Ralph Stanley - Gospel Echoes Of The Stanley Brothers

(Jessup MB 129) 1971

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This Gospel album was recorded at Jessup's studios in Michigan on 3rd October 1971. It wasn't released on vinyl until 1973, although 8-track cassette copies were being sold the year before.^[1]

All the songs had previously been recorded by The Stanley Brothers...

Ralph introduced a cappella singing into the band with the Cry From The Cross LP, recorded in February 1971, and it became a feature of the bands sound thereafter... but it is curiously absent from this release.

As ever, Roy Lee Centers spookily channel's Carter's vocal nuances to a 'T', and the rest of the CMB's are on top form...

Also worth noting that some cuts on the Michigan session may have featured Lynn Hall on bass.^[2] Lynn was the son of Jim and Jeannie Hall, who recorded one Gospel LP as Jeannie Hall - 'He Walks Beside Me' (Jessup MB-110) 1971. The latter LP included Lynn on banjo, Jimmy Williams (mandolin), Virgil Shouse (fiddle) and Phyllis Williams (bs); along with Jim Hall on guitar and Jeannie Hall on vocals.^[3].

The presence of Lynn Hall on bass is possibly due to the band being billed as appearing at the 'Third Annual Autumn Bluegrass Festival' in Callaway Md, over 600 miles away 1-3 Oct 1971. I doubt they would have been able to play there on the Sunday (3rd), but if Jack Cooke had done the 9-10 hour drive to Jackson overnight he would have understandably been worn out!

In 1983, Plantation Records reissued this LP and the earlier Sing Michigan Bluegrass spread over three short albums. Eight tracks from 'Gospel Echoes' were featured on Gospel Echoes Of The Stanley Brothers (Plantation PLP-56) and the remaining four were included on Sing Traditional Bluegrass And Gospel (Plantation PLP-58).

The album has also been reissued on CD as part of the Echoes Of The Stanley Brothers and The Complete Jessup Recordings Plus! releases.

• Ralph Stanley: banjo, vocals
• Roy Lee Centers: guitar, vocals
• Curly Ray Cline: fiddle
• Jack Cooke: bass
• Lynn Hall: bass
• Ricky Skaggs: mandolin, fiddle, vocals
• Keith Whitley: guitar, vocals

Other artwork / related images:

[1] See the Dec 1972 Ralph Stanley Fan Club newsletter (p7). A pdf copy can be found linked from the Song & Memory book page.
[2] See the Dec 1972 Ralph Stanley Fan Club newsletter (p4). A pdf copy can be found linked from the Song & Memory book page.
[3] http://www.ibiblio.org/hillwilliam/BGdiscography/?v=fullrecord&albumid=2906