Ralph Stanley
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Ralph Stanley |
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King-0951 • Ralph Stanley • Poor Rambler |
This wonderful 3-CD collection gathers together the first three solo recording that Ralph Stanley made for King Records after the passing of his brother, Carter. The albums were recorded over a three-year period, starting in 1967. Members of his group at the time included Curly Ray Cline on fiddle, Melvin Goins on rhythm guitar, and Larry Sparks on rhythm and lead guitar and lead vocals. Several guest musicians also appear throughout the collection including Earl Taylor on mandolin and harmonica, Jim McCall on bass, George Shuffler on bass, and Jimmy Martin on mandolin, guitar, and vocals. A special bonus of this package is the inclusion of a 1980 album that Ralph Stanley recorded for Gusto with Jimmy Martin (four previously unissued tracks from these sessions are included here). So, in all, the music of four albums actually appears here: Brand New Country Songs (King-1028), Over The Sunset Hill (King-1032), Hills of Home (King-1069), and First Time Together (GT-0077). These recordings came at a pivotal time in Stanley’s career. Faced with the recent loss of his brother, he was initially undecided as to whether he should stay in the music business or pursue another vocation. Happily for us, he chose to remain in music. Stanley essentially had to rebuild his band from his days with the Stanley Brothers. Cline and Goins had played sporadically with the Brothers in the past – both signed on full-time, as did the youthful (19-year old) Larry Sparks. There’s a sense of excitement on these recordings of Ralph and his new band and they stand as some of Stanley’s better solo recordings. A number of songs have since become Stanley classics – these include “Hemlock And Primroses,” “Going Up Home To Live In Green Pastures,” “Hills Of Home” (his tribute to Carter Stanley), and the poignant “I Only Exist.” The CDs were made from the original session master tapes and were recently re-mastered with great care – these old recordings have probably never sounded better. The collection also comes with a full-color 20-page booklet with lots of photos, recording information, and a lengthy narrative detailing Ralph’s career while at King Records in the late 1960s. All in all, a wonderful package that should be a delight to all bluegrass fans, and Stanley followers in particular. |
Format |
Price |
Release Number |
|
Compact Disc |
$27.50 |
King-0951 (3-CD set) |
Disc One |
Disc Two |
Disc Three |
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1 |
Sharecropper’s Son |
Over The Sunset Hill |
Hills Of Home |
2 |
Hemlock And Primroses |
Going Up Home To Live In Green Pastures |
Darling Brown Eyes |
3 |
That Beautiful Woman |
What Kind Of Man |
My Long Skinny Lanky Sarah Jane |
4 |
Poor Rambler |
I Want A Clear Record |
Coosey |
5 |
Lonesome |
Prepare Me O Lord |
Midnight Storm |
6 |
Lost Train |
I Wanna Go Home |
Let’s Go To The Fair |
7 |
Row Hoe |
A Little Soldier For Jesus |
Dark Hollow |
8 |
Wonderful World Outside |
Jesse James Prayed |
Dug-gunn Shame |
9 |
Sweet Sally Brown |
Snow Covered Mound |
The Kitten And The Cat |
10 |
Love Please Stay |
I’ll Be With Dad And Mother |
California |
11 |
I’m Better Off Now That You’re Gone |
Thou Long Expected Jesus |
I Only Exist |
12 |
You Could Never Be True |
Be Ready To Go |
Medicine Springs |
13 |
Roll On Buddy |
Let Me Walk Lord By Your Side |
Footprints In The Snow |
14 |
I'm Coming Back But I Don't Know When |
The Old Crossroad |
Sunny Side Of The Mountain |
15 |
I'm Going Down The Road |
God Gave You To Me |
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16 |
Rabbit In The Log |
Stone Walls And Steel Bars |
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17 |
In The Pines |
I Only Exist |