The Stanley Brothers - Stanley Series, Vol. 1 No. 1

(Copper Creek CCSS-V1N1) Jun 1982

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The first edition of the 'Stanley Series' captures a show from the 21st May 1961 at the New River Ranch, Rising Sun, Md. The set was recorded by Lamar Grier^[1] and is an excellent start to this 'must-have' series.

According to the liner notes, the show was the second of three sets they performed, and from a comment by Carter on the first set, Jack Cooke was filling in for Chick Stripling, who couldn't make the show.

The quality of recording is pretty good, and aside from a slight drop-out/tape splice in Long Black Veil is largely uninterrupted. Much of the material is drawn from their recent King/Starday recordings, with both sides of their April 1961 Starday single, Don't Go Out Tonight / If I Lose; Little Bessie from their new King single; and Wild Side Of Life and Little Joe which had been recorded in January.

Also present are old-timers like Knoxville Girl, Long Journey Home and Little Maggie; the sacred numbers In Heaven We'll Never Grow Old and Rank Stranger; and two banjo instrumentals: Clinch Mountain Backstep and Home Sweet Home. As Ralph didn't record Home Sweet Home, this is special treat for acolytes of the 'Stanley Style' banjo.^[2]

Initially the 'Stanley Series' was made available by mail order subscription, with four albums on offer for the first year. An advert in 'Bluegrass Unlimited'^[3] says that the releases were made "through a special arrangement with Ralph Stanley and Mrs Carter Stanley" and that the recordings are from first generation tapes.

In the 26-page booklet, accompanying the album, Gary & Mosie Reid explain: "This is the first in what will hopefully be a long-running series. Our purposes in originating this program was to make available to the general public material by the Stanley Brothers whch has been previously unavailable."

• Carter Stanley: guitar, vocal
• Ralph Stanley: banjo, vocal
• Jack Cooke: bass (*)
• George Shuffler: lead guitar

NB: (*) Jack Cooke sings lead and plays guitar on Long Black Veil.

For more detailed breakdown and background to the show, check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book, pages 126 and 155-156.

Other artwork / related images:

[1] Lamar is a well known banjo player from the Washington area, perhaps best known for his work with Bill Monroe c1965-67.
[2] There's another version of Home Sweet Home by Ralph on the Live At Antioch College 1960 LP. Steve Sparkman also cut the tune on his Harlan County Five-String CD.
[3] 'Bluegrass Unlimited' July 1982 (p.54)