David Marshall - Song Of Poverty

(King Bluegrass Records KB-562) 1977

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David Marshall was one of The Marshall Family, a talented Gospel act, which Ralph discovered in 1974 and subsequently championed.

Ralph recorded five of David's songs on his 1975 LP Let Me Rest On A Peaceful Mountain. He also contributed one song to Clinch Mountain Gospel; one (or two?) on Down Where The River Bends; and one for the Snow Covered Mound album.

On this album, the songwriting is generally quite strong, with heartfelt and sometimes quite emotional lyrics. Open Heart Surgery and Don't Poke Fun At Poverty pack quite a punch, while Nashvill's Bright Lights is a sad waltz, full of broken dreams.

David's vocals are nice and smooth, mellifluous even. At times you can hear similarities to Hank Williams, Keith Whitley and Charlie Waller.

Wreck On The Highway has a vocal blend which reminds me of the early Country Gentlemen and Heavenly Dream is perfomed as an a cappella group vocal, with the Marshall's splendid harmonies.

The album also features two instrumentals Revelation Banjo and Spiritual Mandolin, which are in the melodic banjo style.

Many tracks have a countryish feel derived to some extent from David's use of vamped banjo back-up to replicate the slick nashville rhythm. One of these is a slightly corny tribute to Ralph, entitled Ralph Stanley, which also features Ricky Skaggs on fiddle:-

"I don't believe in giving people praise
No one is better than me
But I know a man, who'll lend a helping hand
His name is Ralph Stanley..."

On the final track, Me And My Buddy, Ralph plays clawhammer banjo. It's not the best track on the album by any means, but it was later reissued as part of Ralph's Songs My Mother Taught Me & More CD.

You can also find a rare poor-quality video clip on youtube of David & Ralph singing Sing A Song For Carter at Ralph's 'Hills Of Home' festival (c1977).

• David Marshall: banjo, vocals
• Danny Marshall: bass vocal
• Ricky Mullins: low baritone vocal
• John Thompson: bass
• Ricky Skaggs: fiddle (*)
• Ralph Stanley: banjo (**)

NB: (*) Ricky Skaggs plays fiddle on Ralph Stanley. (**) Ralph plays (clawhammer) banjo on one track Me And My Buddy. The album's liner notes don't mention who plays guitar or mandolin, which could be Danny Marshall and Chester 'Pop' Marshall... or as David is a multi-instrumentalist, perhaps he played these instruments too?

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