Ralph Stanley - 1971 - 1973

(Rebel REB-CD-4001-1/2/3/4) 1995

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This 4xCD release comes in an LP sized boxset, with a 16-page booklet, and consists of all six LPs Ralph recorded for Rebel between 1971-73 plus the Japanese-only John Henry LP and the King Bluegrass The Stanley Sound Around The World LP.

Although not quite up to the lavish standard of the Bear CD box sets, this is nonetheless a fantastic item, and available at a bargain price...

All the recordings feature the CMB line-ups with Roy Lee Centers / Ricky Skaggs / Keith Whitley and later with Ricky Lee, which arguably captured the CMB's at their creative peak - certainly their most prolific!

The booklet features liner notes by Dick Spottswood, plus copies of the original LP reviews from 'Bluegrass Unlimited', 'Muleskinner News' and 'County Sales' for each of the albums, except for the Jap LP. It also has plenty of great B&W photo's by Carl Fleischauer, and colour photo's on two pages.

The recordings are presented in the order in which they were recorded, and the booklet also contains details of each session, and who played/sang different instruments/vocal parts.

The six Rebel albums featured are: Cry From The Cross; Something Old, Something New; Play Requests; The Old Country Church; A Man And His Music; and I Want To Preach The Gospel.

Original copies came with a a different rear box design with the track titles printed in black. Later copies feature a blue graphic design with some of Carl Fleischauer's photos of the band. There is also a variation to some copies, which have the photograph of Ralph crouching also on the booklet cover.

Rebel also issued a single promotional CD, 1971-1973 Sampler (Rebel REB-CD-4001-DJ) 1995.

County Sales announced in their Sept-Nov. 2016 Newsletter that this box set has been reprinted for a final time...

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