(Stanley Family SFR-004) 2019
Ralph II's second CD as leader of the 'next generation' Clinch Mountain Boys, is a decent Gospel album, with about a third of the tracks dealing with the relationship between fathers & sons. One such number, Between Fathers And Sons has a catchy melody & the kind of quirky smart lyrics that Charlie Sizemore often favours.
Like Ralph II's previous album, the first track is an uptempo number which links back to Dr. Ralph's back catalogue. Jesus On The Mainline, which was featured on Dr. Ralph's My All And All CD, is an old spiritual which Ralph II had previously sang lead on in 1997. The song was first collected in field recordings in 1937,[1] but presumably originates from around the time the telephone network spread across the 'States.
The title track, Lord Help Me Find A Way was also cut by Ralph II on his excellent This One Is II in 2008. Performed with sparse guitar a minimal fiddle/mandolin, the song takes on new poignancy, with Ralph II's prayer:-
"Music is what I am
It ain't easy, it ain't hard
But I'm feeling pretty lonesome
Way down in my heart
I know that times were changing
From that old wind that blows
There's a date in the distance
On a stage for a show
Trying to fill his shoes,
is the hardest thing I know.
It's not living for the legend,
it's the Dad that I love so.
So Lord help me find the way,
To bless me with the words that I want to say.
Lord help me find the way,
To be the man he wanted me to be, each and every day.
I knew there'd come a time when we'd have to say goodbye
But he left me a roadmap, that keeps me riding high
So Lord help me find the way,
To bless me with the words that I want to say.
Lord help me find the way,
To be the man he wanted me to be, each and every day.
To be the man he wanted me to be, each and every day."
Other album highlights include: John Caught A Vision which has some fine Stanley-style banjo work by Alec Leach; Beautiful Hills Of Home a tribute song to Carter & Ralph; and Old Family Graveyard which was written by Rick Stanley & Donna Ulisse. Rick's father was a cousin of Carter & Ralph's & his original version of the song can be heard on You Can't Smoke The Bluegrass CD from 2000, which features Dr. Ralph singing harmony on the chorus.
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Time: |
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Original Release: |
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A-1 |
Jesus On The Mainline |
02:28 |
c2018 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
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P.D. |
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Ld Vcl / Ld Gtr | Tn Vcl / Bjo | Bt Vcl / Mnd & Fid | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph II Stanley |
Alex Leach |
John Rigsby |
Randall Hibbitts |
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A-2 |
Between Fathers And Sons |
03:13 |
c2018 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
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John Barlow Jarvis / Gary Tolbert Nicolson |
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Ld Vcl / Gtr | Bt Vcl / Bjo | Tn Vcl / Mnd & Fid | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph II Stanley |
Alex Leach |
John Rigsby |
Randall Hibbitts |
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A-3 |
Meet Me In Heaven Someday |
02:31 |
c2018 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
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Carl Jackson / Ronnie Bowman |
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Ld Vcl / Gtr | HiBt Vcl / Bjo | Tn Vcl / Mnd & Fid | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph II Stanley |
Alex Leach |
John Rigsby |
Randall Hibbitts |
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A-4 |
Glory Land |
03:43 |
c2018 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
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Russell Pruitt |
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Ld Vcl / Gtr | HiBt Vcl / Bjo | Tn Vcl / Mnd & Fid | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph II Stanley |
Alex Leach |
John Rigsby |
Randall Hibbitts |
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A-5 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
03:17 |
c2018 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
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Ralph Stanley II / Marty Raybon |
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Vcl | Gtr | Mnd & Fid | |||||||||||||||||||
Ralph II Stanley |
Alex Leach |
John Rigsby |
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A-6 |
John Caught A Vision |
03:18 |
c2018 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
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Carmen Logan |
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Ld Vcl / Gtr | Tn Vcl / Bjo | Bt Vcl / Mnd & Fid | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph II Stanley |
Alex Leach |
John Rigsby |
Randall Hibbitts |
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A-7 |
New Day In Heaven |
03:53 |
c2018 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
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Donna Ulisse / Marc A Rossi |
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Ld Vcl / Gtr | Tn Vcl / Ld Gtr | Bt Vcl / Mnd & Fid | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph II Stanley |
Alex Leach |
John Rigsby |
Randall Hibbitts |
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A-8 |
Beautiful Hills Of Home |
03:20 |
c2018 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
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William Michael Wise / Reba Joan Wise |
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Ld Vcl / Ld Gtr | HiBt Vcl / Bjo | Tn Vcl / Mnd & Fid | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph II Stanley |
Alex Leach |
John Rigsby |
Randall Hibbitts |
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A-9 |
Old Family Graveyard |
02:50 |
c2018 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
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Richard L. Stanley / Donna Ulisse |
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Ld Vcl / Gtr | HiBt Vcl / Bjo | Tn Vcl / Mnd & Fid | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph II Stanley |
Alex Leach |
John Rigsby |
Randall Hibbitts |
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A-10 |
I Hope My Lord Will Let Me In |
02:32 |
c2018 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
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Randall Hylton |
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Ld Vcl / Ld Gtr | HiBt Vcl / Bjo | Tn Vcl / Mnd & Fid | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph II Stanley |
Alex Leach |
John Rigsby |
Randall Hibbitts |
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A-11 |
From Father To Son |
02:37 |
c2018 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
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Bill Vorndick / Glen Carlton Duncan / Adam Engelhardt |
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Ld Vcl / Ld Gtr | Tn Vcl / Bjo | Bt Vcl / Mnd & Fid | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph II Stanley |
Alex Leach |
John Rigsby |
Randall Hibbitts |
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A-12 |
I Feel Like Going Home |
02:37 |
c2018 |
Lord Help Me Find The Way |
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C. Stanley / R. Stanley |
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Ld Vcl / Ld Gtr | Bt Vcl / Bjo | Tn Vcl / Mnd & Fid | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph II Stanley |
Alex Leach |
John Rigsby |
Randall Hibbitts |
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