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Curly Ray Cline

Musician ‘‘Curly’’ Ray Cline (January 10, 1923-August 19, 1997) was born in Baisden, Mingo County. He was one of the most significant bluegrass fiddlers from West Virginia from 1938 until his retirement in 1993. Cline was a member of the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers until 1966 and thereafter played with Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys, one of the most important bands playing old-style bluegrass music. Besides recording with these bands, he cut 13 fiddle albums, seven of them for Rebel Records.

Written by Ivan M. Tribe