John Rigsby - John Rigsby

(No Label No #) c2013

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This is a CD which was available direct from John Rigsby sometime around 2013.

Like his earlier Forks Of The Ivy release, it's another fine effort which digs deep into traditional bluegrass and mountain music. No personnel details are listed, but John's characteristic fiddle and mandolin work are prevalent and he also handles most of the lead vocals.

The CD kicks off with My Wounded Heart, which unless I'm mistaken, was originally recorded by Walter Adams & Ernest Henry on their 'This Is Bluegrass By...' LP (Jalyn JLP-124) in 1969.

The Sloas Brothers, who were one of John Rigsby's early influences, were probably the inspiration for John's inclusion of Rosalee Mcfall, which the Sloas Brothers cut in 1976 on their 'Memories Of The Past' (Lemco 057) LP.^[1]

Another influence, Charlie Moore, is paid homage to with a version of his Chain Gang.

Some tracks will be more familiar to Ralph Stanley fans, eg. Back To The Cross, Daniel Prayed and Daybreak In Dxie. There's also an a cappella rendition of Beulah Land, which John also later sang at Ralph Stanley's funeral.

Instrumentals include Kenny Baker's Windy City Rag and Chitlin Cooking Time (In In Cheatum County) which was a tune either written or popularised by Fiddlin' Arthur Smith (and also recorded by Curly Ray Cline on his The Working Man). In contrast, Oklahoma Stomp is a hot jazzy fiddle tune, also cut by Byron Berline and Scotty Stoneman (and also Curly Ray Cline on Boar Hog).

Back To The Cross and Dry Bones feature female lead vocals. The latter possibly harks back to Bascom Lamar Lunsford who recalled:- "It was known in our section after the visiting of a great Negro preacher who came to that section, was a powerful pulpit operator and a devoted man, and his name was Romney. And he preached a sermon on the 'dry bones of the valley'. I first heard this sung by Fletcher Rhymer in the community near Alexander in Buncombe County, North Carolina."^[2] Pretty Little Miss and Daniel Prayed also feature shared vocals, with John and the unknown female - presumably the lady featured on the CD tray artwork.

Thanks to Steve Wisner for letting me hear this one, and the cover scans!

Other artwork / related images:

[1] Other people who have recorded Rosalee McFall, include Charlie Monroe, the Grateful Dead, and Jerry Garcia/David Grisman/Tony Rice.
[2] Liner notes to Bascom Lamar Lunsford - 'Ballads, Banjo Tunes, And Sacred Songs Of Western North Carolina' (Smithsonian Folkways SFCD-40082) 1996.