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Nathan & Ralph Stanley - He Suffered For My Reward

(III Generation Records TGR-0701) 2007

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Grandson Nathan was just 14 and grandpa Ralph had turned 80 when this Gospel album was recorded at Maggard Sound in Big Stone Gap, Va. It was Nathan's second release, having recorded his debut Sandy Ridge CD a couple of years earlier.

Judy and Dan Marshall from The Marshall Family provide harmony vocals, which work particularly nicely on the tracks where Ralph sings lead and add a touch of class through out.

Nathan's vocals are, pretty good too, especially for a 14 year old. I'm not much of a fan of his vocals generally, but you've got to give credit where credit's due...

Nathan's He Suffered For My Reward was later re-recorded by Ralph in 2010 on his A Mother's Prayer album. The melody reminds me of All The Good Times, Are Past And Gone...

From the liner notes - Nathan commenting on the three songs he wrote says:- "I know for a fact that the Lord gave me these songs, because I was sitting up one morning around 4:00 am and the words to these Gospel songs started coming to me. So I give Him Praise for that."

Two of the recordings, the a cappella Me And God and Turn Back, Turn Back later re-appeared on the 2016 American Icon - The Definitive Collection CD. Ralph had also sang a little on Josh Turner's original Me And God on his Your Man release.

• Ralph Stanley: vocals
• Nathan Stanley: mandolin, vocals
• Dewey Brown: fiddle
• Jack Cooke: bass
• James Alan Shelton: lead guitar
• Steve Sparkman: banjo