annual Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner. Between renditions of "Man of Constant Sorrow" and "Orange Blossom Special", Stanley told the crowd that he had cast his first vote for Harry S. Truman in 1948 and would cast his next for John Edwards in 2008. Country singer Dwight Yoakam has stated that Ralph Stanley is one of his "musical heroes". Stanley's autobiography, Man of Constant Sorrow, coauthored with the music journalist Eddie Dean, was released by Gotham Books on October 15, 2009. In 2012, Stanley was featured on several tracks of the soundtrack for Nick Cave's film Lawless, with music by Cave and Warren Ellis. His solo track "White Light/White Heat" is prominent in several scenes of the movie. Stanley maintained an active touring schedule; appearances in his later years included the 2012 Muddy Roots Music Festival in Cookeville, Tennessee, and the 2013 FreshGrass Festival in North Adams, Massachusetts. In June 2013, he announced a farewell tour, scheduled to begin in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, on October 18 and extending to December 2014. However, upon notification of being elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (awarded October 11, 2014) a statement on his own website appeared, saying that he would not be retiring. On June 23, 2016, Stanley died at age 89 as a result of skin cancer. Musical style Stanley created a unique style of banjo playing, sometimes called "Stanley style". It evolved from Wade Mainer style two-finger technique, later influenced by Scruggs style, which is a three-finger technique. "Stanley style" is distinguished by incredibly fast "forward rolls", led by the index finger (instead of the thumb, as in Scruggs style), sometimes in the higher registers using a capo. In "Stanley style", the rolls of the banjo are continuous, while being picked fairly close to the bridge on the banjo, giving the tone of the instrument a very crisp, articulate snap to the strings as the player would strike them. Selected discography With Joe IsaacsGospel Gathering (1995, Freeland) Other contributionsLifted: Songs of the Spirit (2002, Sony/Hear Music) – "Listen to the Shepherd"Re:Generation Music Project soundtrack (2012) – "Wayfaring Stranger" Honors, awards, distinctions Stanley was widely known in the world of bluegrass music by the popular title, "Dr. Ralph Stanley," after being awarded an honorary Doctor of Music from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, in 1976. He was a recipient of a 1984 National Heritage Fellowship awarded