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:-

Clinch Mountain Echoes: Songs In The Stanley Tradition
(Copper Creek CCCD-0151)


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Clinch Mountain Echo

Ralph II Stanley - Listen To My Hammer Ring

(Rebel REB-CD-1750) 1998


Listen To My Hammer Ring

Average Album Rating: 4
(Total votes 2)

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Ralph II's debut 'solo' CD features the regular CMB's on back-up and was recorded at Maggard Studios in Big Stone Gap, Va in Dec. 1997 and April 1998. Most of the selections are drawn from the extensive Stanley back catalogue, with Mary, Merry Christmas being an unreleased Carter Stanley original, which he wrote during his final days in hospital in Nov. 1966.

The title track, Listen To My Hammer Ring is a cover of an Aubrey Holt song which he recorded on the Boys From Indiana - 'Life On The Road' LP (Atteiram API-1638) 1985, although Charlie Moore had also previously cut the song on his 1975 LP 'The Fiddler' (Old Homestead OHS-90052). Given John Rigsby's track record of digging up obscure bluegrass records for Dr. Ralph to record, I wonder if he thought of doing this one too?

Strolling In The Moonlight is an original by Joe Isaacs, who also also adds his baritone vocal to the song and sings lead on the last verse. Joe had briefly been a CMB in 1969 and helped record two songs with Dr. Ralph and on his Clinch Mountain Country set, which was recorded just prior to Ralph II's 'Listen To The Hammer Ring'. Joe and Dr. Ralph had also collaborated on A Gospel Gathering in 1995.

The other non-Stanley track, Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain, was originally recorded by Roy Acuff in 1945, and also performed by Hank Williams Snr and several others. Willie Nelson gave the song a new lease of life when he recorded it on his 1975 'Red Headed Stranger' multi-platinum blockbuster album.[1] As Ralph II's later work took on more of a country flavour, maybe this was an early indication of the times to come.

  • Ralph II Stanley: rhythm guitar, lead vocals
  • Jack Cooke: bassm baritone vocals
  • James Price: fiddle
  • James Alan Shelton: lead guitar
  • John Rigsby: mandolin, fiddle, tenor vocals (a)
  • Steve Sparkman: banjo
  • Ralph Stanley: tenor vocal
  • Joe Isaacs: baritone vocal (b)

NB: (a) tenor vocal on (4), (12); fiddle on (10), (4) & (5); mandolin on various tracks.
(b) baritone vocal on chorus & lead on last verse of (12).

 

Track:
Title:
Time:
Date:
Original Release:
A-1
Highway Of Regret
02:11
Dec 1997 / Apr 1998
Listen To My Hammer Ring

Donald 'Chubby' Anthony
A-2
Mary, Merry Christmas
02:11
Dec 1997 / Apr 1998
Listen To My Hammer Ring

C. Stanley
A-3
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
02:39
Dec 1997 / Apr 1998
Listen To My Hammer Ring

Fred Rose
A-4
Choo Choo Comin'
02:33
Dec 1997 / Apr 1998
Listen To My Hammer Ring

Corbet 'Cuddles' Newsome
A-5
God Gave You To Me
02:10
Dec 1997 / Apr 1998
Listen To My Hammer Ring

R. Stanley
A-6
Little Darling Pal Of Mine
03:32
Dec 1997 / Apr 1998
Listen To My Hammer Ring

A.P. Carter
A-7
Katy Daly
02:12
Dec 1997 / Apr 1998
Listen To My Hammer Ring

Eamon O'Shea arr Paul Mullins
A-8
Another Song, Another Drink
03:19
Dec 1997 / Apr 1998
Listen To My Hammer Ring

Joyce Morris
A-9
I'll Just Go Away
02:28
Dec 1997 / Apr 1998
Listen To My Hammer Ring

C. Stanley
A-10
Listen To My Hammer Ring
02:36
Dec 1997 / Apr 1998
Listen To My Hammer Ring

Aubrey Lee Holt
A-11
Jesus Savior Pilot Me
02:47
Dec 1997 / Apr 1998
Listen To My Hammer Ring

J.R. Baxter / J.R. Gould / Edward Hooper
A-12
Strolling In The Moonlight
02:46
Dec 1997 / Apr 1998
Listen To My Hammer Ring

Joe Isaacs
Other artwork / related images:
Rear Cover CD Tray

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Eyes_Crying_in_the_Rain
and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Headed_Stranger

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

Ralph II ralph2.com

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Cry From The Cross
(Rebel SLP 1499)


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