Curly Ray Cline - My Little Home In West Virginia

(Rebel SLP 1515) 1972

---

This album was recorded on 13th October 1972, at Roy Homer's basement studio. It's another fine effort, although perhaps not quite as diverse as it's predecesor (They Cut Down The Old Pine Tree).

Ten of the twelve cuts are fiddle instrumentals, with Flem Jones and Take Me Back To Tennessee featuring Curly on lead vocals.

Flem Jones, named after Curly's father in law, became one of Curly's most popular songs, and live versions can be found on the Live At The Smithsonian and Classic Stanley CDs. The song was also mentioned in Bluegrass Unlimited's 'General Store' (Jan. 1973), saying:- "song of the year honors this year may go to Curly Ray Cline whose 'Flem Jones' vocal on his latest Rebel LP has had everybody talking. It is a self-portrait of Curly's family, hometown and even his dogs. Ralph Stanley, who made the song up to kid Curly Ray, never even dreamed that Curly would even remember it, really got fooled when Curly showed up at the recording studio all set to record it."

Take Me Back To Tennessee borrows the melody from Careless Love. "You can pass my door, you can pass my gate, but you sure can't pass my 38..."

Lost Train Blues was one of many numbers Curly played from the repertoire of Arthur Smith and as Lost Train the band had previously recorded it for Brand New Country Songs.

Like They Cut Down The Old Pine Tree, each side of the LP also ends with a Gospel tune.

• Curly Ray Cline: fiddle, vocals
• Roy Lee Centers: guitar
• Jack Cooke: bass
• Ed Ferris: bass (*)
• Ralph Stanley: banjo

(*) Ed Ferris plays bass on My Little Home In West Virginia, Flem Jones and Take Me Back To Tennessee, when Jack Cooke was either playing tambourine or providing tenor vocals.

Other artwork / related images: