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V/A - Merlefest Live! The Best Of 2003

(Welk Music Group 79766-2) 2004.

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This is quite a diverse compilation from the 16th annual Merlefest festival. It's got a bit of bluegrass, some not-so-grass, some pseudo-Grateful Dead jam-grass, barf-inducing M.O.R rock, twiddly guitar, western swing, New Orleans jazz etc. etc.

Ralph contributes Robin Built A Nest On Daddy's Grave, which he'd recorded in 2000 on his While The Ages Roll On album with largely the same personnel:

• Ralph Stanley: vocal
• Jack Cooke: bass
• James Price: fiddle
• John Rigsby: mandolin
• Steve Sparkman: banjo
• Ralph II Stanley: guitar

This live version is pretty decent, and I prefer it to the earlier studio cut, which sounds a bit sterile in comparison.

Also of interest is Ricky Skaggs splendid version of How Mountain Girls Can Love, with Jim Mills on banjo.