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 Alison Krauss & Union Station is an American bluegrass and country band associated with singer Alison Krauss. It was initially composed of Krauss, Jeff White, Mike Harman and John Pennell. Later additions included Tim Stafford, Ron Block, Ada ...

. He has won 14

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

s, 6

International Bluegrass Music Awards The International Bluegrass Music Awards is an award show for bluegrass music presented by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). Awards are voted based on professional membership in the IBMA. Award winners 2021 award winners Th ...

, a

Country Music Association Award The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs, are presented to country music artists and broadcasters to recognize outstanding achievement in the country music industry. The televised annual presentation ceremony ...

, and a Gospel Music Association Dove Award.

Biography

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 William Smith "Bill" Monroe (; September 13, 1911 – September 9, 1996) was an American mandolinist, singer, and songwriter, who created the bluegrass music genre. Because of this, he is often called the " Father of Bluegrass". The genre take ...

, J. D. Crowe, and

The Stanley Brothers The Stanley Brothers were an American bluegrass duo of singer-songwriters and musicians, made up of brothers Carter Stanley (August 27, 1925 – December 1, 1966) and Ralph Stanley (February 25, 1927 – June 23, 2016). Ralph and Carter perfo ...

. At the age of 13, after seeing

Earl Scruggs Earl Eugene Scruggs (January 6, 1924 – March 28, 2012) was an American musician noted for popularizing a three-finger banjo picking style, now called "Scruggs style", which is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music. His three-finge ...

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. In the 1980s, he co-founded the band Weary Hearts, which included Eric Uglum,

Butch Baldassari Jerome Henry "Butch" Baldassari (December 11, 1952 – January 10, 2009) was an American mandolinist, recording artist, composer, and music teacher. Biography Early life Baldassari played guitar in rock bands as a teen with his brother Buster, ...

, and Mike Bub, then played with the Lynn Morris Band before joining Union Station in 1991. During his career, he has also recorded solo albums, produced, and performed on albums by

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album ...

Clint Black Clint Patrick Black (born February 4, 1962) is an American country music singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Signed to RCA Nashville in 1989, Black's debut album '' Killin' Time'' produced four straight number one singles on th ...

Brad Paisley Bradley Douglas Paisley (born October 28, 1972) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Starting with his 1999 debut album ''Who Needs Pictures'', he has released eleven studio albums and a Christmas compilation on the Arista Nashvil ...

, and

Bill Frisell William Richard Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is an American jazz guitarist, composer and arranger. Frisell first came to prominence at ECM Records in the 1980s, as both a session player and a leader. He went on to work in a variety of contexts ...

. Block has written songs for Union Station and for his own solo albums. His songs have been recorded by

Randy Travis Randy Bruce Traywick (born May 4, 1959), known professionally as Randy Travis, is an American country music and gospel music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. Active from 1978 until being incapacitated by a stroke in 2013, he has recor ...

Rhonda Vincent Rhonda Lea Vincent (born July 13, 1962) is an American bluegrass singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Vincent's music career began when she was a child in her family's band The Sally Mountain Show, and it has spanned more than four de ...

Michael W. Smith Michael Whitaker Smith (born October 7, 1957) is an American musician who has charted in both contemporary Christian and mainstream charts. His biggest success in mainstream music was in 1991 when " Place in This World" hit No. 6 on the '' ...

, and

The Cox Family The Cox Family is an American country/bluegrass music group from Cotton Valley in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, United States. The Cox Family can be heard on the ''O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' soundtrack. Their 1994 collaboration ...

. 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 Christianity is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism, monotheistic religion based on the Life of Jesus in the New Testament, life and Teachings of Jesus, teachings of Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth. It is the Major religious groups, world's ...

Awards

Grammy

* (1992)

Best Bluegrass Album The Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works (songs or albums) in the bluegrass mu ...

: Alison Krauss & Union Station - ''

Every Time You Say Goodbye ''Every Time You Say Goodbye'' is the second album by the American bluegrass band Alison Krauss & Union Station, released in 1992. It reached number 75 on the ''Billboard'' Country Albums chart. At the 35th Grammy Awards ceremony held in 1993, ' ...

'' * (1996)

Best Country Collaboration with Vocals Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporation ...

: Vince Gill with Alison Krauss & Union Station - ''

High Lonesome Sound ''High Lonesome Sound'' is the seventh studio album from American country music artist Vince Gill. It was released in 1996 on MCA Nashville. It features the singles "High Lonesome Sound," "Worlds Apart," "Pretty Little Adrianna, "A Little More L ...

'' * (1997)

: Alison Krauss & Union Station - ''

So Long So Wrong ''So Long So Wrong'' is an album by the bluegrass group Alison Krauss & Union Station, released in 1997, and the first to feature guitar and mandolin player Dan Tyminski who would replace Adam Steffey. The album reached number 4 on '' Billboard's ...

'' * (1997) Best Country Instrumental Performance: Alison Krauss & Union Station - "

Little Liza Jane "Li'l Liza Jane", also known as "Little Liza Jane", "Liza Jane", and "Goodbye Liza Jane", is a song dating back at least to the 1910s. It has become a perennial standard both as a song and an instrumental in traditional jazz, folk music, and blu ...

" * (1997)

Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal The Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded from 1970 to 2011. The award has had several minor name changes: * In 1970 the award was known as Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group * From 1971 to 19 ...

: Alison Krauss & Union Station - "Looking in the Eyes of Love" * (2001)

: Alison Krauss & Union Station - ''

New Favorite ''New Favorite'' is the fourth album by bluegrass music group Alison Krauss & Union Station, released August 14, 2001. The album peaked in the top 50 of the ''Billboard'' 200 and within the top 5 of the ''Billboard'' charts for both Country and ...

'' * (2001) Best Country Performance by Duo or Group with Vocal: Alison Krauss & Union Station - " The Lucky One" * (2001)

Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...

: Various Artists - ''

O Brother, Where Art Thou? ''O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' is a 2000 comedy drama film written, produced, co-edited, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson, with Chris Thomas King, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and ...

'' * (2003)

: Alison Krauss & Union Station - ''

Live Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film *'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD) Music * Live (band), American alternative rock band * List of album ...

'' * (2003) Best Country Instrumental Performance: Alison Krauss & Union Station - "

Cluck Old Hen "Cluck Old Hen" is a popular Appalachian fiddle and banjo tune in the mixolydian or dorian mode (as in the score below which is in A dorian). It is played either as an instrumental or with lyrics, which vary from one version to another. One of the ...

" * (2005) Best Country Album: Alison Krauss & Union Station - ''

Lonely Runs Both Ways ''Lonely Runs Both Ways'' is the twelfth album by bluegrass music group Alison Krauss & Union Station, released November 23, 2004. The album won the band three Grammy Awards in 2006, including Best Country Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocal ...

'' * (2005) Best Country Instrumental Performance: Alison Krauss & Union Station - "Unionhouse Branch" * (2005)

: Alison Krauss & Union Station - "Restless" * (2011)

: Alison Krauss & Union Station - '' Paper Airplane''

International Bluegrass

* (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 ''Down from the Mountain'' is a 2000 documentary and concert film featuring a live performance by country and traditional music artists who participated in the Grammy-winning soundtrack recording for the Joel and Ethan Coen film, ''O Brother, W ...

'' * (2003) Album of the Year: Alison Krauss & Union Station - ''Live''

Country Music Association

* (1995) Single of the Year - "

When You Say Nothing at All "When You Say Nothing at All" is a country song written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz. It was a hit song for four different performers: Keith Whitley, who took it to the top of the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles chart on December 24, 198 ...

Gospel Music Association

* (1998) Best Bluegrass Song - "A Living Prayer"

Discography

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Block, Ron Living people Alison Krauss & Union Station members American country singer-songwriters American country guitarists American bluegrass musicians American bluegrass guitarists American male guitarists American banjoists Grammy Award winners People from Levelland, Texas Country musicians from Texas 1964 births American male singer-songwriters Singer-songwriters from Texas