
Photo: Ralph Stanley Appreciation Days, McClure Va. 23rd April 1988. Photo by Miles Ward.
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.
On this day... |
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| Ralph Stanley II |
| 19 Mar - 19 May 2005 - Warrenton, VA (21 years ago) Ralph II had a show (with the CMBs) at Fauquier High School, Warrenton, Virginia. Also on the bill was Cliff Waldron. The event was a fund-raiser for the Warrenton Volunteer Fire Company. Tickets cost $15 in advance, or $20 on the door. |
| 23 Apr 2005 - Hamilton, OH (21 years ago) Ralph II led the CMBs at a show at Hamilton Music Theater, Hamilton, Ohio. Tickets cost $20. |
| 23 - 25 Apr 2015 - North Platte, NE (11 years ago) Ralph II appeared on Saturday (25 Apr) at the "North Platte Country Bluegrass Festival", North Platte, Nebraska. The festival itself ran from 23-25 April and other acts included: Grascals, Larry Efaw & the Mountaineers, Phillip Steinmetz, Reno & Harrell, Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome, Lindsey Family, High Plains Tradition, Homeward Bound, One More River, Acoustic Essays, and Republican River Ramblers. |
| Ralph Stanley |
| 23 Apr 1972 - Newton / Hickory, NC (54 years ago) Ralph was advertised as appearing on the Sunday at the '5th Annual Lake Norman Bluegrass Festival' at Catawba Fair Grounds, between Newton & Hickory, North Carolina. The festival ran from the 21-23 April. Other bands on the bill included: Bill Monroe, Osborne Brothers, Jim & Jesse, Jimmy Martin, Mac Wiseman, Reno-Harrell, Lewis Family, James Monroe, Charlie Moore, Jones Brothers, Bluegrass Tarheels, BluegrassBuddys, Conrad Hinson Family, Clyde Moody, Smokey Ridge Boys, Country Gentlemen, and Lester Flatt . |
| 22 - 24 Apr 1977 - Romance, WV (49 years ago) Ralph was billed as appearing at the '2nd Rippling Waters Old-Time Bluegrass Festival' at Romance, West Virginia. Other acts included: Dave Morris Band, Janette Carter, John Jackson, Kentucky Foothill Ramblers, Outdoor Plumbing Company, Katie Laur Band, South Side Junction, Trapezoid, Smokey Mountain Special, Blues Mountain Band, Loafers Glory, Booger Hole Revival, Gary Winkle, Landon Messer & the Bluegrass Mountaineers, and Elmer Bird. |
| 23 Apr 1979 - Reno, NV (47 years ago) Ralph appeared on Monday (23 Apr) at the Pine Auditorium, Jot Travis Student Union, University of Nevada in Reno, Nevada. The show was part of a week-long series of bluegrass acts at the Campus Arts festival, and was organised by the University of Nevada-Reno Arts Festival Board. Ralph also did a workshop in the afternoon in Travis Lounge and tickets for the show cost $3. A review in the "Reno Gazette-Journal" newspaper mentioned that the show was hampered by sound problems, but that it featured the first rendition of Jacob's Ladder since the Stanley Brothers days, and that the band got a standing ovation despite the PA problems. The week long festival also featured screenings of the films "The Music Makers of the Blue Ridge" and "The High Lonesome Sound: Kentucky Mountain Music", "Harlan County, USA", performances by The Pinnacle Boys, and Reno Banjo Club; and lectures on the music of Appalachia & county music. |
| 23 Apr 1983 - Lawtey, FL (43 years ago) Ralph was billed as appearing on Saturday (23 Apr) at the '13th Annual Spring Lawtey Bluegrass Music Convention' at Lawtey Music Park, Lawtey, Florida. The festival itself ran from 22-24 April and other acts included: Mike Johnson & the Sounds Of Bluegrass,Skip Johns & the Travellers, Wood & Strings, Black Mountain String Band, Nightwind, and Southland Ramblers. |
| 21 Feb - 21 May 1985 - Nashville, TN (41 years ago) Ralph played a show at the Station Inn, Nashville, Tennessee. |
| 22 - 23 Apr 1988 - McClure, VA (38 years ago) The 'Ralph Stanley Appreciation Days' event took place in McClure, Virgina with Dickenson County honoring Ralph for his achievements. Events included the unveiling of a roadside marker in McClure, with evening shows on both nights by Ralph and the CMB's. Local newspapers reported that bluegrass music honoring Dr. Ralph Stanley was presented from 4pm to midnight on the Friday (22 Apr) and from 10am to midnight on the Saturday (23 Apr) at the McClure River Little League Ballfield. Admission was free. The event was sponsored by the Dickenson County Historical Society's Committee for "Mountain People and Places" in conjunction with the McClure River Kiwanis Club. |
| 23 Apr 1992 - Maggard Studio recording session (34 years ago) At this session Ralph recorded five tracks for his a cappella CD Almost Home (Rebel REB-CD-1707) 1992. The songs were: Old Ship Of Zion, It's Heaven On Earth To Walk With The Lord, I've Got To Cross That Lonely River, The Day Is Past And Gone and They Shall Walk With Me In White. In the evening, the band went on to play a show in Whitesburg, Kentucky. |
| 23 Apr 1992 - Whitesburg, KY (34 years ago) Ralph appeared at WMMT FM "Bluegrass Express" show at Appalshop Theater, Whitesburg, Kentucky. The concert would have been broadcast on radio and also featured NewGround. Tickets cost $6 (Seniors $5 & Students $3). |
| 23 Apr 1993 - Shepherdsville, KY (33 years ago) Ralph had a show at Country Music Palace, Shepherdsville, Kentucky. Also on the bill were: Larry Sparks, Goins Bros, and Timmy Cline Band, with a 'Clinch Mountain Reunion'. Tickets cost $12. |
| 23 Apr 1994 - Morehead, KY (32 years ago) Ralph had a show at Clearfield Elementary School in Morehead, Kentucky. Also appearing were the Goins Bros. |
| 23 Apr 1999 - West Jefferson, NC (27 years ago) Ralph had a show at Ashe Civic Center, West Jefferson, North Carolina. Tickets cost $10. |
| 23 Apr 2006 - Northampton, MA (20 years ago) Ralph had a show at the Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton, Massachusettes. Tickets cost $35. |
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