Ron Block

American singer-songwriter

Ron Block

Block performing in July 2012

Background information
Birth name| Ronald Franklin Block
Born|  (1964-07-30) July 30, 1964 (age 60)
Gardena, California, U.S.
Origin| Levelland, Texas, U.S.
Genres| Bluegrass, country
Occupation(s)| Singer-songwriter, musician, producer
Instrument(s)| Banjo, guitar, vocals
Years active| 1984–present
Labels| Rounder
Website| ronblock.com

Musical artist

Ronald Franklin Block (born July 30, 1964) is an American banjo player, guitarist, and singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the bluegrass band Alison Krauss & Union Station. He has won 14 Grammy Awards, 6 International Bluegrass Music Awards, a Country Music Association Award, and a Gospel Music Association Dove Award.[1]

## Biography

[edit]

Ron Block heard a variety of music at an early age because his father owned a music store, Hogan's House of Music, in southern California. At home he was drawn to the bluegrass music of Bill Monroe, J. D. Crowe, and The Stanley Brothers. At the age of 13, after seeing Earl Scruggs on TV, he learned to play the banjo. In his teens he also learned acoustic and electric guitar. Later in his career, he recorded a solo album of instrumentals, titled Hogan's House of Music (2015), dedicated to the music store where he spent much of his youth.[2]

In the 1980s, he co-founded the band Weary Hearts, which included Eric Uglum, Butch Baldassari, and Mike Bub, then played with the Lynn Morris Band before joining Union Station in October 1991. During his career, he has also recorded solo albums, produced, and performed on albums by Dolly Parton, Clint Black, Brad Paisley, and Bill Frisell.[3]

Block has written songs for Union Station and for his own solo albums. His songs have been recorded by Randy Travis, Rhonda Vincent, Michael W. Smith, and The Cox Family.[3] Block names as two of his favorites "A Living Prayer" and "There is a Reason," both recorded with Alison Krauss & Union Station, both dealing with his Christian faith.[4]

## Awards

[edit]

### Grammy

[edit]

* (1992) Best Bluegrass Album: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- Every Time You Say Goodbye
* (1996) Best Country Collaboration with Vocals: Vince Gill with Alison Krauss & Union Station \- High Lonesome Sound
* (1997) Best Bluegrass Album: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- So Long So Wrong
* (1997) Best Country Instrumental Performance: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- "Little Liza Jane"
* (1997) Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- "Looking in the Eyes of Love"
* (2001) Best Bluegrass Album: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- New Favorite
* (2001) Best Country Performance by Duo or Group with Vocal: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- "The Lucky One"
* (2001) Album of the Year: Various Artists \- O Brother, Where Art Thou?
* (2003) Best Bluegrass Album: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- Live
* (2003) Best Country Instrumental Performance: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- "Cluck Old Hen"
* (2005) Best Country Album: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- Lonely Runs Both Ways
* (2005) Best Country Instrumental Performance: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- "Unionhouse Branch"
* (2005) Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- "Restless"
* (2011) Best Bluegrass Album: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- Paper Airplane

### International Bluegrass

[edit]

* (1991) Entertainer of the Year \- Alison Krauss & Union Station
* (1993) Album of the Year, Alison Krauss & Union Station \- Every Time You Say Goodbye
* (1995) Entertainer of the Year \- Alison Krauss & Union Station
* (2001) Album of the Year: Various Artists \- O Brother, Where Art Thou?
* (2002) Album of the Year: Various Artists \- Down from the Mountain
* (2003) Album of the Year: Alison Krauss & Union Station \- Live

### Country Music Association

[edit]

* (1995) Single of the Year \- "When You Say Nothing at All"

### Gospel Music Association

[edit]

* (1998) Best Bluegrass Song \- "A Living Prayer"[1]

## Discography

[edit]

Title  | Album details  | Peak positions

|
|

US Bluegrass
Faraway Land |

* Release date: August 7, 2001
* Label: Rounder Records

| N/A
DoorWay |

* Release date: June 19, 2007
* Label: Rounder Records

| 7
Walking Song |

* Release date: July 30, 2013
* Label: Rounder Records

| 7
Hogan's House of Music |

* Release date: September 25, 2015
* Label: Hogan's House of Music

| 2
Carter's Creek Christmas |

* Release date: November 27, 2015
* Label: Hogan's House of Music

| N/A
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

### Guest appearances

[edit]

* Songs from Twisting River (2014) - West of Eden

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Ron Block Bio". Ron Block. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
2. ^ Lawless, John (14 October 2015). "Hogan's House Of Music – Ron Block". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
3. ^ a b Seida, Linda. "Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
4. ^ Thompson, Richard (25 November 2015). "Having a Coffee with...Ron Block". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved 3 June 2016.

* v
* t
* e

Alison Krauss & Union Station

* Alison Krauss
* Barry Bales
* Ron Block
* Jerry Douglas
* Dan Tyminski

* John Pennell
* Jeff White
* Brent Truitt
* Mike Harman
* Adam Steffey
* Tim Stafford

Studio albums|

* Different Strokes
* Too Late to Cry
* Two Highways
* I've Got That Old Feeling
* Every Time You Say Goodbye
* I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
* So Long So Wrong
* Forget About It
* New Favorite
* Lonely Runs Both Ways
* Paper Airplane
* Windy City

Compilation albums|

* Now That I've Found You: A Collection
* Live
* A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection
* Essential Alison Krauss

With Robert Plant|

* Raising Sand
* Raise the Roof

Singles|

* "When You Say Nothing at All"
* "Baby Now That I've Found You"
* "Baby Mine"
* "The Lucky One"
* "Missing You"
* "Please Read the Letter"
* "Rich Woman"
* "Can't Let Go"

Featured singles|

* "Teach Your Children"
* "Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart"
* "It's Not Over"
* "Buy Me a Rose"
* "Whiskey Lullaby"
* "Do This Life"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Awards and nominations
* Alison Brown
* Robert Plant
* Viktor Krauss
* Up! Close and Personal

* v
* t
* e

Grammy Award for Album of the Year

1950s|

* The Music from Peter Gunn – Henry Mancini (1958)
* Come Dance with Me! – Frank Sinatra (1959)

1960s|

* The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart – Bob Newhart (1960)
* Judy at Carnegie Hall – Judy Garland (1961)
* The First Family – Vaughn Meader (1962)
* The Barbra Streisand Album – Barbra Streisand (1963)
* Getz/Gilberto – Stan Getz & João Gilberto (1964)
* September of My Years – Frank Sinatra (1965)
* A Man and His Music – Frank Sinatra (1966)
* Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles (1967)
* By the Time I Get to Phoenix – Glen Campbell (1968)
* Blood, Sweat & Tears – Blood, Sweat & Tears (1969)

1970s|

* Bridge over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel (1970)
* Tapestry – Carole King (1971)
* The Concert for Bangladesh – George Harrison & Friends (1972)
* Innervisions – Stevie Wonder (1973)
* Fulfillingness' First Finale – Stevie Wonder (1974)
* Still Crazy After All These Years – Paul Simon (1975)
* Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder (1976)
* Rumours – Fleetwood Mac (1977)
* Saturday Night Fever – Various Artists (1978)
* 52nd Street – Billy Joel (1979)

1980s|

* Christopher Cross – Christopher Cross (1980)
* Double Fantasy – John Lennon & Yoko Ono (1981)
* Toto IV – Toto (1982)
* Thriller – Michael Jackson (1983)
* Can't Slow Down – Lionel Richie (1984)
* No Jacket Required – Phil Collins (1985)
* Graceland – Paul Simon (1986)
* The Joshua Tree – U2 (1987)
* Faith – George Michael (1988)
* Nick of Time – Bonnie Raitt (1989)

1990s|

* Back on the Block – Quincy Jones and Various Artists (1990)
* Unforgettable... with Love – Natalie Cole (1991)
* Unplugged – Eric Clapton (1992)
* The Bodyguard – Whitney Houston (1993)
* MTV Unplugged – Tony Bennett (1994)
* Jagged Little Pill – Alanis Morissette (1995)
* Falling into You – Celine Dion (1996)
* Time Out of Mind – Bob Dylan (1997)
* The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – Lauryn Hill (1998)
* Supernatural – Santana (1999)

2000s|

* Two Against Nature – Steely Dan (2000)
* O Brother, Where Art Thou? – Various Artists (2001)
* Come Away with Me – Norah Jones (2002)
* Speakerboxxx/The Love Below – Outkast (2003)
* Genius Loves Company – Ray Charles & Various Artists (2004)
* How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb – U2 (2005)
* Taking the Long Way – Dixie Chicks (2006)
* River: The Joni Letters – Herbie Hancock (2007)
* Raising Sand – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss (2008)
* Fearless – Taylor Swift (2009)

2010s|

* The Suburbs – Arcade Fire (2010)
* 21 – Adele (2011)
* Babel – Mumford & Sons (2012)
* Random Access Memories – Daft Punk (2013)
* Morning Phase – Beck (2014)
* 1989 – Taylor Swift (2015)
* 25 – Adele (2016)
* 24K Magic – Bruno Mars (2017)
* Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves (2018)
* When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – Billie Eilish (2019)

2020s|

* Folklore – Taylor Swift (2020)
* We Are – Jon Batiste (2021)
* Harry's House – Harry Styles (2022)
* Midnights – Taylor Swift (2023)

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Norway
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* United States
* Netherlands

Artists|

* Grammy Awards
* MusicBrainz

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