Ralph White | |
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Background information | |
Born | July 9, 1952 |
Origin | Austin, Texas |
Genres | Old-time, Country, Folk, Blues, Cajun |
Occupation | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Fiddle, banjo, accordion, mbira |
Years active | 1970s-present |
Labels | Altco Recordings, Self Sabotage Records, Feeding Tube Records, Monofonus Press, Mystra Records |
Website | www |
Ralph E. White III (born July 9, 1952)[1] is a musician from Austin, Texas who has drawn inspiration from traditional blues, old-time country, rock, African and Cajun music, among other traditions. He principally plays banjo, fiddle, accordion, guitar, kalimba and mbira. He was a founding member of the innovative and influential[2][3][4] Austin trio the Bad Livers, formed in 1990 with banjoist and singer/songwriter Danny Barnes and bass and tuba player Mark Rubin. During the early 1990s, "White's sizzling dexterity on fiddle and accordion" was a "cornerstone of their buzz."[5]
White left the Bad Livers in late 1996,[6] and embarked on a solo career. White was later chosen by Kevin Curtin of the Austin Chronicle as the best strings player of 2015.[7] While the style of music he plays is difficult to categorize, No Depression concluded that "White has invented a type of music that sounds traditional while also being refreshingly new."[8]