Ralph Stanley - A Man And His Music

(Rebel SLP 1530) 1974

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This album, along with I Want To Preach The Gospel, was recorded on 22nd and 23rd March 1973 at Roy Homer's basement studio, but wasn't released until 1974^[1].

It's another classic album, with renditions of some tracks from The Stanley Brothers era, and new material that fits in seamlessly.

John Duffey guests on The Lonesome River, emulating Pee Wee Lambert's mandolin and high baritone part from the Stanley Brothers original 1950 Columbia recording. Ralph:- "I wanted to test him a little bit, to see if he had what it took to really do the old Stanley Brothers style the way it could be done. I just sort of nodded over to Roy Lee and we threw it up about two keys highter than we'd ever done it. Me and Roy Lee Centers were really pushing him, and Duffey couldn't quite make it to the high baritone he was suppossed to. We got our parts fine but Duffey failed on his. We had to lower it down a notch for him so we could ger through the song."^[2]

All the songs on the album are included on the excellent Rebel 4xCD set 1971-1973.

In 1994, the version of Train 45 from this album was featured in the Hollywood film 'Chasers'.^[3] Directed by Dennis Hopper, and starring Tom Berenger, Erika Eleniak and William McNamara; the film is a pretty dire 'comedy', but the soundtrack was partly put togther by Dwight Yoakam and also features Jim Lauderdale.

• Ralph Stanley: banjo, vocals
• Roy Lee Centers: guitar, vocals
• Curly Ray Cline: fiddle
• Jack Cooke: bass
• Ricky Lee: lead guitar

Other artwork / related images:

[1] Ralph mentions that "A Man And His Music" was due to be released shortly on the Radio Broadcast from NPR 10th March 1974. The comments were edited out of the Live At The Smithsonian... CD.
[2] Ralph Stanley / Eddie Dean book "Man Of Constant Sorrow" (p.367-368)
[3] For more details, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chasers. The soundtrack album is 'Chasers - Motion Picture Soundtrack' (Morgan Creek 2959-20026-2) 1994.