Clinch Mountain Echo

CMB Birthdays this month:

06 Dec 1936 - Jack Cooke. Born 'Vernon Crawford Cooke' in Dorchester, Wise, Virginia.

07 Dec 1955 - Sammy Adkins.

07 Dec 1931 - Bobby Osborne. Hyden, Kentucky.

16 Dec 1923 - Jay Hughes. St. Paul, Virginia.

17 Dec 1935 - Bill Napier. Born 'Billy Edward Napier' in Wise, Virginia.

20 Dec 1935 - Chubby Anthony. Born 'Donald Lee Anthony' in Lincolnton, North Carolina.

25 Dec 1919 - Curly Seckler. Born 'John Ray Sechler' in China Grove, North Carolina.

30 Dec 1933 - Melvin Goins. Born 'Melvin Glen Goins' in Bluefield, Mercer, West Virginia.

30 Dec 1943 - Claude 'Buddy' Moore. Born Claude Moore in Pike, Kentucky.

31 Dec 1934 - Ralph 'Joe' Meadows. Born 'Ralph Joe Meadows' in Basin, Wyoming County, West Virginia.


In Memoriam:

01 Dec 1966 - Carter Stanley. Bristol, Virginia.

01 Dec 2009 - Ralph 'Hank' Smith. West Liberty, Kentucky.

02 Dec 2009 - Jack Cooke. Norton, Virginia.

15 Dec 1990 - Henry Dockery. South Carolina.

27 Dec 2013 - Al Elliott. Kingsport, Tennessee.

27 Dec 2017 - Curly Seckler. Nashville, Tennessee.

28 Dec 1977 - Leslie Keith. Tucson, Pima, Arizona.


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

Ralph II ralph2.com

Spotlight on:-

Ralph Stanley Featuring Ricky Skaggs & Keith Whitley
(One Media Publishing no #)


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Clinch Mountain Echo

The Stanley Brothers - Sunny Side Of The Mountain / Shenandoah Waltz

(King 5291) Dec 1959


Sunny Side Of The Mountain

This 7" was recorded during the sessions for the Stanley's Sing Everybody's Country Favorites LP, which was released the following June.

'Billboard' magazine reviewed the disc in their 15th Dec 1959 edition, making it one of their 'Spotlight Winners Of The Week'. The single was described thus:- 'Sunny Side Of The Mountain' is a happy, ranchero-styled novelty. The boys sing it in mountain style over good, plucked string accompaniment. 'Shenandoah Waltz' tells the story of a girl who's waiting for her true love in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Spins of both should please c&w devotees.[1]

Sunny Side Of The Mountain had been recorded by Hank Snow (as Hank 'The Singing Ranger') circa 1946/7[2] and Lester Flatt sang it whilst with Bill Monroe on the Dec '46 - July '47 Grand Ol' Opry broadcasts. Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper also recorded the song in 1951[3] but according to Gary B. Reid, it was probably Hawkshaw Hawkins 1951 version for King which was the source, as many of the songs recorded at the same session were also from the repertoire of other King artists.[4] The flipside, Shenandoah Waltz, had similiarly been recorded for King by Clyde Moody in 1947.[5]

Both sides of the 7" can now be found on The Early Starday/King Years, 1958-1961 4xCD box set.

 

For a detailed breakdown and background to the Stanley's session, check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book, 100-102 and 142-143.

 

Track:
Title:
Time:
Date:
Original Release:
A-1
Sunny Side Of The Mountain
02:31
14 Sep 1959
King 5291

Harry C. McAuliffe / Bobby Gregory
  Ld Vcl - Gtr Tn Vcl - Bjo Bs Ld Gtr      
  Carter Stanley
Ralph Stanley
George Shuffler
Bill Napier
 
 
 
B-1
Shenandoah Waltz
02:20
14 Sep 1959
King 5291

Clyde Moody / Chubby Wise
  Ld Vcl - Gtr Tn Vcl - Bjo Bs Ld Gtr      
  Carter Stanley
Ralph Stanley
George Shuffler
Bill Napier
 
 
 
Other artwork / related images:
Shenandoah Waltz

[1] https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=NQoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA35&lpg=PA35&dq=king+5291+billboard+shenandoah+waltz&source=bl&ots=2IM9WmcuaH&sig=Z-DjvBsc3fp4DCl-UXLpFGTHVI8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjQ2tG40-fUAhWpKcAKHY-rCdkQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=king%205291%20billboard%20shenandoah%20waltz&f=false
[2] Suggested dates on the internet seem to vary - you can hear Hanks version on youtube:- https://youtu.be/ybe6fXmjEcU
[3] West Virginia Polka / Sunny Side Of The Mountain (Columbia 46493) 14th Sept 1951 - see http://www.ibiblio.org/hillwilliam/BGdiscography/?svalue=sunny+side+of+the+mountain&stype=stitle&v=sresults&filter_band=2&filter_format=78
[4] Hawkshaw Hawkins - Sunny Side Of The Mountain / Blue Skies In Your Eyes (King 997) 1951 - see https://www.discogs.com/Hawkshaw-Hawkins-Sunny-Side-Of-The-Mountain-Blue-Skies-In-Your-Eyes/release/10083580
[5] Clyde Moody - Shenandoah Waltz / There's A Big Rock In The Road (King 619) 1947. See:- https://www.discogs.com/Clyde-Moody-Shenandoah-Waltz-Theres-A-Big-Rock-In-The-Road/release/6496417

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

Ralph II ralph2.com

Spotlight on:-

Keep A Memory / Mastertone March
(King 5180)


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