Clinch Mountain Echo

Roy Lee Centers - The Early Years Vol. 1

(Vetco LP 3030 1978


The Early Years Vol. 1
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This is a retrospective compilation of material Roy Lee recorded with Jack Lynch between 1963/4 - 1969/70. Six of the tracks had previously been released in 1968 on Jack Lynch's Bluegrass Music LP[1] and at least some were also released on 45s as Jack Lynch and The Lee Brothers. eg. Little Birdie/You Left Me This Morning (Jalyn 45-201) 1963; (or Little Birdie/All The Love I Had Is Gone (Jalyn 45-208) 1964); I Can't Get You Out Of My Mind/How I Long To Change Your Name (Jalyn 45-301) 196?; and I'll Always Remember/It's Not Right (Jalyn 45-300) 196?.

Musically, unlike The Easterners - Echoes Of The Bonnie & Clyde Era and I've Lived A Lot In My Time albums, Roy Lee's vocals are more akin to his later work with Ralph.

Roy Lee also wrote two of the tracks: How I Long To Change Your Name, a slow love song; and It's Not Right, about unrequited love at first sight with some good lead guitar and banjo breaks.

Jack Lynch's You're Always Welcome (In My Dog House) is also quite unusual - as it's written from the perspective of a dog, who's master is in trouble in the 'big house'.

Personnel are a bit difficult to nail down - compared to Bluegrass Music, the liner notes to this album are more specific, but omit Lonnie Bolin and add Willie Hatton Jr and Bob Dooley.

In the liner notes, Jack Lynch recalls:- "I first met Roy Lee Centers in 1963, while I was doing. 'The Jack Lynch Show', on WPFB radio station in Middletown, Ohio. I played about 50% bluegrass on my show and 50% country. I would have bluegrass (artists) on my show from time to time, such as The Stanley Brothers, The Osborne Brothers, Charlie Moore and Bill Napier, and some of the better local bluegrass bands, including the band that I had at the time. It was with one of the local bands that played on my show that I met Roy Lee. I had the Burns Brothers and Harley Gabbard, playing in my band, at that time. I left that and Roy Lee and his brother in law Fred Spencer, to play to replace the Burns Brothers. Fred played lead guitar on most of our shows and recordings. Sometimes Fred played bass, banjo and mandolin on our shows for versatility. Roy Lee sometimes played bass, lead and rhythm guitar, or the mandolin. I would switch from bass to guitar, banjo or fiddle. Roy Lee could sing lead, baritone or tenor. He was the most talented person that I ever played with. He had asked me to start with him when he went on his own as business manager and bass player. I had reluctantly agreed to start with him. However, before he could go on his own, he was killed in Eastern Kentucky."

Daniel Boone Centers, was Roy Lee's brother.

Jack Lynch had worked with The Stanley Brothers - promoting gigs, and filling in on occasion on bass. He was also a pallbearer at Carter Stanley's funeral. Lynch, of course also ran Jalyn which released Ralph's Old Time Music and The Bluegrass Sound albums; Curly Ray Cline's The Working Man; Lee Allen's Songs Of Love And Tragedy; and Keith Whitley & Ricky Skaggs - Tribute To The Stanley Brothers. After moving to Nashville in 1970 he formed the Nashvile Country label, which was responsible for Curly Ray Cline's 1988 The Deputy LP.

The album was reissued on CD (Crosscut CR-1024) 200?, with a slightly different tracks order.

Track:
Title:
Side One:
(16:18)
1
Worried Man

A.P. Carter
2
Shady Grove

P.D.
3
Tears On My Pillow

Jack Lynch
4
You're Always Welcome

Jack Lynch
5
Home Sweet Home

Stephen Foster
6
God Gave You To Me

R. Stanley
7
I Can't Get You Out Of My Mind

Archie Jones / Jack Lynch
Side Two:
(15:48)
1
Little Birdie

P.D.
2
Wildwood Flower

A.P. Carter
3
(Man Of) Constant Sorrow

R.D. Burnett
4
Cumberland Gap

P.D.
5
It's Not Right

Roy Lee Centers
6
How I Long To Change Your Name

Roy Lee Centers

Go To Top Of Page [1] Jack Lynch - Bluegrass Music features Wildwood Flower, Little Birdie, (Man Of) Constant Sorrow, Shady Grove, Tears On My Pillow, and Home Sweet Home.