(Stanleytone No #) 2004
This CD was recorded at 'several sessions in 2004' at Maggard Sound Studio in Big Stone Gap, Va, and was only sold at gigs.
Most of the songs are re-workings of earlier material recorded by Ralph or The Stanley Brothers. Ralph's voice is quite craggy, and strained occasionally, but there's still plenty to enjoy and he's on good form on several of the tracks.
Ralph II also sings lead on Rank Stranger and White Dove.
There are also some new songs: The Third Man, The Ringing Of The Hammer are vocal Gospel solo's by Ralph and The Vision is mostly solo vocal by Ralph, with John Rigsby providing a little tenor. Another track, Old Rail Fence features the full CMB's, but is fairly lacklustre.
I'd Be Willing To Run All The Way was recorded by The Bailes Brothers as I'll Run All the Way for King in 1953, but their version wasn't issued until 2012.[1] Ralph had previously recorded it as I'd Be Willing To Go All The Way on his Child Of The King LP.
Listen To The Shepherd had previously been cut on the Jim Lauderdale & Ralph Stanley - Lost In The Lonesome Pines CD in 2002.
Three of the tracks, The Lowest Valley, Why Should We Start And Fear To Die and Tribute To Dean Deel (as On A High, High Mountain) also appear on Ralph's 2005 release on Rebel, Shine On. As far as I can tell, they are the same versions.
Six of the recordings, Rocky Island, Old Rail Fence, Sweet Sally Brown, Purple Robe, How Could I Dream Such A Dream, Shout Little Luly and Room At The Top Of The Stairs later reappeared on the 2016 American Icon - The Definitive Collection CD.
The CD artwork makes use of an old B&W publicity of Ralph at a Radio Station in Dayton, Oh. in the mid '50s[2] and a shot taken on 19th Nov 1996 at a Nashville party held to celebrate Ralph's 50th anniversary as a professional musician.[3]
NB: (*) Nathan plays on three tracks, The Old Rail Fence, Room At The Top Of The Stairs and Hemlocks And Primroses
Track: |
Title: |
Time: |
Date: |
Original Release: |
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A-1 |
How Could I Dream Such A Dream |
02:17 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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Candace K. Randolph / R. Stanley |
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Ld Vcl | Gtr | Fid/Mnd | Ld Gtr | Bjo | Bs | |||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Steve Sparkman |
Jack Cooke |
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A-2 |
Who Was That Beautiful Woman |
02:54 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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Gene Duty / R. Stanley |
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Ld Vcl | Gtr | Tn Vcl - Fid/Mnd | Ld Gtr | Bjo | Bs | |||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Steve Sparkman |
Jack Cooke |
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A-3 |
Rank Stranger |
03:37 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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Albert E. Brumley |
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Tn Vcl | Ld Vcl - Gtr | Mnd | Ld Gtr | Bjo | Bs | |||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Steve Sparkman |
Jack Cooke |
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A-4 |
Rocky Island |
02:01 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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P.D. |
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Ld Vcl - Bjo | Gtr | Fid | Ld Gtr | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Jack Cooke |
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A-5 |
The Third Man |
03:39 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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?? |
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Ld Vcl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
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A-6 |
Sweet Sally Brown |
02:23 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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Wendy Smith / R. Stanley |
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Ld Vcl | Hrmny Vcl - Gtr | Hrmny Vcl - Fid/Mnd | Ld Gtr | Bjo | Hrmny Vcl - Bs | |||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Steve Sparkman |
Jack Cooke |
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A-7 |
Room At The Top Of The Stairs |
02:37 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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Randall Hylton |
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Ld Vcl | Gtr | Fid | Ld Gtr | Bjo | Bs | Mnd | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Steve Sparkman |
Jack Cooke |
Nathan Stanley | ||||||||||||||||||
A-8 |
White Dove |
03:37 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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C. Stanley |
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Tn Vcl | Ld Vcl - Gtr | Hrmny Vcl - Fid/Mnd | Ld Gtr | Bjo | Hrmny Vcl - Bs | |||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Steve Sparkman |
Jack Cooke |
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A-9 |
Ringing Of The Hammer |
03:09 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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?? |
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Ld Vcl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
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A-10 |
Shout Little Luly |
01:27 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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P.D. |
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Bjo | Gtr | Fid | Ld Gtr | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Jack Cooke |
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A-11 |
I Am The Man Thomas |
02:08 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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Larry Sparks / R. Stanley |
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Ld Vcl | Hrmny Vcl - Gtr | Hrmny Vcl - Fid/Mnd | Ld Gtr | Bjo | Hrmny Vcl - Bs | |||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Steve Sparkman |
Jack Cooke |
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A-12 |
Listen To The Shepherd |
02:02 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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Jim Lauderdale |
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Ld Vcl | Tn Vcl | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
John Rigsby |
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A-13 |
Hemlock And Primroses |
03:00 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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Landon Messer |
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Ld Vcl | Gtr | Fid | Ld Gtr | Bjo | Bs | Mnd | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Steve Sparkman |
Jack Cooke |
Nathan Stanley | ||||||||||||||||||
A-14 |
Little Glass Of Wine |
03:34 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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C. Stanley |
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Ld Vcl | Gtr | Fid/Mnd | Ld Gtr | Bjo | Bs | |||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Steve Sparkman |
Jack Cooke |
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A-15 |
In Heaven We'll Never Grown Old |
02:32 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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N.D. Johnson / L.D. Huffstutler |
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Ld Vcl | Hrmny Vcl - Gtr | Hrmny Vcl - Fid/Mnd | Ld Gtr | Bjo | Hrmny Vcl - Bs | |||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Steve Sparkman |
Jack Cooke |
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A-16 |
The Vision |
02:20 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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P.D.(?) |
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Ld Vcl | Tn Vcl | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
John Rigsby |
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A-17 |
River Underground |
03:46 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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Wendy Smith / R. Stanley |
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Ld Vcl | Hrmny Vcl - Gtr | Hrmny Vcl - Fid/Mnd | Ld Gtr | Bjo | Hrmny Vcl - Bs | |||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Steve Sparkman |
Jack Cooke |
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A-18 |
I'd Be Willing To Run All The Way |
02:29 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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R. Stanley |
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Ld Vcl | Gtr | Fid/Mnd | Ld Gtr | Bs | ||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Jack Cooke |
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A-19 |
Old Rail Fence |
01:59 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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Gary Greear |
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Ld Vcl | Gtr | Fid | Ld Gtr | Bjo | Bs | Mnd | ||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Steve Sparkman |
Jack Cooke |
Nathan Stanley | ||||||||||||||||||
A-20 |
Purple Robe |
02:56 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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P.D. arr R. Stanley |
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Ld Vcl | Hrmny Vcl - Gtr | Hrmny Vcl - Fid/Mnd | Ld Gtr | Hrmny Vcl - Bs | ||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
Jack Cooke |
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A-21 |
Gloryland |
03:27 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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P.D. |
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Ld Vcl | Hrmny Vcl | Hrmny Vcl | Hrmny Vcl | |||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph II Stanley |
John Rigsby |
Jack Cooke |
|
|
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A-22 |
Two Coats |
02:32 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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R. Stanley |
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Ld Vcl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
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A-23 |
The Lowest Valley |
03:05 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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Pearlie Mullins |
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Ld Vcl (c) | Ld Vcl (v) & Tn (c) | Ld Gtr/Bs | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
John Rigsby |
James Alan Shelton |
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|
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A-24 |
Why Should We Start And Fear To Die |
05:23 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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P.D. |
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Ld Vcl | Hrmny Vcl | Hrmny Vcl | Hrmny Vcl | Hrmny Vcl | ||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
John Rigsby |
Junior Davis |
Marsha Davis |
Amber Davis | ||||||||||||||||||||
A-25 |
Tribute To Dean Deel |
02:23 |
2004 |
Sings His Favorites... |
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Dean Deel |
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Ld Vcl | Tn Vcl - Fid | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Ralph Stanley |
John Rigsby |
NB: The above is guess work & almost certainly will be wrong - Liner notes don't specify instruments/vocal parts for individual tracks.
[1] The Bailes Brothers - 'Standing Somewhere In The Shadows' (Bear BCD-17133-AH) 2012.
[2] See p.16 of booklet with 'The Stanley Brothers - Legends Of American Music' 3xCD set (Time Life M19303DIGI) 2007.
[3] See 'The Ralph Stanley Story' (Appalshop) DVD - @ approx 1:07:30.