Clinch Mountain Echo

Clinch Mountain Boys Timeline (1967-2016)

This is just a temporary page with an attempt at identifying the 'major' line-ups after Carter Stanley passed away on the 1st Dec 1966. It definitely has errors... which will get ironed out in due course.


Personnel: 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Ralph Stanley
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
George Shuffler
Larry Sparks
Joe Isaacs
Jack Cooke
Ron Thomason
Roy Lee Centers
Ricky Skaggs
Keith Whitley
Mike Johnson
Ricky Lee
Wayne Lewis
Dan Marshall
Troy 'Renfro' Profitt
Curley Lambert
Jnr Blankenship
Charlie Sizemore
Henry Moore
Sammy Adkins
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Ernie Thacker
Art Stamper
Kenneth Davis
James Alan Shelton
Steve Sparkman
James Price
John Rigsby
Ralph II Stanley
Todd Meade
Dewey Brown
Nathan Stanley
Audey Ratliff
Jimmy Cameron
Jarrod Church
Mitchell Van Dyke
Randall Hibbits
Alex Hibbits

Notes:

These are just notes relating to the timeline... biographies/discographies will be added under the "CMBs" section at a later date...


Go To Top Of Page [1] Show mentioned in the April 1990 editon of Bluegrass limited. https://youtu.be/EDQ0RS0N3Lo?t=9m59s
[2] Ralph Stanley & Eddie Dean's 'Man Of Constant Sorrow' book (p. 403). 'The Tennessean' 27th March 1990; and 'Courier Journal' 27th March 1990, 4th August 1988 and 9th Sept 1988.
[3] http://bluegrasstoday.com/mitchell-van-dyke-leaves-ralph-stanley/
[4] Bluegrass Unlimited (July 2003) article "The Death Of Roy Lee Centers" by Kenneth D. Tunnell and Terry C. Cox which is available as a pdf from the author at: http://works.bepress.com/ken_tunnell/28/
[5] http://bluegrasstoday.com/banjo-swap-for-the-clinch-mountain-boys/
[6] Fred Bartenstein compering at the 'Stanley Brothers Story' at Carlton Haney's 1969 Camp Springs festival says this is when the band went back to work following Carter's death: http://frobbi.org/audio/landreth/Reidsville1969/69ReidsvilleStanleyStory.html
[7] Ralph Stanley's "Song & Memory Book Vol. 2" (p.40).
[8] John Wright's "Traveling The High Way Home" book (p.137).
[9] http://bluegrasstoday.com/james-alan-shelton-remembers-george-shuffler/
[10] Ralph Stanley's "Song & Memory Book Vol. 2" (p.37 & 39).
[11] http://frobbi.org/audio/ivor/Stanley-1994/index.html
[12] Melvin's letter to the Carter Stanley Memorial Issue of the fan club 'Stanley Standard'. Liner notes to The Goins Brothers - 'Bluegrass Hits Old & New' (REM LP-1041) 1969.
[13] 'General Store' Bluegrass Unlimited (October 2013).
[14] Bluegrass Unlimited, Feb. 1976 - 'Curley Lambert: Bluegrass Evergreen' by Ivan M. Tribe. (p. 14)
[15] Liner notes to the 4xCD set 1971 - 1973 (Rebel) 1995.
[16] Neil Rosenberg and Charles K. Wolfe 'The Music Of Bill Monroe' (p. 201)
[17] Bluegrass Unlimited June 1977 'The Marshall Family' article by Glenn Roberts Jr.(p.20)
[18] See the Steam Powered Preservation Society tape 'spps-anon001-C144-Flatt-Stanley1978' http://thespps.org/music/
[19] A show recorded 'Live At The Barbican' in early Nov. 2003 as part of the "Way Beyond Nashville" festival. It was broadcast on Feb. 27th 2004 and repeated on 30th Dec 2004 in a evening country/bluegrass 'splurge' that included the 'Down From The Mountain' film, Gillian Welch, Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss and a documentary 'Lost Highway: The Story Of Country Music'. The live set with Ralph was briefly on youtube and was was shot in a brown 'duotone' style. The evening's entertainment was preceded with an episode of Patrik McGoohan's "The Prisoner" - perfect! BCNU. http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcfour/2004-12-30#at-20.00
[20] An excellent 2 hour plus performance from the Bluegrass Cafe, Santa Monica CA, 18th April 1983. It's really neat to see the CMB's in a smal club setting - having a lot of fun! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmQ3BbV_IIQ
[21] Ralph Stanley's "Song & Memory Book Vol. 3" (p.52).
[22] James says he left in 2004: http://www.fiddlehangout.com/archive/6896 but as Todd Meade is on [19], he must have left towards the end of 2003.
[23] Pickin' magazine (August 1977) article - "Dr" Ralph Stanley by Larry Mitchell (p. 4 - 14)
[24] Comment from Tom Hale on one of my youtube videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFwGb_KsRw0
[25] See http://ratliffmandolins.com/ralphstanley.html
[26] Liner notes to John Rigsby - 'Forks Of The Ivy' (Hay Holler HH-CD-1350) 2000.
[27] James Alan Shelton - 'Clinch Mountain Guitar' booklet (p. 4) accompanying the DVD (Flatpicking Guitar Magazine FGM 1013).
[28] Dr. Ralph Stanley's 33rd Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival Program (p.63)
[29] John Wright's "Traveling The High Way Home" book (p.96-97).
[30] Ralph Stanley - Live at Watermelon Park, Berryville, Virginia 1969 (Stanleytone) CD.
[31] Bill Conger interview with Charlie Sizemore, Bluegrass Unlimited (Feb. 2012) (p.20).
[32] Paul Morris interview with Charlie Sizemore, Bluegrass Unlimited (May 1986) (p.28). From the Bluegrass Unlimited gig listings, the show on the 19th Nov 1977 was at '4-H Building' Greenfield, IN. with Ralph, The Goins Brothers and Joe Jenkins. Charlie was playing lead guitar with The Goins Brothers. The next advertised gig by Ralph was at the Myrtle Beach SC festival on 25th Nov, where JD Crowe was also on the bill (25th-26th Nov). Charlie is thought to have joined shortly after this festival, which featured Jr Blankenship on lead vocal and Danny Marshall on lead guitar.
[33] Ricky Skaggs' "Kentucky Traveler" book (p.98, 104-5). Ricky says they took part in the Stanley Brother story at Camp Springs, but in their eagerness to join up, they travelled to the Frontier Ranch festival. I think Ricky may have the details slightly out - A Bluegrass Unlimited advert from April 1970 shows Ralph appearing at Frontier Ranch, OH June 28th, Carlton Haney's Berryville festival 3-5th July and Camp Springs 4-6th Sept 1970.
[34] http://frobbi.org/audio/ivor/Stanley-1991/index.html
[35] http://kledispatches.ky.gov/Documents/0414_officer_sparkman_versailles.pdf
[36] John Wright's "Traveling The High Way Home" book (p.117).
[37] Liner notes to Poor Ramber (King) 2002.
[38] http://www.nathanstanleymusic.com/bio.htm
[39] Ralph Stanley's "Song & Memory Book Vol. 3" (p.51).
[40] Chris Skinker's liner notes to Ernie Thacker, Junior Blankenship Band - Tennessee Blues
[41] http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/article.asp?xid=1075
[42] John Wright's "Traveling The High Way Home" book (p.141 & 150).
[43] Chris Stuart's interview in Bluegrass Unlimited (Aug. 2011) - also says that Ron played on the Second Generation Bluegrass album, which I think is typo. (i.e. it should have been the earlier Tribute To The Stanley Brothers).
[44] http://bluegrasstoday.com/another-banjo-swap-for-the-clinch-mountain-boys/
[45] eg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebMWhD480NA
[46] See the Way Out West CD entry.