James Alan Shelton - Half Moon Bay

(Rebel REB-CD-1809) 2002

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James' second album for Rebel has a nice blend of instrumental and vocal tracks with roughly half of the album featuring friends and former band mates and the remainder including members of the CMB's. Ralph Stanley also makes a guest appearance singing the high baritone part to Little Bennie, which he hadn't otherwise recorded since the Stanley's In Person 1960 LP.

Also from the Stanley repertoire is a reworking of Darlin' Nellie Gray with Steve Sparkman and James recreating the parts laid down by Ralph and George Shuffler on the Folk Concert LP; and Handsome Molly from the Award Winners At The Folk Song Festival LP.

Dan Moneyhun provides silky smooth lead vocals on Tupelo County Jail and Foggy Mountain Top, plus split lead/tenor vocal on a lovely rendition of Dark As A Dungeon with Shawn Lane. Dan had previously worked with James in a local band called Southern Grass, and Shawn Lane likewise had played with James in Blue Ridge in the late '80s.

The CD is also includes a rare sighting of Todd Meade, who was fiddle player for the CMB's from late 2003 through 2004. Todd gets to play on just two tracks, with other fiddle duties being picked up by Keith Williams, Hunter Berry and John Rigsby.

As with the first Rebel album, the CD comes with a 12-page booklet with detailed liner notes about the songs by James Alan Shelton. The booklet also has a foreword by Tim Stafford which I think really sums up James' playing style:

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