Sammy Adkins - Tribute To Keith Whitley
(Crosscut CR-1126) 2001
Average Album Rating: 3
(Total votes 2)
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This is one of the 'easier to find' releases by Sammy Adkins, but it's still somewhat in the 'hen's teeth' category.
In addition to Sammy the album also features CMB James Price guesting on fiddle, and former CMB, Troy 'Renfro' Profitt on lead guitar.
A couple of the songs are credited to Sammy Adkins: the title cut - Tribute To Keith Whitley; and Simply Wild Over You. Both Sammy and Keith came from Sandy Hook, Ky. which has a small population (500 - 700), and Sammy was about two years younger than Keith. Sammy:- "We lived four miles apart. He lived in the city limits and I grew up about 4 miles out of town. We would just run around and play together."[2]
Simply Wild Over You is a bit odd, as there is a curious novelty youtube video of Ralph performing the song c1985/86 at his festival in Roxanna, but with Ralph playing Ralph II's guitar and Ralph II on 5-string... At the beginning of the number Ralph credits it to 'Bill Meade and Bill Singleton' (or something to that effect). Sammy Adkins is also on stage, playing rhythm. (The song also bears a bit of a resemblance to Larry Richardson's Wild Over Me but at a much slower tempo and with different lyrics.)
Another noteworthy number, You Left Me This Morning was written by Roy Lee Centers, and had been recorded by Jack Lynch and The Lee Brothers.[1] It's a shame Ralph didn't get to cut a version, as it's prime Stanley material.
The two instrumentals, Bill Monroe's Louisville Breakdown, and the 'old antique' or 'evergreen' Darling Nellie Gray are a bit lacklustre, but otherwise the album is fairly decent.
Oddly, the track list order printed on the artwork, bears no relation to the sequence of the songs on the actual disk...
- Sammy Adkins: guitar, vocals
- Troy 'Renfro' Profitt: lead guitar
- James Lowe: bass
- Darrell Winkleman: banjo
- Junior Stevens: ????? (*)
- James Price: fiddle
(*) I'm not sure if Junior Stevens is on the album, but one internet source had him listed.
| Track: |
Title: |
|---|---|
| CD: |
(32:36) |
| 1 |
Tribute To Keith Whitley |
| Sammy Adkins |
|
| 2 |
You Left Me This Morning |
| Roy Lee Centers |
|
| 3 |
Dreaming Of A Little Cabin |
| Albert E. Brumley |
|
| 4 |
I'll Never Grow Tired Of You |
| C. Stanley |
|
| 5 |
The Sweetest Gift (A Mother's Smile) |
| James B. Coats |
|
| 6 |
Louisville Breakdown |
| Bill Monroe |
|
| 7 |
Ashes Of Love |
| Jack Anglin / Johnnie Robert Wright |
|
| 8 |
Another Night |
| Jack Adkins |
|
| 9 |
(Say) Won't You Be Mine |
| C. Stanley |
|
| 10 |
A Little At A Time |
| M.H. 'Red' Malone / R. Stanley |
|
| 11 |
Somewhere Between |
| Merle Haggard |
|
| 12 |
Darling Nellie Gray |
| Benny Hanby |
|
| 13 |
Simply Wild Over Me |
| Bill Meade / Bill Singleton |
[1] Little Birdie/You Left Me This Morning (Jalyn 45-201) 1967: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox0Mc78DQyIThe track can also be found on Roy Lee Centers - The Early Years Vol. 2. [2] Bluegrass Unlimited May 2015. 'Sammy Adkins and The Sandy Hook Mountain Boys - Keeping The Stanley Brothers Sound Alive In Eastern Kentucky' by Derek Halsey. (p. 48-49)