Jack Cook & Virginia Mountain Boys - I've Always Been A Rambler / Virginia Mountain Banjo

(Gambler 1641) c1966

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According to the credits to Jack Cooke's 2006 CD Sittin' On Top Of The World, this single was recorded at the same session as the earlier End Of My Journey / (New) Cripple Creek release (Ark 299) in October 1963.

As with the earlier single, the 'B' side is an instrumental, with Bobby Diamond's banjo and Jack Cooke's lead guitar work being featured heavily. The 'A' side also features lead vocal and some nifty lead guitar by Jack.

I'm not sure that the 1966 release date is correct. It seems a bit odd that recordings made for Ohio's Ark label would get released a year or so later on Gambler, which was based in Springfield, Va. Whatever the reason, the Virginia Mountain Boys had disbanded by the late '60s when Jack spent time out of the music business to support his Mother who was terminally ill. After she had died, a chance meeting with Ralph at a flea market in Norton in Nov. '69 led to his rejoining the CMB's as their long term bass player.

I've Always Been A Rambler was later included as a bonus track on Jack's 2006 CD Sittin' On Top Of The World. Both sides were also included on the 'Country Blue Grass Jamboree' 2xLP (Mad-Bag Productions MB-288-289) 1977, along with five cuts by The Stanley Brothers from the Cabin Creek Bluegrass Gospel Favorites LP, which also featured Jack Cooke on guitar.

Thanks to Todd Gracyk for reminding me about this one.

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