Ralph's '3rd Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' at the old homeplace near McClure, Va. For the first two years the festival was billed as the "Carter Stanley Memorial…" but from the 3rd year on, the reference to Carter was dropped. In an interview with Ed Munafo from 18 Nov 1993 on youtube Ralph recalled: "I started that festival as a tribute, y'know as a way to remember Carter. That's why that I'd started it to begin with and I called it the 'Carter Stanley Memorial', but there was some things that come up that, that I had to change that, so now I call it the 'Ralph Stanley Memorial Festival'".

Acts advertised at the 1973 festival included: Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Country Gentlemen, Don Reno - Bill Harrell, Charlie Moore, Larry Sparks, Goins Brothers, Lee Allen, James Monroe, Paul Mullins, Roy McGinnis, Rose Brothers, Bluegrass Tarheels, Lonesome Pine Playboys, Leslie Keith, Clyde Moody, Bluegrass Alliance, Jones Brothers, McLain Family, Mongle & Ellis String Band, and Rolling Fire Stones. Festival MC's were Paul Mullins, Bill Vernon and Lee Harmon.

Ralphs '4th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' took place at the Stanley Old Home place. The festival was dedicated to Roy Lee Centers, and his widow Mrs. Lucille Centers was presented by Ralph with that year's Carter Stanley Memorial Award.

In addition to Ralph, advertised acts included: Bill Monroe, Country Gentlemen, Kentucky Grass, Rose Bros., Goins Bros., Leslie Keith, Clayton Hale, Outdoor Plumbing Company, Lonesome Pine Playboys, McLain Family, Marshall & Dutton & the Goodtimers, RC Harris, Blue Denim, Bluegrass Tarheels, Reno - Harrell, James Monroe, Larry Sparks, Sullivan Family, Bluegrass Alliance, Jones Bros., Roy McGinnis & the Sunnysiders, Lee Allen, Glen Roberts & the Rolling Firestones, Al Wood & the Smokey Ridge Boys, and Rick Stanley.

The Hymn singing and Church services on Sunday morning included preaching by former CMB, Jim Williams.

The festival also included an address by Charlie Horne, the Ninth District Democratic Congressional candidate, who Ralph introduced saying: "the man who will bring real leadership in Congress to the people of Southwest Virginia".

The 2×LP Live! At McClure (Rebel SLP 1554/55) 1976 was recorded at Ralph's "5th Annual Memorial Festival" festival in McClure, Va. Featuring various artists from the festival, six additional tracks from the CMB's later appeared on the 2×CD Classic Stanley (Freeland Recording Co. FRC-CD-9002) 1995.

In addition to Ralph, bands adversised at the festival included: Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Country Gentlemen, Reno - Harrell, Jimmy Martin, Larry Sparks, James Monroe, Leslie Keith, Marshall Family, Goins Bros., Charlie Moore, Raymond Fairchild, Moon Mullins, Kentucky Gentlemen, Dean Casey & the Holston River Boys, Outdoor Plumbing Company, Rose Brothers, Morris Brothers, Cooke Duet, Sullivan Family, Paul Mullins with The Boys From Indiana, Roy McGinnis & The Sunnysiders, The Hobbs sisters & Bob Goff Jr., Lee Allen, Dr. Bruce Mongle & Tony Ellis with the Mongle & Ellis String Band, Doc & Carl - the Virginia Boys, Arlene Kesterson & The Blue Ridge Mountain Dancers with Marc Pruett, Glenn Roberts & the Rolling Firestones.

Ralph's '7th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' took place at the Old Homeplace between McClure and Coeburn, VA.

Other acts included: Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Marshall Family, Jimmy Martin, Raymond Fairchild, Country Gentlemen, Reno - Harrell, James Monroe, Kentucky River Boys, Larry Sparks, Carl Story, Goins Bros., Leslie Keith, Boys From Indiana, Charlie Cline & the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, Slone Family, Stanford Stanley, Terry & Carl Rose and Band, Dewey Rose & the Cumberland Mountaineers, Tall Timber Grass, Boone Estep, Clayton Hale, Dean Casey, Rocky Mountain Boys, Dr Bruce Mongle and Band.

Ralph's '8th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' took place at the Old Home Place, between McClure and Coeburn, Virgina.

Other acts included: Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Raymond Fairchild, Country Gentlemen, Osborne Bros., Marshall Family, Goins Bros., Larry Sparks, Lawrence Lane, Red Allen, Wilson Bros., Boone Estep, Charlie Cline & the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, Slone Family, Rocky Mountain Boys, Terry Rose, Stanford Stanley, Messa Grass, Ed Hamilton, Frank Neat & Bluegrass, Lewis Family, Jimmy Martin, James Monroe, McLain Family, and Dry Branch Fire Squad.

Ralph's '9th Annual Memorial Blue Grass Festival' took place at the Old Home Place between McClure and Coeburn, Virginia.

Other acts included: Bill Monroe, Raymond Fairchild, Country Gentlemen, James Monroe, Larry Sparks, Carl Story, Melvin Goins Show, Lawrence Lane, Wade Mainer, Lost Kentuckians, George Shuffler & Family, Al Elliot & Band, Wilson Bros., Done Reno, Messa Grass, Betty Fisher, Lillimae & the Dixie Gospel-Aires, Boone Estep, the Lawsons, Terry Rose & Band, Stanford Stanley, Frank Neat - Ed Hamilton & Band, Rocky Mountain Boys, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Anderson Family, Corporate Square, and Fun Time Cloggers.

Ralph's '10th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' took place at the Old Home Place between McClure and Coeburn, Virgina. The festival included a Clinch Mountain Boy reunion on Sunday (25th May) and 'recording a live album of all Stanley songs featuring Fiddlin' Art Wooten, Lester Woodie, George Shuffler, Ralph Mayo, Curley Lambert, Al Elliot, Larry Sparks, Melvin Goins, and all of the Clinch Mountain Boys that can attend'. The album remains unreleased… Also on Sunday (25th May) special guest Cas Walker 'invites all coonhunters to bring dogs and compete in barking contest to see which dog barks - treed the most times in one minute for cash prize to winner.'

Other acts included: Bill Monroe, Lost Kentuckians, Raymond Fairchild, Clyde & Marie Denny, Country Gentlemen, James Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Larry Sparks, Goins Bros., Marshall Family, George Shuffler & Family, Charlie Cline, Rocky Mountain Boys, Stanford Stanley, Virginia Partners, Uncut Grass, Anderson Family, Al Elliot & Blue Ridge Partners, Boone Estep & Band, the Lawsons, Bill Clifton - Red Rector, Wilson Bros., and Kentucky Mountain Boys.

Ralph's '14th Annual Blue Grass Festival' was held at the Old Home Place, between McClure and Coeburn, Virginia.

Other acts included: Dave Evans, Lost Kentuckians, Prater Bros., Stanford Stanley, Bill Monroe, Goins Bros., Johnson Mountain Boys, Lowell Varney & Landon Messer, Kentucky Ramblers, Gary Strong, Rocky Mountain Boys, Outdoor Plumbing Co., Larry Sparks, Marshall Family, Brickey Bros., Wilson Bros., and Terry Rose.

Ralph's '15th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' was relocated for the first time from the Old Home Place to Roxana, Kentucky.

Other acts included: Bill Monroe, Dave Evans, Goins Bros, Johnson Mountain Boys, Outdoor Plumbing Co., Robin Tackett Show, Kentucky Sage Grass, Bluegrass Uprising, Lowell Varney & Landon Messer, Rambling Grass, Mountain Tradition, and others..

Ralph was billed as appearing on Sunday (25 May) at the '4th Annual Western Pennsylvania Bluegrass & Old Time Music Festival' at Brady's Run Park, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.

The festival itself an from 23-26 May and other acts included: Tony Rice Unit, Seldom Scene, Del McCoury, John McCutcheon, Beaver Creek, Patent Pending, Slim Bryant, Tina Liza Jones & American Bluegrass Band, Coal Country Cloggers, Tompkins Country Horseflies, Dave Krysty, Red Mule String Band, Delores Heagy, Appalachian Folk, Mac Martin & the Dixie Travelers, M & M Express, Southern Comfort, Little Bit Of Bluegrass, and Jones - Kovac & Clear Fork, and Shenandoah.

Ralph held his '19th Annual Memorial Blue Grass Festival' at the Old Home Place, between McClure and Coeburn, Virgina. Events included a Lonesome Pine Fiddlers reunion on Friday (26 May).

Other acts included: Bill Monroe, Charlie Sizemore, Stevens Family, Blue Grass Strangers, Brickey Bros., Gary & Anita Sanders & Blending Bluegrass, Timmy Cline, Goins Bros., Warrior River Boys, Phillips Brothers, Hook & Beans Band, Paul Mullins Show, Andy Hamilton, and Lowell Varney.

Ralph held his '20th Annual Memorial Bluegrass festival' at the Old Home Place between Coeburn & McClure, Virginia.

Other acts included: Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Charlie Sizemore, Goins Bros., Bluegrass Strangers, Timmy Cline, Hook & Beans, Stevens Family, Jimmy Martin, Brickey Bros., Tennessee Mountain Blue Grass, Larry Efaw & Band, Arnold Hobbs Band, Verlin Sanders, Gary & Anita, and others.

Ralph had his '21st Memorial Blue Grass Festival' at the Old Home Place between McClure and Coeburn, Virginia.

Other acts included: Blue Grass Strangers, Bill Singleton, Bill Monroe, Carl Story, Timmy Cline, Sullivan Family, Stevens Family, Larry Sparks, Goins Bros., Charlie Sizemore, Brickey Bros., East Ohio Grass, Bob White & Band, Larry Efaw, Nipper Bros, and a Clinch Mountain Boys reunion featuring: Larry Sparks, Melvin Goins, Charlie Sizemore, George Shuffler, Ralph Mayo, Art Stamper & Lester Woodie.

Ralph held his '25th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park, between McClure and Coeburn, Virginia.

Other acts included: Bill Monroe, Larry Sparks, Charlie Sizemore, Goins Bros., Traditional Grass, Larkin Family, The Isaacs Family, Now And Then, Wildwood Girls, Bluegrass Strangers, Brickey Bros., Bob White, Bluegrass Mountaineers, James King, Jeannie Stanley, Earl Bull & Dusty Valley, The Boys In The Band.

The festival also included a Clinch Mountain Boys reunion featuring: Larry Sparks, Charlie Sizemore, Lester Woodie Joe Meadows, and others.

Ralph held his '26th Annual Memorial Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park, between Coeburn and McClure, Virginia.

Other acts included: Dwight Yoakam, Charlie Sizemore, Larry Sparks, James King, Bill Monroe's Band, Ricky Skaggs, The Isaacs, Marshall Family, Wildwood Girls, Bluegrass Strangers, Junior Blankenship, Ernie Thacker, Art Stamper, Joe Meadows, Heaven's Echoes, Sarty Sistes, Bill Price, Goins Bros., Vince Combs.

To celebrate Ralph's 50th anniversary as a working musician, the Clinch Mountain Boys reunion from Saturday (25 May) festival was released on 2×CD and video/DVD:- Clinch Mountain Boys Reunion (Stanleytone ST-CD-5000) 1996 / 50 Year Reunion (Neon 8001-3) 1996.

Ralph held his '30th Anniversary Memorial Bluegrass Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park, between Coeburn and McCLure, Virginia.

Other acts included: Jimmy Martin, Lewis Family, James King, Don Stanley & Middle Creek, Savannah, Now & Then, Ricky Skaggs, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Warrior River Boys, Bluegrass Strangers, Larkin Family, Lary Sigmond & Barbara Poole, Larry Sparks, Doyle Lawson, Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain, George Shuffler, Wildwood Girls, Kentucky Mountain Boys, Curtis Blackwell - Randall Collins & Dixie Bluegrass Boys, and Dale Kennedy Band.

Ralph held his '31st Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park, between Coeburn and McClure, Virginia.

Other acts included: Jimmy Martin, Lewis Family, Tim White & VW Boys, Larkin Family, Gary & Verlin Sanders, Crossties, Lonesome River Band, IIIrd Tyme Out, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Larry Sigmon & Barbara Poole, Ramona Church & Carolina Road, Principles Quartet, Larry Sparks, Doyle Lawson, Melvin Goins & Windy mountain, George Shuffler, Kentucky Mountain Boys, Dale Kennedy Band, Wilson Bros., and Wilderness Road.

Ralph held his '36th Annual Memorial Weekend Bluegrass Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park, between Coeburn and McClure, Virginia.

The festival included a special presentation of the Barter Theater's play 'A Man Of Constant Sorrow' on Wednesday (24 May) followed by a musical performance by Ralph & the CMBs and the musicians in the play. Other acts at the festival included: Larry Sparks, Cherryholmes, James King, Gillian Welch, Jim Lauderdale, Marty Raybon, Gillis Bros., Bluegrass Bros., Melvin Goins, Reeltime Travelers, Charlie Sizemore, Dave Evans, Lonesome Will Mullins, Baker Boys, Bluegrass Strangers, George Shuffler, Dale Kennedy Band, and Kentucky Mountain Boys. Saturday night also included a Clinch Mountain Boys reunion with Lester Woodie, George & John Shuffler, Larry Sparks, Ricky Lee, Charlie Sizemore, Melvin Goins, Junior Blankenship, Kenneth Davis, and Sammy Adkins.

Ralph held his '37th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park, between Coeburn and McClure, Virginia. Events included a special one-off presentation of the Barter Theater's play 'A Man Of Constant Sorrow' on Wednesday (23 May) followed by a performance by Ralph and the CMBs & the musicians in the play.

The festival itself ran from 23-26 May and other acts included: Porter Wagoner, Cherryholmes, James King, Karl Shiflett, Jim Lauderdale, Marty Raybon, David Davis & Warrior River Boys, Larry Sparks, Randy Waller & Country Gentlemen, Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain, Paul Williams & Victory Trio, Cherryholmes, Lonesome Will Mullins, Virginia Crossties, Midnight Ramblers, Tommy Brown & County Line Grass, Kenneth Davis & Scott County Boys, Dale Kenedy Band, and George Shuffler.

The "Dr. Ralph Stanley's 42nd Annual Memorial Weekend Bluegrass Festival" took place between McClure and Coeburn, Virginia. This marked the first year Ralph II took over the reins, running the festival.

Other acts included: Rhonda Vincent, Jim Lauderdale, III Tyme Out, Larry Sparks, George Shuffler, Ralph Stanley II, Folk Soul Revival, and others.