Clinch Mountain Echo

CMB Birthdays this month:

04 Feb 1972 - Steve Sparkman. Harlan, Kentucky.

04 Feb 1906 - Art Wooten. Born 'Arthur James Wooten' in Alleghany, North Carolina.

11 Feb 1960 - Junior Blankenship. Born at the old Grundy Hospital, Grundy, Va.

25 Feb 1927 - Ralph Stanley. Born 'Ralph Edmund Stanley' in Big Spraddle Creek, near Stratton, McClure, Virginia.

29 Feb 1932 - Jim Williams. Born 'James Lee Williams' in Wythe County, Virginia.


In Memoriam:

05 Feb 1980 - Chubby Anthony. Gainesville, Alachua, Florida.

08 Feb 2003 - Ralph 'Joe' Meadows. Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland.

08 Feb 1987 - Harold 'Red' Stanley. Fentress, Tennessee.


For the Official Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys site, visit:

Ralph II ralph2.com


Spotlight on:-

Families Of Bluegrass - An American Tradition
(Man-do-lin FBG001-DVD)


CME Recommends...

A Life Of Constant Sorrow
alifeofsorrow.com

CME Recommends...

Ralph Stanley Museum
ralphstanleymuseum.com

CME Recommends...

Hills Of Home Festival
drralphstanleyfestival.com

CME Recommends...

Rebel Records
rebelrecords.com

CME Recommends...

Bluegrass Unlimited
Bluegrass Unlimited
Clinch Mountain Echo

Pic. of the Day

Photo: Los Angeles, Ca. mid-1990s. Photo by Sam Dylan.


Rollin' On Rubber Wheels

New Ralph II album!


Ralph Stanley II & the Clinch Mountain Boys - Rollin' On The Rubber Wheels

Ralph II has a fine new album available on Stanley Family Records.

Featuring a choice selection of songs, the album successfully combines the rich legacy of the "Stanley" sound with Ralph II's own contemporary country-influences.

Click here for a full review.

If you're in the US CD's can be ordered from Ralph II's webstore / ralph2.com. (Outside of the US if you're address shows as invalid, use the contact email on ralph2.com to sort mailing costs/payment)

Digital copies can be found on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon (US), Amazon (UK). There's also a playlist on youtube.


...The Clinch Mountain Time Machine...


On this day...

Ralph Stanley
12 Feb 1971 - Kalamazoo, MI (55 years ago)

Ralph appeared at a 'Folk & Blues Festival Concert' at the East Ballroom, Western Michigan University Student Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Other acts included: Jimmy 'Fast Fingers' Dawkins & his blues band, The Sweet Corn String Band, and the New Academic String Band.

12 Feb 1972 - Ithaca, NY (54 years ago)

Ralph played at Ithaca High School's Kulp Auditorium, Ithaca, New York. The show was sponsored by the Tompkins-Tioga Friends of Bluegrass and Folk Music Club at the high school. The band drove all night to make the show & were paid $600. CMB's on the show included Ralph, Curly Ray Cline, Jack Cooke, Roy Lee Centers, Keith Whitley & Ricky Skaggs.

Bizarely, the Ithaca Journal mentioned the show three times in their 8 Apr 1972 edition, but with a show date of 14 Apr 1972. This can't be correct, and the 12 Feb looks likely to be the correct date, according to one of the organisers of the show. (Perhaps the newspaper mis-transcribed the date?)

12 - 13 Feb 1977 - Centreville, VA (49 years ago)

Ralph was listed as playing two nights at the Partners II restaurant in Centresville, Virgina.

12 Feb 1988 - Shepherdsville, KY (38 years ago)

Ralph had a show listed at the Country Music Palace, Shepherdsville, Kentucky. Tickets cost $6 (children $2). Also on the bill were the Kentucky Ramblers

I'm not sure if this gig went ahead however as there are other listings by Ralph at this venue for both 19 Feb and 26 Feb.

12 Feb 1993 - Lexington, VA (33 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Friday (12 Feb) at the 'Mountain Music Getaway Weekend' at Howard Johnsons & Ramada Inn, Lexington, Virginia.

The weekends events ran from 12-14 February, with other acts including: Larry Seligman (Sigmon), Barbara Poole, Inheritance, Phoenix, Just Us, Hunter Family & Friends, David Cannaday, and Ivan Overstreet.

12 Feb 1995 - Carson City, NV (31 years ago)

Ralph had a concert at the Brewery Arts Center, Carson City, Nevada. The band were scheduled to perform two shows at 5 & 8:30pm and tickets cost $12 (students, seniors & arts center members $10).

11 - 12 Feb 1997 - Mill Valley, CA (29 years ago)

Ralph had a two-day booking at Sweetwater Cafe, Mill Valley, California.

11 - 13 Feb 1998 - Berkeley, CA (28 years ago)

Ralph had a 3-night booking at Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, California. Tickets cost $15.50 - $16.50.

10 - 12 Feb 1999 - Berkeley, CA (27 years ago)

Ralph had a three-night booking at the Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, California. Tickets cost $16.50 - $17.50.

10 - 12 Feb 2000 - Berkeley, CA (26 years ago)

Ralph had a three-night booking at the Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, California. Tickets cost $19.50.

12 Feb 2001 - Tempe, AZ (25 years ago)

Ralph had a show at Nita's Hideaway, Tempe, Arizona. Tickets cost $20.

12 Feb 2005 - Dallas, TX (21 years ago)

Ralph had a show at Poor David's Pub, Dallas, Texas. Tickets cost $22.50.

12 Feb 2006 - Grass Valley, CA (20 years ago)

Ralph had a show at the Veteran's Hall, Grass Valley, California. Also on the bill were Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum & the Guest House Band. Tickets cost $30, or $25 for KVMR members.

12 Feb 2012 - New York, NY (14 years ago)

Ralph had a show at the BB King Blues Club & Grill, New York. Tickets cost $35.



Our top YouTube video picks!


Have you seen this?

Got a favourite Stanley related youtube video? Send us your suggestions!

(Note that any youtube video which has embedding disabled unfortunately can't be shown!)

CMB Birthdays this month:

04 Feb 1972 - Steve Sparkman. Harlan, Kentucky.

04 Feb 1906 - Art Wooten. Born 'Arthur James Wooten' in Alleghany, North Carolina.

11 Feb 1960 - Junior Blankenship. Born at the old Grundy Hospital, Grundy, Va.

25 Feb 1927 - Ralph Stanley. Born 'Ralph Edmund Stanley' in Big Spraddle Creek, near Stratton, McClure, Virginia.

29 Feb 1932 - Jim Williams. Born 'James Lee Williams' in Wythe County, Virginia.


In Memoriam:

05 Feb 1980 - Chubby Anthony. Gainesville, Alachua, Florida.

08 Feb 2003 - Ralph 'Joe' Meadows. Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland.

08 Feb 1987 - Harold 'Red' Stanley. Fentress, Tennessee.


For the Official Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys site, visit:

Ralph II ralph2.com


Spotlight on:-

The Goins Brothers
(Rebel SLP-1543)


CME Recommends...

A Life Of Constant Sorrow
alifeofsorrow.com

CME Recommends...

Ralph Stanley Museum
ralphstanleymuseum.com

CME Recommends...

Hills Of Home Festival
drralphstanleyfestival.com

CME Recommends...

Rebel Records
rebelrecords.com

CME Recommends...

Bluegrass Unlimited
Bluegrass Unlimited