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

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Clinch Mountain Echo

The Goins Brothers - In The Head Of The Holler

(Jessup MB-121) Feb 1973


In The Head Of The Holler

Average Album Rating: 4
(Total votes 1)

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The third LP by the Goins Brothers was recorded in Jackson, Michigan in November 1971, and released in Feb 1973.

The 'Bluegrass Unlimited' review in April 1973 hit the nail on the head:-

Good Goins grass, straight from the hills and proud of it. They wrote practically all the songs here and there isn't a bad one in the bunch. But the standout feature is the beautiful fiddling of Art Stamper who regrettably didn't make the appointment for the cover photo. Melody keeps flowing from his instrument at a rate that would make even Kenny Baker take notice. His intonation is just as straight and true as any classical fiddler, but with a blues touch that never misses. He's a veteran of bluegrass and it's good to have him back. The songs are a nice mixture of themes, all of them country. Renfro is a longish ballad describing a boy's loss and an old man's help. Poor Man is a sort of serious version of Charming Bestsy: "Rich man worries how to spend his money, poor man has none to lose" etc.

It's tempting to quote from other songs too since there are several really nice ones. They are all redolent of the legendary Lonesome Pine Fiddlers whose ranks the Goins' enlivened considerably in the 'Fiddlers later years. Suffice it to say that if that kind of good, solid 50s country bluegrass is your thing the Goins Brothers have it here and all ready for you.

For me highlights of Side One include the catchy Head Of The Holler; a plum pitifull song/murder ballad Over Yonder Hills; and Art Stamper's hypnotic old-time fiddle instrumental Glory To The Meeting House. On Side Two, City That Lies Four Square is a gospel vocal harmony song with neat mandolin break, whilst Stampers Blues is a sweet sounding fiddle instrumental with overtones of Jerusalem Ridge.

The Goins Brothers later re-recorded City That Lies Four Square on At Their Best 1981 and Run Satan Run CD 1997. The latter version also includes lead vocal by Ralph Stanley.

Head Of The Holler is also included on the Ralph Stanley DVD The Legacy Continues, from an appearance by the Goins Brothers at Ralph's 1998 Memorial Bluegrass Festival in McClure.

Like Melvin, Art Stamper was another CMB, having played on the majority of three of the Stanley Brothers LPs, the first Mercury session and a later Rich-R-Tone session. He would go on to rejoin Ralph c1992/93 when Curly Ray's health was failing.

  • Melvin Goins: guitar, vocals
  • Ray Goins: banjo, vocals
  • Bill Rawlings: bass
  • Art Stamper: fiddle
  • Leslie Sturgill: mandolin

 

Track:
Title:
Time:
Date:
Original Release:
A-1
Head Of The Holler
02:39
Nov 1971
In The Head Of The Holler

Melvin Goins / Mike Paxton
  Ld Vcl / Gtr Hr Vcl / Bjo Bs Fid Mnd    
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Bill Rawlings
Art Stamper
Leslie Sturgill
   
A-2
I Have No Mother Now
02:47
Nov 1971
In The Head Of The Holler

Melvin Goins / Ray Goins
  Ld Vcl / Gtr Hr Vcl / Bjo Bs Fid Mnd    
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Bill Rawlings
Art Stamper
Leslie Sturgill
   
A-3
Sweet Face Girl
02:43
Nov 1971
In The Head Of The Holler

Melvin Goins / Ray Goins
  Ld Vcl / Gtr Hr Vcl / Bjo Bs Fid Mnd    
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Bill Rawlings
Art Stamper
Leslie Sturgill
   
A-4
Over Yonder Hills
02:56
Nov 1971
In The Head Of The Holler

Melvin Goins / Mike Paxton
  Ld Vcl / Gtr Hr Vcl / Bjo Bs Fid Mnd    
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Bill Rawlings
Art Stamper
Leslie Sturgill
   
A-5
Maybe Then I'll Understand
02:25
Nov 1971
In The Head Of The Holler

Mike Paxton / Melvin Goins
  Ld Vcl / Gtr Hr Vcl / Bjo Bs Fid Mnd    
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Bill Rawlings
Art Stamper
Leslie Sturgill
   
A-6
Glory To The Meeting House
01:42
Nov 1971
In The Head Of The Holler

Art Stamper
  Gtr Bjo Bs Fid Mnd    
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Bill Rawlings
Art Stamper
Leslie Sturgill
   
B-1
Shindig In The Hills
01:49
Nov 1971
In The Head Of The Holler

Melvin Goins / Ray Goins
  Ld Vcl / Gtr Hr Vcl / Bjo Bs Fid Mnd    
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Bill Rawlings
Art Stamper
Leslie Sturgill
   
B-2
City That Lies Four Square
02:57
Nov 1971
In The Head Of The Holler

Ray Goins arr. Melvin Goins
  Ld Vcl / Gtr Hr Vcl / Bjo Bs Fid Mnd    
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Bill Rawlings
Art Stamper
Leslie Sturgill
   
B-3
Story Of The Poor Man
02:26
Nov 1971
In The Head Of The Holler

Ray Goins / Melvin Goins
  Ld Vcl / Gtr Bjo Bs Fid Mnd    
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Bill Rawlings
Art Stamper
Leslie Sturgill
   
B-4
Renfro Valley
04:23
Nov 1971
In The Head Of The Holler

Mike Paxton / Melvin Goins
  Ld Vcl / Gtr Hr Vcl / Bjo Bs Fid Mnd    
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Bill Rawlings
Art Stamper
Leslie Sturgill
   
B-5
Stampers Blues
02:49
Nov 1971
In The Head Of The Holler

Art Stamper
  Gtr Bjo Bs Fid Mnd    
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Bill Rawlings
Art Stamper
Leslie Sturgill
   
B-6
Music City Waltz
03:31
Nov 1971
In The Head Of The Holler

Mike Paxton / Melvin Goins
  Ld Vcl / Gtr Hr Vcl / Bjo Bs Fid Mnd    
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Bill Rawlings
Art Stamper
Leslie Sturgill
   
Other artwork / related images:
Rear Cover Side One Side Two

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

Ralph II ralph2.com

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