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Various Artists - Civil War Memories

(Wango CD-128) 2005

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This 53:34 min compilation of Civil War related material includes The Vacant Chair by Ralph where he sings the opening and closing parts a cappella and Ray Davis adds his Dying Soldier spoken word monologue in the middle. Each of Ralph's parts last approx 25 seconds... and the first has also previously appeared on the Plum Pitiful Vol. 2 CD.

The session took place in 1996, with Davis presumably adding his part seperately.

There is some overlap with the other Wango compilation CDs, but the material is consistently good. My copy does however have a pressing fault which means some tracks have clicks.

Ralph later re-recorded The Vacant Chair with a band on the V/A - Divided & United compilation in 2013. The song first appeared in the 'Worcester Spy' newspaper around Thanksgiving 1861. It was written to commemorate the death of Lieutentant John William Grout of the 15th Massachusetts Infantry, who was killed at the Battle Of Ball's Bluff.

Thanks to Todd Gracyk for sending me this one!