Roy Lee Centers - I've Lived A Lot In My Time

(Vetco LP-3019) 1974

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This is a live recording released after Roy Lee's murder in 1974 and which was recorded at The Village Tavern, Cincinnati, Oh. in Feb. 1969.

From Lou Ukelson's liner notes, it seems that the gig was put together to back Hylo Brown and it's likely that they also played on the Hylo Brown 45 he recorded for Vetco at the time - Doin' My Time / Aren't The Roses Sweet (Vetco 516) 1969.^[1]

Lou Ukelson: "In February, 1969, I talked with Hylo Brown and asked him to spend a few daya in Cincinnati to do some recording for our record company and to play at a local country music club - The Village Tavern. Hylo agreed but said he did not have a band. I knew of a young bluegrass band in Dayton, Oh. that would back Hylo for the recording session at Rusty York's Jewel Recording Studio and play with Hylo at The Village Tavern for the one night stand."

Personnel is pretty much the same as on the 1968 Easterners Echoes Of The Bonnie & Clyde Era LP; with the additon of Jack Gibbs on drums. Liz Ellison is credited on bass, and I'm not sure if this is the same lady as Elizabeth McIntyre (Vernon's wife) on The Easterner's album.

Soundwise, the recording is a bit choppy, as much of the onstage banter / song introductions are not included. The performance is quite spirited, and Vernon McIntyre's virtuoso banjo work stands out. Vocally however, Roy Lee and Fred Spencer's are difficult to distinguish between, and frankly aren't a patch on Roy Lee's later work with Ralph.

Vernon McIntyre Jr. was the son of Vernon 'Boatwhistle' McIntyre, the bass player with Earl Taylor and The Stoney Mountain Boys. Vernon Jr. also later played with Earl Taylor, Jimmy Martin and with Jim McCall and Appalachian Grass.

Thanks to Todd Gracyk for the additional info.

• Roy Lee Centers: guitar
• Liz Ellison: electric bass
• Jack Gibbs: drums
• Vernon McIntyre: banjo
• Fred Spencer: mandolin

Other artwork / related images:

[1] See the Ivan Tribe article 'Hylo Brown - The Bluegrass Balladeer' from the August 1974 edition of 'Bluegrass Unlimited'. Also online at: https://bluegrassunlimited.com/article/hylo-brown-the-bluegrass-balladeer/. Doin' My Time from the Vetco 45 can be heard on youtube: https://youtu.be/eS7tHvOO8U0 as can the flipside Aren't The Roses Sweet https://youtu.be/9JdCTo6QCxU.