Ralph White

Ralph E. White III (born July 9, 1952) 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 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." After leaving the Bad Livers in late 1996, White embarked on a solo career. Since then, he has become a legendary Austin musician, and was chosen by Kevin Curtin of the Austin Chronicle as the best strings player of 2015. 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."