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

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Clinch Mountain Echo

Goins Brothers & Shed House Trio - Bluegrass My Home In The Mountains

(River Track Studios RTS-1415) 1990


Goins Brothers & Shed House Trio - Bluegrass My Home In The Mountains

Average Album Rating: 3
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I don't have a copy of this rare cassette & I haven't been able to find an MP3 rip anywhere, so this section is a bit of guess-work based on what I've been able to dig up... Any amendments / corrections, much appreciated! As usual... Please get in touch via the Contact page.

The Shed House Trio consisted of Bill Hamm, Gerald Evans and Rick May, who released three cassettes during the period they were associated with the Goins Brothers. The first is reviewed in the October 1988 issue of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' as "The Shed House Boys" entitled 'Sunrise' (No number). From the review this appears to be the same as the 'Give Me Wings' cassette, and confirms that the band had previously been known as Sunrise. Presumably then, when Melvin recruited them for the Goins Brothers show, the band was re-named and their old Sunrise tape was re-badged as The Shed House Trio.

In the "General Store" section of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' from July 1988 it notes: "The Goins Brothers" show now includes appearances by Big Wilbur and the Checkerboard Squares. Also making an occasional appearance are Effie Highheels, Moonshine Kate and Lady Plushbottom. You've got to see it to believe it". The latter seems to be a reference to occasional performances in drag with the trio sending up Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton & Linda Ronstadt - the 'trio'.[1]

The November & December 1988 issues of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' also carry small adverts, which emphasis the importance of the trio to the show, where "Each Goins Brothers set includes a segment where Hamm, Evans and May take centre stage for a song or three demonstrating their harmony singing".[1]

In August 1990, 'Bluegrass Unlimited' included an advert for the '1st Annual Shed House Trio and Family Bluegrass Festival' 20-23 Sept 1990 in Grayson/Greenup, Kentucky. The Shed House Trio were billed on all four nights, with the Goins Brothers also billed for the Friday & Saturday.

In October 1990, the remaining two cassettes were listed in 'Bluegrass Unlimited', though it's not certain in which order they were released. The one which is reviewed in full is credited to Bill Hamm, Gerald Evans & Rick May entitled "Bill Gerald & Rick" (Vetco 3057), and the other which is itemised under 'New Releases' is the "Bluegrass Home In The Mountain" with the Goins'. This was later reviewed in full in the March 1991 edition & is reproduced in full below:-

The Goins Brothers' latest endeavour, "Bluegrass My Home In The Mountain" gets off to a rousing start with a rendition of the traditional I Saw My Face In The Moon, that's sparked by the swinging, bluesy fiddle of Gerald Evans. This number set the pace for the entire project, a cassette loaded with hot fiddle licks, classic songs and great vocals. Joining Ray and Melvin Goins are John McNeely on lead guitar and Mr. Evans and the other members of the Shed House Trio, bassman Bill Hamm and mandolinst Rick May.

Mixed among the seven old-time songs are three original numbers, two of which were wrtitten by Mr. McNeely. The sweet love song Until The Day I Die and the upbeat My Home In The Mountain both feature Ray's banjo work, beautiful harmony vocals and plenty of fine fiddling. These new songs fit in right next to the classics In The Pines and the wonderful Be My Blue-Eyed Darling.

The second side of the tape opens with more foot tapping fun induced by the fiddle and banjo on Stay All Night Stay A Little Longer, followed with God Gave You To Me and the third original, Mr. Evans' Lord Lead Me On Home, a smooth and slow tune rich in harmony.

The final numbers are Walk To The River and Love Please Stay, a powerful cut, enhanced by the sparse use of guitar, a single vocal and a touch of background harmonica. Both of these songs are lovely.

The Goins Brothers have a winner with "Bluegrass My Home In The Mountain" and so will anybody who goes out and buys it. Most enjoyable.

From the Oct. 1990 review of "Bill Gerald & Rick", it sounds like it is also well worth picking up, should you be lucky enough to find a copy. As with the He Showed Me The Way Vetco LP, Buddy Griffin was involved with production. Joe Mullins is on banjo and Mike Anglin (of Gray Brewer & The Kentucky Ramblers) played bass, with Bill Hamm on mandolin, Gerald Evans on fiddle and Rick May on guitar.

The cassette that I have heard, Give Me Wings, also features excellent harmony vocals, thoughtful arrangement & some fine instrumentation. The title track, which was written by Gerald Evans, was also recorded by Bill Monroe on his 1988 'Southern Flavor' album, and by Ralph Stanley for the Pray For The Boys CD.

In a feature on The Traditional Grass in the Dec. 1993 edition of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' Gerald Evans recalls that he he started working with the Goins Brothers in 1987. On the 'Shed House Trio' he says:-

"We wanted an identity, didn't just want to be side men, so Rick changed from mandolin to guitar, Bill Hamm from bass to mandolin, and created a new sound for the band."

"Melvin said we needed a different name, so used the 'Shed House Trio' name Ralph Stanley had used with Melvin and some of those guys. Rick sang lead, Bill Hamm tenor, and I sang baritone; I sang the lead on Fire On The Mountain."

"When we started singing the Emmylou Harris/Dolly Parton song Those Memories, Melvin wanted to do Big Wilbur (a costume act he had created while working with Ralph Stanley in the 1960s), so we went into a Dollar Store in Ashland, Ky., and tried on dresses. That was something. People wondered who we were, and Bill made a big thing out of it, coming out of the dressing room and asking 'Do you think I look good in red?'".

"The first thirty seconds (on stage) was tough... Really tough. Then when people stopped crying and got off their hands and kneed we knew we hadn't flopped, then it was all right".

The article mentions that they later added a cowboy trio 'The Cass County Kids' and an Elvis act. Also the "Bill Gerald & Rick" tape, which features Joe Mullins on banjo led to Gerald joining the Traditional Grass in August 1990, and wasn't released as The Shed House Trio as they didn't want to use that name for a gospel project.

NB: On the 'Bluegrass My Home...' tape I'm assuming Be My Blue Eyed Darling is another version of My Blue Eyed Darling which the Goins had previously cut on Take This Hammer & Bluegrass Blues albums. Love Please Stay is probably the same song which Melvin & Ralph Stanley wrote and recorded for Brand New Country Songs. Likewise I'm assuming God Gave You To Me is the old Stanley Brothers song. I Saw Your Face In The Moon is likely to be the same as that first cut by Ray Whitley's Range Ramblers & subsequently Justin Tubb, Webb Pierce & Mac Wiseman; and finally Stay A Little Longer is presumably the Bob Wills song.

  • Melvin Goins: guitar
  • Ray Goins: banjo
  • Gerald Evans Jr: fiddle
  • Bill Hamm: bass
  • Rick May: mandolin
  • John McNeely: guitar

 

Track:
Title:
Time:
Date:
Original Release:
A-1
I Saw Your Face In The Moon
0?:??
c1990
Bluegrass My Home...

Odis Elder
  Gtr Bjo Fid Bs Mnd Gtr  
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Gerald Evans Jr
Bill Hamm
Rick May
John McNeely  
A-2
Until The Day I Die
0?:??
c1990
Bluegrass My Home...

John McNeely
  Gtr Bjo Fid Bs Mnd Gtr  
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Gerald Evans Jr
Bill Hamm
Rick May
John McNeely  
A-3
In The Pines
0?:??
c1990
Bluegrass My Home...

P.D.
  Gtr Bjo Fid Bs Mnd Gtr  
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Gerald Evans Jr
Bill Hamm
Rick May
John McNeely  
A-4
Be My Blue Eyed Darling
0?:??
c1990
Bluegrass My Home...

Jimmy Martin / Bobby Osborne
  Gtr Bjo Fid Bs Mnd Gtr  
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Gerald Evans Jr
Bill Hamm
Rick May
John McNeely  
A-5
My Home In The Mountain
0?:??
c1990
Bluegrass My Home...

John McNeely
  Gtr Bjo Fid Bs Mnd Gtr  
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Gerald Evans Jr
Bill Hamm
Rick May
John McNeely  
B-1
(Stay All Night) Stay A Little Longer
0?:??
c1990
Bluegrass My Home...

Bob Wills / Tommy Duncan
  Gtr Bjo Fid Bs Mnd Gtr  
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Gerald Evans Jr
Bill Hamm
Rick May
John McNeely  
B-2
God Gave You To Me
0?:??
c1990
Bluegrass My Home...

R. Stanley
  Gtr Bjo Fid Bs Mnd Gtr  
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Gerald Evans Jr
Bill Hamm
Rick May
John McNeely  
B-3
Lord Lead Me On Home
0?:??
c1990
Bluegrass My Home...

Gerald Evans
  Gtr Bjo Fid Bs Mnd Gtr  
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Gerald Evans Jr
Bill Hamm
Rick May
John McNeely  
B-4
Love Please Stay
0?:??
c1990
Bluegrass My Home...

Melvin Goins / R. Stanley
  Gtr Bjo Fid Bs Mnd Gtr  
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Gerald Evans Jr
Bill Hamm
Rick May
John McNeely  
B-5
Walk To The River
0?:??
c1990
Bluegrass My Home...

??
  Gtr Bjo Fid Bs Mnd Gtr  
  Melvin Goins
Ray Goins
Gerald Evans Jr
Bill Hamm
Rick May
John McNeely  
Other artwork / related images:
Shed House Trio - Give Me Wings Festival Advert - Bluegrass Unlimited August 1990 Vetco 3057 cover from Blugrass Unlimited
Bluegrass Unlimited as Nov. 1988 Bluegrass Unlimited as Dec. 1988 L-R: Ray Goins, Melvin Goins, John McNeely, Gerald Evans, Bill Hamm, Rick May

[1] 'Bluegrass Unlimited' review of the "Bill Hamm, Gerald Evans & Rick May" (Vetco 3057) cassette, October 1990.

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

Ralph II ralph2.com

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