Ralph Stanley - Child Of The King

(Rebel REB 1619) 1983

---

This Gospel album was recorded on 31st March 1983 at Maggard Studios in Big Stone Gap, Va. Sadly it hasn't been reissued on CD...

Two tracks from the album were in Ralph's setlist early in 1983, Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven (But Nobody Wants To Die) and If I Could Crown You Mother. At one gig at The Bluegrass Cafe in Santa Monica Ralph plays them twice and announces that the album should be released on May 26th (coinciding with his 'Hills Of Home' festival in McClure).^[1]

When I Bid You All Adieu was written by Ralph's wife Jimmie Stanley.

The album was recorded roughly ten years after Ralph's mother died, and I Wonder If Mother Knows seems to reflect on this, with Ralph wondering if she would know that his promise at her death-bed to meet her up in heaven, would be fulfilled.

If I Could Crown You Mother was written or adapted by Franklin Viers, an Old Baptist preacher from Dickenson County. He later worked with Ralph on his My All And All album.

The Family Who Prays is a Louvin Brothers number.

I'd Be Willing To Go All The Way is credited to Ralph, but is the same as The Bailes Brothers' I'll Run All The Way, which they recorded in 1953 and which was released on 'Standing In The Shadows' (Bear BCD-17133-AH) in 2012. Ralph also cut a version as I'd Be Willing To Run All The Way in 2004 on his Sings His Favorites Now And Then CD.

A cappella tracks are: Model Church; One Greater Than David Is Here; It Must Have Been Jesus; and probably the albums' most enduring track: I'm Willing To Try.

• Ralph Stanley: banjo, vocals
• Junior Blankenship: lead guitar
• Curly Ray Cline: fiddle
• Jack Cooke: bass
• Charlie Sizemore: guitar, vocals

NB: Liner notes don't specify instruments/vocal parts for individual tracks.

Other artwork / related images:

[1] Banjo Cafe, Santa Monica, Ca. 18th April 1983 https://youtu.be/DmQ3BbV_IIQ?t=48m32s