Larry Sparks - A Face In The Crowd

(Old Homestead OHS-90161) 1985.

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This is a reissue of Larry's 1979 Kind'a Lonesome album with two bonus tracks. For more details please see that entry.

The track list is slightly altered compared to the original release, with Somehow Tonight and Guide Me Lord moved up in the playing order, and the two bonus tracks appended at the end of Side Two.

Of the bonus tracks, Blue Ridge Ramble is an uptempo instrumental which sounds like it may feature Mike Lilly on banjo and Wendy Miller on mandolin. The LP liner notes don't give any clues to it's origin, but a review of the album in 'Bluegrass Unlimited' says that the track features Larry Sparks on mandolin.^[1]

The other bonus track, Sitting In This Lonely Prison, was taken from an early test recording which was never released and is thought to feature Larry, Joe Isaacs (banjo), Dave Cox (mandolin) and Bernice Sparks (guitar).

Fidelity on both bonus tracks is below par, but the recordings will still be of interest to fans.

The photographs used on the album appear to be from the same festival as shown on the cover to the 'Live In Concert' (Old Homestead OHS-90163) LP.

• Larry Sparks: guitar, mandolin, vocals
• Tommy Boyd: banjo, dobro, tenor vocal
• David Bowling: bass
• Glen Duncan: fiddle, baritone vocals

Other artwork / related images:

[1] 'Bluegrass Unlimited' April 1986.