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V/A - The Stanley Tradition: Tribute To A Bluegrass Legacy

(Doobie Shea DS-CD-1001) 1996

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For my money this is the best 'Stanley' tribute album yet to surface (or at least the best of those I've heard). It includes two original songs and nine from the Stanley Brothers / Ralph Stanley back catalogue, and features a stellar list of performers from the contemporary bluegrass genre.

Tim Austin, Don Rigsby, Ronnie Bowman and Dan Tyminski provide the majority of the vocals, but CMB's alumni Charlie Sizemore & Ernie Thacker also sing lead on a couple of cuts and James Alan Shelton plays on a couple too. Honorary CMB James King also appears, as does Scottie Sparks and Bluegrass Cardinal David Parmley. The backing instrumentation is equally as impressive, with Tim Austin, Barry Bales, Aubrey Haynie and Craig Smith...

The material is handled sensitively throughout, capturing much of the 'stanley' feel, but without attempting to make a carbon copy or stray too far from the CMB blueprint.

On the final track, The Only Way To Save Goodbye, Ernie Thacker, Scottie Sparks, Ronnie Bowman, Charlie Sizemore, Don Rigsby and Dan Tyminski share lead vocals on the verses, whilst Ronnie B. sings lead on the choruses.

Apparently this CD got a well deserved Grammy nomination, and it's obviously a labour of love for all involved.

PS: As an aside, Ernie Thacker was out of the music business when he got the call asking him to sing from the Lonesome River Band's Tim Austin. So it acted as an impetus to get his Route 23 band together, and start performing professionally again.^[1]

^{[1] http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/article.asp?xid=1075}