Clinch Mountain Echo

CMB Birthdays this month:

04 Feb 1972 - Steve Sparkman. Harlan, Kentucky.

04 Feb 1906 - Art Wooten. Born 'Arthur James Wooten' in Alleghany, North Carolina.

11 Feb 1960 - Junior Blankenship. Born at the old Grundy Hospital, Grundy, Va.

25 Feb 1927 - Ralph Stanley. Born 'Ralph Edmund Stanley' in Big Spraddle Creek, near Stratton, McClure, Virginia.

29 Feb 1932 - Jim Williams. Born 'James Lee Williams' in Wythe County, Virginia.


In Memoriam:

05 Feb 1980 - Chubby Anthony. Gainesville, Alachua, Florida.

08 Feb 2003 - Ralph 'Joe' Meadows. Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland.

08 Feb 1987 - Harold 'Red' Stanley. Fentress, Tennessee.


For the Official Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys site, visit:

Ralph II ralph2.com

Spotlight on:-

John Henry
(Birdree PMC 6004)


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A Life Of Constant Sorrow
alifeofsorrow.com

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Ralph Stanley Museum
ralphstanleymuseum.com

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Hills Of Home Festival
drralphstanleyfestival.com

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Rebel Records
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Bluegrass Unlimited
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Clinch Mountain Echo

The Stanley Brothers - Keep A Memory / Mastertone March

(King 5180) Feb 1959


Keep A Memory

This 7" was released about a month before their seminal debut King LP, The Stanley Brothers And The Clinch Mountain Boys (aka King 615).

'Billboard' magazine reviewed the single in their 16th Feb 1959 edition, giving both sides 3 stars. Keep A Memory was described as:- "Sawed fiddles support the Stanley Brothers in their hill rendition of this moderate-pace weeper. It can move." Mastertone March was described as:- "Bright, instrumental side is done in lively hoe-down fashion, featuring banjos, guitars and fiddles. Good side for c&w jocks."[1]

Ralph later re-recorded Keep A Memory with Sammy Adkins on the Sammy Adkins & Ralph Stanley - You're Still To Blame album.

Mastertone March is one of Ralph's excellent banjo instrumentals, which is sadly often overlooked these days.

Both sides of the single can be found on The Early Starday/King Years, 1958-1961 4xCD box set.

PS: There's a really good banjo tab for Mastertone March in Gary Bates's (aka Stanleytone) page on the banjohangout.

 

For a detailed breakdown and background to the Stanley's sessions, check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book, pages 92-93 and 139.

 

Track:
Title:
Time:
Date:
Original Release:
A-1
Keep A Memory
02:42
01 Oct 1958
King 5180

C. Stanley
  Ld Vcl - Gtr Tn Vcl - Bjo Fid Mnd Bt Vcl - Bs    
  Carter Stanley
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Mayo
Bill Napier
Al Elliot
 
 
B-1
Mastertone March
02:25
01 Oct 1958
King 5180

Ruby Rakes
  Gtr Bjo Fid Mnd Bs    
  Carter Stanley
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Mayo
Bill Napier
Al Elliot
 
 
Other artwork / related images:
Mastertone March

[1] https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=KCAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=king+5180+billboard+stanley&source=bl&ots=7bTgwgeMq6&sig=hexq-MzpkpXzBX57wms-70N5_w0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi08Y_1n8fUAhUsDcAKHYrBChcQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=king%205180%20billboard%20stanley&f=false

For the Official Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys site, visit:

Ralph II ralph2.com

Spotlight on:-

Tribute To Keith Whitley
(Crosscut CR-1126)


CME Recommends...

A Life Of Constant Sorrow
alifeofsorrow.com

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Ralph Stanley Museum
ralphstanleymuseum.com

CME Recommends...

Hills Of Home Festival
drralphstanleyfestival.com

CME Recommends...

Rebel Records
rebelrecords.com

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Bluegrass Unlimited
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