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

Spotlight on:-

Brown County Jamboree
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Clinch Mountain Echo

Ralph Stanley - Pray For The Boys

(Rebel REB-CD-1687) 1990


Pray For The Boys

Average Album Rating: 3
(Total votes 4)

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This Gospel album was recorded on 5th December 1990 at Maggard Sound Studio, Big Stone Gap, Va.

Pray For The Boys by Videt Richard Polk was essentially recorded as a tribute to the US troops who were then preparing for action against the Iraqi forces in Kuwait. The song had previously been cut by The Stanley Brothers at their last session for King in September 1965 (at the time of the Vietnam war); and by Flatt & Scruggs in 1952 (Korean war).[1] Polk was a noted Gospel singer, teacher and songwriter from Baton Rouge, La.[2]

Searching For A Soldier's Grave (aka Soldier's Grave), although credited to Roy Acuff was actually written by The Bailes Brothers.[3] The Stanley Brothers had previously recorded it at their last King session.

City Of Gold was written by Larry Efaw, and had previously been recorded with Ralph on the Larry Efaw & Ralph Stanley - I Worship You cassette as Light To Guide Me. Larry is leader of Larry Efaw and The Bluegrass Mountaineers, and they have a CDR 'Clinch Mountain Tradition - A Tribute To The Stanley Brothers' available via their website.[4]

Old Man Death and Snap A Finger Jesus were written by John B. Preston, who had earlier provided material for Ralph's Lonesome And Blue, Clinch Mountain Gospel and I'll Wear A White Robe albums.

Give Me Wings by Gerald Evans, had previously been recorded by Bill Monroe in 1988 on his 'Southern Flavor' album. Gerald had played with The Goins Brothers, and recorded the track a cappella with the spin-off Shed House Trio Give Me Wings 1988. He later played with Traditional Grass and died in 2010.[5]

  • Ralph Stanley: banjo, vocals
  • Curly Ray Cline: fiddle
  • Jack Cooke: bass
  • Ralph 'Hank' Smith: lead guitar
  • Ernie Thacker: guitar, vocals

 

Track:
Title:
Time:
Date:
Original Release:
A-1
Pray For The Boys
02:24
05 Dec 1990
Pray For The Boys

Videt Polk
  Bjo Gtr Fid Ld Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Ernie Thacker
Curly Ray Cline
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Jack Cooke
 
 
A-2
Old Man Death
02:39
05 Dec 1990
Pray For The Boys

John Brenton Preston
  Bjo Gtr Fid Ld Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Ernie Thacker
Curly Ray Cline
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Jack Cooke
 
 
A-3
Looking Through A Spiritual Window
02:31
05 Dec 1990
Pray For The Boys

Ron Cooke
  Bjo Gtr Fid Ld Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Ernie Thacker
Curly Ray Cline
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Jack Cooke
 
 
A-4
Wayfaring Stranger
03:56
05 Dec 1990
Pray For The Boys

P.D. arr R. Stanley
  Bjo Gtr Fid Ld Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Ernie Thacker
Curly Ray Cline
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Jack Cooke
 
 
A-5
City Of Gold
02:43
05 Dec 1990
Pray For The Boys

Larry Efaw
  Bjo Gtr Fid Ld Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Ernie Thacker
Curly Ray Cline
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Jack Cooke
 
 
A-6
Give Me Wings
01:50
05 Dec 1990
Pray For The Boys

Gerald Evans
  Bjo Gtr Fid Ld Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Ernie Thacker
Curly Ray Cline
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Jack Cooke
 
 
A-7
God's Great Chariot
02:03
05 Dec 1990
Pray For The Boys

Mike Sage
  Bjo Gtr Fid Ld Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Ernie Thacker
Curly Ray Cline
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Jack Cooke
 
 
A-8
Searching For A Soldier's Grave
02:41
05 Dec 1990
Pray For The Boys

Jim Anglin / Jack Anglin / Johnnie Wright
  Bjo Gtr Fid Ld Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Ernie Thacker
Curly Ray Cline
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Jack Cooke
 
 
A-9
He Keeps Leading Me On
01:40
05 Dec 1990
Pray For The Boys

Terry Tidwell
  Bjo Gtr Fid Ld Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Ernie Thacker
Curly Ray Cline
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Jack Cooke
 
 
A-10
Beautiful (Is The Land Where I'm Going)
02:15
05 Dec 1990
Pray For The Boys

Judy Marshall
  Bjo Gtr Fid Ld Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Ernie Thacker
Curly Ray Cline
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Jack Cooke
 
 
A-11
Snap A Finger Jesus
02:39
05 Dec 1990
Pray For The Boys

John Brenton Preston
  Tn Vcl - Bjo Ld Vcl - Gtr Fid Ld Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Ernie Thacker
Curly Ray Cline
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Jack Cooke
 
 
A-12
Look What I've Traded
02:29
05 Dec 1990
Pray For The Boys

R. Stanley
  Bjo Gtr Fid Ld Gtr Bs    
  Ralph Stanley
Ernie Thacker
Curly Ray Cline
Ralph 'Hank' Smith
Jack Cooke
 
 

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

Other artwork / related images:
Rear Cover CD Tray

[1] Liner Notes to The Stanley Brothers - 'The King Years 1961-1965' (King KG-0950-2) 2003 and Flatt & Scruggs - 1948-1959 (Bear BCD 15472 DH) 1991.
[2] Videt Polk memorial: https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=70522397
[3] Gary B. Reid's book 'The Music Of The Stanley Brothers' (p.194)
[4] http://www.bluegrassmountaineers.net/bgm_home.htm
[5] http://bluegrasstoday.com/gerald-evans-rip/

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

Ralph II ralph2.com


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alifeofsorrow.com

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Ralph Stanley Museum
ralphstanleymuseum.com

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drralphstanleyfestival.com

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rebelrecords.com

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