The Stanley Brothers - Village Church Yard / Little Bessie

(King 5494) May 1961

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This 7" was taken from the Old Time Camp Meeting LP, which was recorded 7-8th Feb 1961.

The single was reviewed in 'Billboard' magazine (15th May 1961) as "Two good sides", with four stars a piece. Village Church Yard was described as "The boys wail effectively on moving country weeper with fast-moving guitar picking on backing. Good wax for their fans". Little Bessie was likewise described as: "Heartfelt chanting by team on tear-jerking weeper."

Curiously, Village Church Yard was credited to Ralph, rather than 'Public Domain' and is a much more modern treatment than either the version the Stanleys performed with Roscoe Holcomb on the 1966 European tour (see American Folk & Country Music Festival) or Ralph's later a cappella version on Old Country Church. He later said:- "'Village Church Yard' we learned at the McClure Church. Our Dad and his brother Jim Henry Stanley, used to lead that one."^[1]

Both sides of the single can be found on The King Years, 1961-1965 4xCD box set.

For a detailed breakdown and background to the Stanley's sessions, check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book, pages 122-126 and 154-155.

Other artwork / related images:

[1] Ralph Rinzler 'Ralph Stanley - The Tradition From The Mountains' article in Bluegrass Unlimited - March 1974 (p.11)