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Ralph Stanley - Old Time Music

(Jalyn JLP 118) 1968

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This album was recorded in August 1967 at Jack Lynch's home studio in Dayton Ohio.^[1] In May, the band had cut half of their first King LP, so this is a 'quickie' album which, with the exception of Jack Lynch's Bonnie And Clyde's Hop, is comprised of public domain material.

A couple of singles were taken from the album: Long Journey Home / Going Down Town (Jalyn 45-323) 1967 (with some copies credited to The Stanley Brothers!)^[2] and East Virginia Blues / Cacklin' Hen (Jalyn 45-335) 196?.^[3]

It's worth pointing out that Ralph plays mandolin on East Virginia Blues, using finger-picks. I believe this was a novelty part of his act. Jack Lynch has said that Ralph used to occasionally do this on the 'Farm & Fun Time' days.^[1]

Side One features all songs, with Ralph and Larry on vocals, whilst Side Two is entirely instrumental, with Ralph playing clawhammer on Bonnie And Clyde's Hop and Going Down Town.

The album has been released in two different forms, with the 'purple' cover seemingly the most common. The two versions are from different masters. The earlier 'purple' cover / black label has 'RITE 448', 'Comp. STEREO' and '30003' / '30004' scratched into the dead wax; and the 'cream' coloured sleeve / red label has 'JLP-118-A/B', '88' and 'DBM'.

The Sound quality on the 'purple' version of the album is not that great. This could be partly down to the recording being processed for "Compatible Stereo", a technique which made albums 'playable' on both mono and stereo systems, but which causes partial loss of low frequencies on stereo sytems resulting in a 'tinny' sound.^[4] The 'cream' colour sleeve / red label version is a 'normal' mono master (I think), and sounds far superior.

Both sleeves make use of a 1967 promotional photo of Ralph (no doubt 'suitable for framing').

In 2021 there was a dodgy CD reissue of the album (Good Time Records GTRCD-1156). This is probably best avoided, as the recording sounds like it has been put through an EQ filter, with the higher frequencies greatly attenuated. The original mono vinyl (or MP3 rips) sound much better. The CD artwork is also pretty shoddy on my copy, with colour streaks & no information or song-writer credits.

It is a crying shame that this and The Bluegrass Sound Of... have never been properly reissued on CD. They would both fit nicely on one disc...

• Ralph Stanley: banjo, vocals
• Curly Ray Cline: fiddle
• Melvin Goins: guitar
• Curly Lambert: mandolin
• Jack Lynch: bass
• Larry Sparks: guitar, vocals

^{[1] John Wright's "Travelling The High Way Home" book (p164/252).
[2] http://www.45rpmrecords.com/OH/Jalyn.php
[3] http://www.ibiblio.org/hillwilliam/BGdiscography/?v=fullrecord&albumid=15880
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haeco-CSG}