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:-

Five String Drag / Shout Little Lulie
(King 5934)


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Clinch Mountain Echo

Ralph Stanley - Old Time Music

(Jalyn JLP 118) 1968


Old Time Music

Average Album Rating: 3.33
(Total votes 9)

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This album was recorded in August 1967 at Jack Lynch's home studio in Dayton Ohio.[1] In May, the band had cut half of their first King LP, so this is a 'quickie' album which, with the exception of Jack Lynch's Bonnie And Clyde's Hop, is comprised of public domain material.

A couple of singles were taken from the album: Long Journey Home / Going Down Town (Jalyn 45-323) 1967 (with some copies credited to The Stanley Brothers!)[2] and East Virginia Blues / Cacklin' Hen (Jalyn 45-335) 196?.[3]

It's worth pointing out that Ralph plays mandolin on East Virginia Blues, using finger-picks. I believe this was a novelty part of his act. Jack Lynch has said that Ralph used to occasionally do this on the 'Farm & Fun Time' days.[1]

Side One features all songs, with Ralph and Larry on vocals, whilst Side Two is entirely instrumental, with Ralph playing clawhammer on Bonnie And Clyde's Hop and Going Down Town.

The album has been released in two different forms, with the 'purple' cover seemingly the most common. The two versions are from different masters. The earlier 'purple' cover / black label has 'RITE 448', 'Comp. STEREO' and '30003' / '30004' scratched into the dead wax; and the 'cream' coloured sleeve / red label has 'JLP-118-A/B', '88' and 'DBM'.

The Sound quality on the 'purple' version of the album is not that great. This could be partly down to the recording being processed for "Compatible Stereo", a technique which made albums 'playable' on both mono and stereo systems, but which causes partial loss of low frequencies on stereo sytems resulting in a 'tinny' sound.[4] The 'cream' colour sleeve / red label version is a 'normal' mono master (I think), and sounds far superior.

Both sleeves make use of a 1967 promotional photo of Ralph (no doubt 'suitable for framing').

In 2021 there was a dodgy CD reissue of the album (Good Time Records GTRCD-1156). This is probably best avoided, as the recording sounds like it has been put through an EQ filter, with the higher frequencies greatly attenuated. The original mono vinyl (or MP3 rips) sound much better. The CD artwork is also pretty shoddy on my copy, with colour streaks & no information or song-writer credits.

It is a crying shame that this and The Bluegrass Sound Of... have never been properly reissued on CD. They would both fit nicely on one disc...

  • Ralph Stanley: banjo, vocals
  • Curly Ray Cline: fiddle
  • Melvin Goins: guitar
  • Curly Lambert: mandolin
  • Jack Lynch: bass
  • Larry Sparks: guitar, vocals

 

Track:
Title:
Time:
Date:
Original Release:
A-1
Knoxville Girl
03:49
Aug 1967
Old Time Music

P.D.
  Bjo Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Gtr Mnd Bs  
  Ralph Stanley
Larry Sparks
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
Curly Lambert
Jack Lynch
 
A-2
John Henry
02:17
Aug 1967
Old Time Music

P.D.
  Bjo Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Gtr Mnd Bs  
  Ralph Stanley
Larry Sparks
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
Curly Lambert
Jack Lynch
 
A-3
Poor Ellen Smith
01:45
Aug 1967
Old Time Music

P.D.
  Bjo Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Gtr Mnd Bs  
  Ralph Stanley
Larry Sparks
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
Curly Lambert
Jack Lynch
 
A-4
East Virginia Blues
02:54
Aug 1967
Old Time Music

P.D.
  Mnd Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Larry Sparks
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
Jack Lynch
   
A-5
Long Journey Home
02:57
Aug 1967
Old Time Music

P.D.
  Bjo Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Gtr Mnd Bs  
  Ralph Stanley
Larry Sparks
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
Curly Lambert
Jack Lynch
 
A-6
Going Round This World
02:00
Aug 1967
Old Time Music

P.D.
  Bjo Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Gtr Mnd Bs  
  Ralph Stanley
Larry Sparks
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
Curly Lambert
Jack Lynch
 
B-1
Chicken Reel
02:22
Aug 1967
Old Time Music

P.D.
  Bjo Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Gtr Mnd Bs  
  Ralph Stanley
Larry Sparks
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
Curly Lambert
Jack Lynch
 
B-2
Mississippi Sawyer
02:03
Aug 1967
Old Time Music

P.D.
  Bjo Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Gtr Mnd Bs  
  Ralph Stanley
Larry Sparks
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
Curly Lambert
Jack Lynch
 
B-3
Bonnie And Clyde's Hop
02:27
Aug 1967
Old Time Music

Jack Lynch
  Bjo Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Gtr Mnd Bs  
  Ralph Stanley
Larry Sparks
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
Curly Lambert
Jack Lynch
 
B-4
Billy In The Low Ground
02:15
Aug 1967
Old Time Music

P.D.
  Bjo Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Gtr Mnd Bs  
  Ralph Stanley
Larry Sparks
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
Curly Lambert
Jack Lynch
 
B-5
Cackling Hen
02:10
Aug 1967
Old Time Music

P.D.
  Bjo Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Gtr Mnd Bs  
  Ralph Stanley
Larry Sparks
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
Curly Lambert
Jack Lynch
 
B-6
Going Down Town
02:26
Aug 1967
Old Time Music

P.D.
  Bjo Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Gtr Mnd Bs  
  Ralph Stanley
Larry Sparks
Curly Ray Cline
Melvin Goins
Curly Lambert
Jack Lynch
 
Other artwork / related images:
Rear Cover Side One Side Two Side Two

Front Cover (Reissue) Rear Cover (Reissue) Side One (Reissue) Side Two (Reissue)

Front Cover (Good Time CD) CD Tray

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

Ralph II ralph2.com

Spotlight on:-

Echoes Of The Bonnie and Clyde Era
(Vetco LP-3003)


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drralphstanleyfestival.com

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rebelrecords.com

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