Dr. Ralph Stanley - American Icon

The Definitive Collection

(No Label) 2016

This 22 track, 60:31 min collection contains recordings made by Ralph between 2004 and circa 2013 at Maggard Sound Studio.

Seven of the tracks were from sessions recorded in 2004 which were previously featured on the Sings His Favorites Now and Then CD. Two a cappella numbers Me And God and Turn Back, Turn Back were previously released on the Nathan & Ralph Stanley - He Suffered For My Reward CD and contain guest vocal performances by Judy and Dan Marshall from The Marshall Family. I'm also 99% sure that the version of Rank Stranger is the same as the 2013 version from Dr Ralph Stanley & Nathan Stanley - Gospel Favorites CD-R.

From the personnel listings in the CD booklet, it looks like the remaining twelve tracks were recorded circa 2011-2013, as Mitchell Van Dyke joined at the start of 2011 and Jimmy Cameron left the CMB's circa September 2013. I think these are all previously unreleased versions...

I'd argue that the 'Definitive' Ralph collection is the Rebel 1971-1973 box set... but this is still a good set, particularly as the unreleased cuts showcase the later CMB line-up with Dewey/James and Mitchell Van Dyke. Ralph's vocals are still mostly pretty good too...

The CD was released by 'Nathan Stanley Entertainment' and is stocked by County Sales.

PS: In the booklet - the top left band photo is by Fred Robbins, and was taken at the 1972 Country Gentlemen Bluegrass festival.

Track:	Title:	Time:	Date:	Original Release:	Banjo:	Fiddle:	Guitar/Lead vocal:	Guitar:	Bass:	Mandolin:
1	Man Of Constant Sorrow	03:57	c2012	Previously Unreleased ??	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jimmy Cameron	Don Rigsby
	R.D. Burnett
2	Dream Of A Miner's Child	03:06	c2012	Previously Unreleased ??	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan Shelton	Jimmy Cameron	Don Rigsby
	Robert Donnelly / Will Geddes
3	Hemlock And Primroses	03:23	c2012	Previously Unreleased ??	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan Shelton	Jimmy Cameron	Don Rigsby
	Landon Messer
4	Me And God	02:14	2007	Nathan Stanley & Ralph Stanley - He Suffered For My Reward	Steve Sparkman	Dewey Brown		James Alan SHelton	Jack Cooke	Nathan Stanley
	Josh Turner
5	Rocky Island	02:02	2004	Sings His Favorites Now and Then	Ralph Stanley	John Rigsby	Ralph II Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jack Cooke	John Rigsby
	P.D.
6	Rank Stranger	03:05	2013	Dr Ralph & Nathan Stanley - Gospel Favorites (*)	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jimmy Cameron	Don Rigsby
	Albert E. Brumley
7	Old Rail Fence	02:00	2004	Sings His Favorites Now and Then	Steve Sparkman	John Rigsby	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jack Cooke	Nathan Stanley
	Gary Greear
8	Little Boy Called Joe	02:46	c2012	Previously Unreleased ??	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jimmy Cameron	Don Rigsby
	Marijohn Wilkin / Wayne P. Walker
9	Sweet Sally Brown	02:24	2004	Sings His Favorites Now and Then	Steve Sparkman	Steve Sparkman	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jack Cooke	John Rigsby
	Wendy Smith / R. Stanley
10	Turn Back, Turn Back	02:29	2007	Nathan Stanley & Ralph Stanley - He Suffered For My Reward	Steve Sparkman	Dewey Brown		James Alan SHelton	Jack Cooke	Nathan Stanley
	P.D.
11	Medicine Springs	02:52	c2012	Previously Unreleased ??	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jimmy Cameron	Don Rigsby
	Bill Grant / R. Stanley
12	Six More Miles	03:34	c2012	Previously Unreleased ??	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jimmy Cameron	Don Rigsby
	Hank Williams
13	Purple Robe	02:57	2004	Sings His Favorites Now and Then	Steve Sparkman	John Rigsby	Ralph II Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jack Cooke	John Rigsby
	P.D.
14	Poor Ellen Smith	02:36	c2012	Previously Unreleased ??	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jimmy Cameron	Don Rigsby
	P.D.
15	How Could I Dream Such A Dream	02:17	2004	Sings His Favorites Now and Then	Steve Sparkman	John Rigsby	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jack Cooke	John Rigsby
	Candace K. Randolph / R. Stanley
16	Shout Little Luly	01:28	2004	Sings His Favorites Now and Then	Ralph Stanley	John Rigsby	Ralph II Stanley	James Alan Shelton	Jack Cooke	John Rigsby
	P.D.
17	Lover's Quarrel	02:48	c2012	Previously Unreleased ??	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jimmy Cameron	Don Rigsby
	Gussie Davis
18	A Few More Seasons	03:31	c2012	Previously Unreleased ??	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jimmy Cameron	Don Rigsby
	R. Stanley
19	John Henry	03:34	c2012	Previously Unreleased ??	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jimmy Cameron	Don Rigsby
	P.D.
20	Brand New Tennessee Waltz	02:42	c2012	Previously Unreleased ??	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jimmy Cameron	Don Rigsby
	Jesse James Winchester
21	Room At The Top Of The Stairs	02:38	2004	Sings His Favorites Now and Then	Steve Sparkman	John Rigsby	Ralph II Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jack Cooke	Nathan Stanley
	Randall Hylton
22	Little Maggie	02:07	c2012	Previously Unreleased ??	Mitchell Van Dyke	Dewey Brown	Nathan Stanley	James Alan SHelton	Jack Cooke	Don Rigsby
	P.D.

(*) I'm not 100% sure - but it sounds like it is the same recording. The version on Nathan Stanley - 'The Legacy Continues' is the same length too but a different mix. 'Gospel Favorites' was mentioned on the Bluegrass Today website in 2013^[1] although I didn't see copies for sale until 2015.

^{[1] http://bluegrasstoday.com/nathan-and-ralph-take-it-to-the-bank/}