Various Artists - 16 Gospel Hall Of Fame

(Rimrock RLP-1003) c1967

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This Various Artists compilation includes the three Stanley Brothers tracks from Wayne Raney's Dec. 1965 session which weren't included on the Goes To Europe LP. Two of them (Precious Memories and Amazing Grace) were however included on the Starday Jacob's Vision LP, which came out in Oct. 1966 and all three were later included on the 2nd version of A Beautiful Life.

Nobody Answered Me is a particularly haunting Albert Brumley tune, with Carter and Ralph's plaintive vocals and a similiar theme/feel to Brumley's Rank Stranger.

Precious Memories likewise is a superb version. Previously the Stanley's had cut the song for Wango on the first John's Gospel Quartet LP, with Ralph singing lead, and another slightly lacklustre version with Carter on lead appeared on Cabin Creek's Bluegrass Gospel Favorites. It's no surprise then, that the Rimrock version has appeared on at least 5 Stanley Brothers compilations.

Amazing Grace is also I think better than the one the Stanley's cut for Wango on the first John's Gospel Quartet LP (with Jack Cooke on lead vocal).

I'm not sure of the release date of this album, but am guessing at circa 1967.

• Carter Stanley: guitar, vocals
• Ralph Stanley: banjo, vocals
• Ralph Mayo: fiddle
• George Shuffler: lead guitar, bass

For a detailed breakdown and background to these sessions, check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book, pages 194-196 and 219-220.

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