(Melody MLP-17) 1969
Curly Ray's first solo album, was recorded 15th Feb 1969 and released on William M. Jones' 'Melody' label. Jones, also owned the Pine Tree label.
As Ralph recalls in his book, he underwrote the first pressing as Curly was extremely reluctant to take the risk.[1]
Unlike most of the later albums, this is a pretty much a pure fiddle album. The exception being Kentucky Fox Race which mixes in a recording of Cury's foxhounds with the band. Not entirely successful, but an interesting experiment nonetheless. Ralph later recalled, how whilst on a fox hunt "Curly Ray stopped to catch his breath and rest up a while and then pulled on my arm. 'Lord won't you listen to that music?'. 'Well", I said, "I don't hear nothing but them dogs a-barking. But it was music to his ears".[2]
The album was issued on the Melody label in two covers - green and red, with the green cover being more common. It was later reissued (Pine Tree PTSLP 553) c1979 and in a yellow cover (Old Homestead OHS 90142) 1981. My Melody label copy (Green sleeve) has some nasty looking warp marks and dimples on the vinyl, but they don't significantly affect play.
Track: |
Title: |
---|---|
Side One: |
(13:19) |
1 |
Kentucky Fox Race |
Curly Ray Cline (?) |
|
2 |
Black Mountain Blues |
P.D. |
|
3 |
Mocking Bird |
P.D. |
|
4 |
Cripple Creek |
P.D. |
|
5 |
Golden Slippers |
James A. Bland |
|
6 |
Sweet By And Bye |
Samuel Fillmore Bennet / Joseph P. Webster |
|
Side Two: |
(14:55) |
1 |
Curly Ray |
Curly Ray Cline |
|
2 |
Sourwood Mountain |
P.D. |
|
3 |
Wednesday Night Waltz |
P.D. |
|
4 |
Orange Blossom Special |
Ernie T. Rouse |
|
5 |
Red Dog |
Curly Ray Cline |
|
6 |
What A Friend |
Joseph Scriven |