V/A - Live At Lost Acres!

The 2nd Annual Lost Acres Bluegrass Festival

(Programme Audio Records 070777) 1978

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This live album was recorded 7th - 10th July 1977 at the '2nd Annual Lost Acres Bluegrass Festival', near Glenwood, In. about a month after the KET 'Bluegrass Bluegrass' TV show.

Ralph and the CMB's contribute three tracks, and there's also a version of Carter Stanley's Lonesome River (listed as 'River At Midnight') by The Hillsiders and a version of Bootleg John by Kentucky Gentlemen. The latter has a neat banjo break by Ralph King, and a verbal reference to the Stanley Brothers' Darling Nellie Gray.

Aside from the CMB tracks, there is some decent traditional 'grass on offer, with a couple of rare tracks by Lawrence Lane and The Kentucky Grass (be sure to check out their two fine albums - 'Washington's Files' (Rome RSP 1124) 1974, and '1776-1976' (Rome RLP-4134) 1976).

Another fine trad. bluegrass band, The Sloas Brothers play Poor White Folks, which Bill Monroe had got from one of the grandfathers of bluegrass, Arnold Shultz.^[1] Originally, it was titled, White Folks, Ain't Treating Me Right. Bill recorded it as an instrumental in 1971 on his 'Uncle Pen' album, but in the Homespun Bill Monroe mandolin instruction DVD^[2] Bill also sings a fragment of the song.

John Rigsby, who learned fiddle from John Sloas, later recorded Poor White Folks with Ralph II on their 'Clinch Mountain Echoes' CD.

The 'Lost Acres' festival was promoted by Norman and Carl Hammons. Carl was a school friend of Carter and Ralph, who contributed to David W. Johnson's 'Lonesome Melodies: The Lives And Music Of The Stanley Brothers' book.^[3]

• Ralph Stanley: banjo, vocals
• Curly Ray Cline: fiddle
• Jack Cooke: bass
• Troy 'Renfro' Profitt: lead guitar
• Keith Whitley: guitar, vocals

Other artwork / related images:

[1] Neil V. Rosenberg and Charles K. Wolfe's book 'The Music Of Bill Monroe' (p.164)
[2] 'The Mandolin Of Bill Monroe - DVD One' (Homespun DVD-MON-MN21) 2004.
[3] In an audience recording of Ralph at the 1st Annual Lost Acres festival, Ralph talks about having being friends with the festival organisers Carl & Norma Hammons since childhood. You can hear this set on youtube: https://youtu.be/gd4ZMlCgRL4