Clinch Mountain Echo

CMB Birthdays this month:

04 Feb 1972 - Steve Sparkman. Harlan, Kentucky.

04 Feb 1906 - Art Wooten. Born 'Arthur James Wooten' in Alleghany, North Carolina.

11 Feb 1960 - Junior Blankenship. Born at the old Grundy Hospital, Grundy, Va.

25 Feb 1927 - Ralph Stanley. Born 'Ralph Edmund Stanley' in Big Spraddle Creek, near Stratton, McClure, Virginia.

29 Feb 1932 - Jim Williams. Born 'James Lee Williams' in Wythe County, Virginia.


In Memoriam:

05 Feb 1980 - Chubby Anthony. Gainesville, Alachua, Florida.

08 Feb 2003 - Ralph 'Joe' Meadows. Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland.

08 Feb 1987 - Harold 'Red' Stanley. Fentress, Tennessee.


For the Official Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys site, visit:

Ralph II ralph2.com

Spotlight on:-

Aged To Perfection
(Copper Creek CCCD-0172)


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Clinch Mountain Echo

James Alan Shelton - Blue In The Blue Ridge

(Heartland HR-515) 1992 / Reissued on CD (Freeland Recording Co. FRC-CD-645) 1996


James Alan Shelton - Blue In The Blue Ridge

Average Album Rating: 4.75
(Total votes 4)

  • 5 star
  • 4 star
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  • 1 star

Please rate this album:

James' second 'solo' cassette release is a minor gem of a recording, featuring Ernie Thacker on lead vocal (then Ralph's current lead vocalist), plus stellar backing from Alison Krauss, Alison Brown, Adam Steffey and Barry Bales.

Fortunately, the cassette was reissued on CD in 1996 by Dick Freeland, albeit with the track order re-jigged. Both variations of the album alternate instrumental / vocal cuts, and there is plenty of excellent playing to be found, with Alison Krauss adding some sublime fiddle and Alison Brown's banjo work being tastefully adept. Ernie Thacker's vocals blend nicely with Alison Krauss on the catchy original Blue In The Blue Ridge, Somebody Loves You Darlin', and Birmingham Turnaround from Keith Whitley's repertoire.

Other cuts include the Stanley's I'll Just Go Away, Monroe's Brown County Breakdown and Larry Spark's These Old Blues.

The title cut I guess may come from the repertoire of James' earlier band, 'Blue Ridge', and the "Freeman / Dearstone" in the song writers credits may be former bandmates Tommy Freeman / Bill Dearstone. (But then the BMI song credits just list James' as the composer).

In addition to the more rgular bluegrass, there's also Norman Blake's Down At Mylow's House, a showcase for James' excellent guitar finger-picking skills, and a delightful delicate instrumental version of The Carpenters' Top Of The World with guitar and mandolin.

The cassette was reviewed in the July 1992 issue of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' and later in Autumn of that year, James filled in on a west coast tour with Ralph, when Jr. Blankenship took a few weeks off to go hunting.

  • James Alan Shelton: lead guitar, mandolin
  • Barry Bales: bass, baritone & tenor vocals
  • Alison Brown: banjo, guitar
  • Alison Krauss: fiddle, tenor & high baritone vocals
  • Adam Steffey: mandolin
  • Ernie Thacker: guitar, lead vocals (a)
  • Frank Wing: tenor / baritone vocals

PS: If anyone has better images of the cassette cover for this one, please get in touch via the Contact page - thanks!

 

Track:
Title:
Time:
Date:
Original Release:
A-1
Blue In The Blue Ridge
02:43
1992
Blue In The Blue Ridge

Hall / James Alan Shelton / Freeman / Dearstone
A-2
Billy In The Lowground
02:40
1992
Blue In The Blue Ridge

P.D.
A-3
Somebody Loves You Darlin'
03:18
1992
Blue In The Blue Ridge

Wiley Morris / Zeke Morris
A-4
Down At Mylow's House
01:37
1992
Blue In The Blue Ridge

Norman L. Blake
A-5
These Old Blues
02:31
1992
Blue In The Blue Ridge

Larry Sparks
A-6
Top Of The World
02:13
1992
Blue In The Blue Ridge

John Carpenter / John Bettis
B-1
Birmingham Turnaround
02:55
1992
Blue In The Blue Ridge

Warren Robb / Sanger D. Shafer
B-2
Brown County Breakdown
02:58
1992
Blue In The Blue Ridge

Bill Monroe
B-3
No Letter In The Mail
02:52
1992
Blue In The Blue Ridge

Bill Carlisle Jr. / Bobby Gregory
B-4
Bill Cheatum
02:37
1992
Blue In The Blue Ridge

P.D.
B-5
I'll Just Go Away
04:07
1992
Blue In The Blue Ridge

C. Stanley
Other artwork / related images:
CD Cover CD Tray

For the Official Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys site, visit:

Ralph II ralph2.com

Spotlight on:-

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(Rebel REB-CD-1841)


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