Ralph Stanley - Classic Stanley
(Freeland Recording Co. FRC-CD-9002) 1995
Average Album Rating: 5
(Total votes 13)
- 5 star
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There are two versions of this excellent compilation of live material from the early '70s. The first has the artwork reversed, so the band picture appears on the back of the CD tray and the track titles appear on the front sheet. This version also has a typo showing Death Is Only A Dream as "Death Is Only A Dram" on the track list. It also has 2 seconds of 'dead space' at the end of each disc. The two versions are from different manufacturers, as they have different matrix numbers. There is also very slightly different disk artwork.
The live material is drawn from recordings made at:
- Gettysburg, PA - 1970
- Carlton Haney's Labor Day Weekend festival at Camp Springs, Reidsville, NC - September 1971
- Unknown 'Festival Season' - 1971
- McClure, VA - May 1972
- Luray, VA - 5th May 1973
- McClure, VA - 25th May 1975
- Berryville, VA - 2nd July 1976
The 5 tracks taken from the Camps Springs 1971 festival were previously issued by Ralph as part of the Volume 1 (Recorded Live In 1971) cassette. I believe that Volume 2 also contains material that's resurfaced on this CD, but don't have any details. The Camp Springs performance is from the festival that has been immortalised on the Bluegrass Country Soul film/dvd. Roy Lee was absent from this performance as one of his sons was critically ill in hospital. [1]
The McClure, VA 25th May 1975 recordings were presumably from the festival tapes that resulted in the Live! At McClure album.
In addition to the live cuts, the CD also includes a couple of rehearsal recordings from Feb 1971 and two unreleased studio recordings (a 1971 re-recording of In Memory Of Carter Stanley and Blue Yodel #3 - neither feature Ralph and Roy Lee Centers plays banjo).
The material on these two disc has also been released seperately as Classic Gospel and Classic Mountain Music.
| Track: |
Title: |
|---|---|
| CD 1 |
(42:43) |
| 1 |
Introduction by Bill Vernon |
| July 2, 1976 Berryville VA |
|
| 2 |
Pig In A Pen |
| P.D. or Arthur Smith |
|
| Sept. 1971, Reidsville, North Carolina: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin |
|
| 3 |
Nobody's Love Is Like Mine |
| C. Stanley |
|
| Sept. 1971, Reidsville, North Carolina: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin |
|
| 4 |
Black Mountain Rag |
| Arr. Bucke |
|
| Sept. 1971, Reidsville, North Carolina: Keith Whitley - guitar; Ralph Stanley - banjo; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin |
|
| 5 |
Going Up Home To Live In Green Pastures |
| Jimmi Stanley |
|
| Festival Season 1971: Roy Lee Centers - guitar, lead vocal; Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass, baritone vocal; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin, tenor vocal |
|
| 6 |
Mother No Longer Awaits Me At Home |
| R. Stanley / C. Stanley |
|
| Festival Season 1971: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Roy Lee Centers - guitar; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin, tenor vocal |
|
| 7 |
Bright Morning Star |
| George Tucker |
|
| Festival Season 1971: Keith Whitley - bass vocal; Ralph Stanley - lead vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - tenor vocal; Roy Lee Centers - guitar |
|
| 8 |
Clinch Mountain Backstep |
| Ruby Rakes |
|
| Festival Season 1971: Keith Whitley - lead guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin; Roy Lee Centers - guitar |
|
| 9 |
Little Glass Of Wine |
| C. Stanley |
|
| McClure, VA May 1972, Reidsville, North Carolina: Leslie Keith - introduction, fiddle; Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Jack Cooke - bass; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin, tenor vocal |
|
| 10 |
Blue Yodel #3 |
| Jimmy Rodgers |
|
| Studio Recording 29 June 1971: Keith Whitley - guitar; Roy Lee Centers - banjo; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin, lead vocal |
|
| 11 |
I Think I'll Just Go Away |
| C. Stanley |
|
| 2 July 1976, Berryville VA: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Renfro Profitt - lead guitar |
|
| 12 |
Stone Walls And Steel Bars |
| Ray Pennington / Roy E. Marcum |
|
| 2 July, Berryville VA: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass, baritone vocal; Renfro Profitt - lead guitar |
|
| 13 |
Oh Death |
| P.D. |
|
| 2 July, Barryville VA: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - lead and tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass, baritone vocal; Renfro Profitt - lead guitar |
|
| 14 |
You Better Sit Down And Pray |
| David Marshall / R. Stanley |
|
| 25 May 1975, McClure VA: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass, baritone vocal; Rickey Lee - lead guitar, bass vocal |
|
| 15 |
Take Your Shoes Off Moses |
| J.D. Jarvis |
|
| 25 May 1975, McClure VA: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass, baritone vocal; Ricky Lee - lead guitar |
|
| 16 |
Who Will Sing For Me |
| John Thomas Ely |
|
| 25 May 1975, McClure VA: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass, baritone vocal; Ricky Lee - guitar |
|
| 17 |
The Kitten And The Cat |
| C. Stanley / R. Stanley |
|
| 1970 Gettysburg PA: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Ricky Lee - guitar?? |
|
| 18 |
Love Me Darling, Just Tonight |
| M.H. 'Red' Malone / Ruby Rakes |
|
| 1970 Gettysburg PA: Roy Lee Centers - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Ron Thomason - mandolin |
|
| CD 2 |
(42:54) |
| 1 |
Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms |
| T. LaRue |
|
| Festival Season 1971: Roy Lee Centers - guitar, lead vocal; Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass, baritone vocal; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin, tenor vocal |
|
| 2 |
Let's Go To The Fair |
| R. Stanley |
|
| Festival Season 1971: Roy Lee Centers - guitar, lead vocal; Keith Whitley - guitar; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin |
|
| 3 |
Shouting On The Hills Of Glory |
| E.M. Bartlett |
|
| Festival Season 1971: Roy Lee Centers - guitar, lead vocal; Keith Whitley - lead guitar; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin |
|
| 4 |
Ricky's Record Commercial |
| Festival Season 1971: Dialog with Ralph Stanley, Ricky Skaggs, Roy Lee Centers and Keith Whitley |
|
| 5 |
Cry From The Cross |
| Johnnie Masters |
|
| 25 May 1975, McClure VA: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass, baritone vocal; Ricky Lee - guitar |
|
| 6 |
Children Go Where I Send Thee |
| Arr. Charles Love |
|
| 25 May 1975, McClure VA: Keith Whitley - guitar, baritone vocal; Ralph Stanley - lead vocal; Jack Cooke - tenor vocal; Ricky Lee - bass vocal |
|
| 7 |
Memories Of Mother |
| C. Stanley |
|
| 25 May 1975, McClure VA: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass, baritone vocal; Ricky Lee - lead guitar |
|
| 8 |
Pretty Little Indian |
| R. Stanley |
|
| 1970 Gettysburg, PA: Roy Lee Centers - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Ron Thomason - mandolin |
|
| 9 |
In Memory Of Carter Stanley |
| Jack Lynch |
|
| Studio Recording 29 June 1971: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Roy Lee centers - banjo; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin, tenor vocal |
|
| 10 |
Little Maggie / Pretty Polly |
| P.D. |
|
| 2 July 1976, Berryville VA: Keith Whitley - guitar; Ralph Stanley - banjo, lead vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Renfro Profitt - guitar |
|
| 11 |
Why Me Ralph? |
| Keith Whitley |
|
| 2 July 1976, Berryville VA: Keith Whitley - guitar, tenor vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle, lead vocal; Jack Cooke - bass, baritone vocal; Renfro Profitt - lead guitar, vocal at end |
|
| 12 |
Let Me Rest At The End Of My Journey |
| R. Stanley / C. Stanley |
|
| Sept. 1971, Reidsville, NC: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass, lead vocal; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin |
|
| 13 |
Rank Stranger |
| Albert E. Brumley |
|
| Sept. 1971, Reidsville, NC: Keith Whitley - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass, baritone vocal; Ricky Skaggs - mandolin |
|
| 14 |
Death Is Only A Dream |
| C.W. Ray / A.J. Buchanan |
|
| Rehearsal recording Feb 1971: Roy Lee Centers - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - baritone vocal |
|
| 15 |
Step Out In The Sunshine |
| R. Stanley |
|
| Rehearsal recording Feb 1971: Roy Lee Centers - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - baritone vocal |
|
| 16 |
Katy Daley |
| Eamon O'Shea arr Paul Mullins |
|
| 5 May 1973, Luray Virginia: Roy Lee Centers - guitar, lead vocal; Ralph Stanley - banjo, tenor vocal; Curly Ray Cline - fiddle; Jack Cooke - bass; Ricky Lee - guitar |
[1] On the Volume 1 (Recorded Live In 1971) cassette Ralph says after Little Maggie "I'd like to tell you that Roy Lee Centers, that's usually with us is er.., one of his children had a bad accident Tuesday night and is in the hospital in a real critical condition, he couldn't be with us, so Keith Whitley is standing in and doing a fine job in Roy Lee's place."