...) and I'm dying to hear the ad!

Bake