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Ralph Stanley - The Complete Jessup Recordings Plus!

(Real Gone Music RGM-0429) 2015

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This is a 2xCD reissue of the Sing Michigan Bluegrass and Gospel Echoes Of The Stanley Brothers LPs which Ralph recorded for Jessup, plus of 10 of the 12 tracks from the Keith Whitley & Ricky Skaggs - Tribute To The Stanley Brothers LP.

It is a shame that the Skaggs/Whitley versions of White Dove and The Angels Are Singing In Heaven Tonight are omitted from this release, as there is plenty of available space. To a lesser extent it's also a shame that they did not also include the Cager Farler & The Southern Mountain Boys 7" (Live And Let Live / Orange Blossom Special) which featured Roy Lee Centers, Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley too.

Sound quality isn't (to me) noticeably any different to the original LPs, or the earlier "Echoes Of The Stanley Brothers" reissue.

The liner notes by Colin Escott are well written and informative. Colin also did the liner notes for the previous "Echoes..." reissue, the 2007 "Early Classics: The King Recordings" compilation and also won an IBMA award for his liner notes to Ralph's 2011 CD A Mother's Prayer.

The cover photo's by Lawson Little are from 1973. Another shot from the same session can be found at http://bittersoutherner.com/lawson-little-the-threads-wind-west/#.VuBnZHoniyU

For further information see the original LP pages linked above.

• Ralph Stanley: banjo, vocals
• Roy Lee Centers: guitar, vocals
• Curly Ray Cline: fiddle
• Jack Cooke: bass
• Ricky Skaggs: mandolin, fiddle, vocals
• Keith Whitley: guitar, vocals

^{Tracks 1 - 10 (CD 1) are from "Keith Whitley & Ricky Skaggs - Tribute To The Stanley Brothers";
Tracks 11 - 16 (CD 1) and 1 - 6 (CD 2) are from "Sing Michigan Bluegrass"
Tracks 7 - 18 (CD 2) are from "Gospel Echoes Of The Stanley Brothers".}