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The Goins Brothers - We'll Carry On

(Hay Holler HHH-CD-502) 1995

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Unfortunately the recording of this CD was interrupted as Ray Goins sadly had a heart attack on 12th December 1994 & had to spend six months at home for monitoring.^[1] According to the CD liner notes, he was also subsequently treated for a bout of skin cancer. He therefore only plays banjo on five tracks, with long-time Goins' band member Buddy Griffin helping out on the remainder.

James Price is also only present on seven cuts, with Buddy Griffin fiddling on the others & also providing harmony fiddle with James' on Memories Of Mother.

The liner notes give the album's recording date as March 1995, but presumably given the date of Ray's heart attack, there must have been an earlier session (unless tracks 3, 4, 6, 9 & 12 were left over from the Still Goin' Strong recording).

The month after this album was completed, James helped record James Alan Shelton's Clinch Mountain Guitar CD in April '95. He doesn't however appear to have joined the CMB's until a few months later in August '95.^[2]

As with Still Goin' Strong, the lead vocals on the CD are shared with band members John Keith & John McNeely who sing lead on six tracks. Melvin sings lead on five. Ray leads on the verses of I Am A Pilgrim with John McNeely on the choruses; and then there's two instrumentals.

The original songs on the album include John McNeely's Memories Of Mother and Don't Let My Love Slip Through Your Hands; plus John Keith's Since I Let Jesus In.

The CD kicks off with My Dixie Home, an old song popularised by Flatt & Scruggs, but originally cut by Jenkins and Robinson in 1928. The Goin's version is patterned after Flatt & Scruggs, with Melvin channelling Lester's vocal... Melvin also contributes versions of Hylo Brown's Lovesick And Sorrow and Jim Eanes' Don't Stop Now; plus versions of Pistol Packin' Mama (which the Goins' Borthers had previously cut on Bluegrass Country) and Wiggle Worm Wiggle (ditto but on Bluegrass Hits Old And New).

John McNeely's Memories Of Mother shouldn't be confused with Carter Stanley's song of the same title... It's quite a slow sentimental track and at nearly 4½ minutes is a bit too long. Actually it wouldn't be out of place on one of Ray Davis' "plum pitiful" compilations...

Since I Let Jesus In is another original by John Keith. It's not really my kind of thing, but John Keith's lead vocal phrasing is somewhat similar to Ernie Thacker.

The third original, Don't Let My Love Slip Through Your Hands is an uptempo number co-written by John McNeely and Gene Wilson. It features some nice banjo by Buddy Griffin, who does a good job of emulating Ray Goins' straight-ahead Scruggs style.

One of the albums' highlights, Cherokee Lady is a decent mandolin instrumental written by Bobby Osborne & first recorded on his 'Bobby Osborne & His Mandolin' LP (CMH CMH-6256) 1981. John Keith's mandolin book-cases a sweet fiddle break by Buddy Griffin and guitar from John McNeely. The other instrumental, a version of Bob Wills' Steel Guitar Rag, is a bit mundane.

Another highlight is what I presume to be an old gospel hymn, Climb Up, Ye Little Children. On this one John McNeely and John Keith swap vocal lead on the verses. The fire & brimstone Lord, Send Down The Fire also features a splendid vocal quartet with John McNeely on lead, John Keith on tenor, Ray Goins on baritone and James Price on bass vocal.

Life's Highway by Bobby Smith, was originally cut by Bobby Smith and & The Boys From Siloh on their self-titled LP (Audiograph Alive Series AA-6013) 1982. Bill Monroe later included the song on his 'Southern Flavor' LP (MCA MCA-42133) 1988.

Considering the track-to-track personnel changes, the album still flows quite well, although it's not quite as good as the previous Still Goin' Strong release.

• Melvin Goins: guitar
• Ray Goins: banjo
• Conley Goins: bass
• John Keith: mandolin
• John McNeely: guitar
• James Price: fiddle

^{[1] The 'General Notes' section of Feb. 1995 issue of 'Bluegrass Unlimited' says: "Ray Goins is home now for six months of monitoring after suffering a heart attack on December 12, 1994. His main artery was blocked but he is doing as well as can be expected."
[2] Ralph Stanley's "Song & Memory Book Vol. 3" (p.52) gives August '95 as James' start date with the CMB's. There's also a live show from 8th July 1995 at the Denton Bluegrass Festival, North Carolina where Ralph is filling in at short notice for Bill Monroe. Here Ralph says that they couldn't get in touch with Art Stamper as he was still travelling home after their previous show and Owen Saunders is filling in on fiddle.}