Clinch Mountain Echo

CMB Birthdays this month:

01 Sep 1934 - Doug Morris. Born 'Lawrence Douglas Morris' in Washington, Virginia.

05 Sep 1944 - Ron Thomasson. Russell County, Virginia.

20 Sep 1931 - Les Woodie. Born 'Lester Gene Woodie' in Valdese, Burke County, North Carolina.

24 Sep 1936 - Paul Mullins. Born 'Paul Mullins' in Middleton, Kentucky.

25 Sep 1947 - Larry Sparks. Lebanon, Ohio.

25 Sep 1924 - Ray Lambert. near Haysi, Virgina.


In Memoriam:

09 Sep 2012 - Jim Williams. Southport, Florida.

20 Sep 1992 - Ralph Mayo. Kingsport, Tennessee.


For the Official Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys site, visit:

Ralph II ralph2.com


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Clinch Mountain Echo

The Stanley Brothers - Stone Walls And Steel Bars / Lonesome Night

(King 5809) Sep 1963


Stone Walls And Steel Bars

This 7" was recorded at the sessions for the Country Folk Music Spotlight LP, which was released a couple of months later.

Stone Walls And Steel Bars was given 4 stars out of 5 by Billboard magazine (9th Nov 1963)[1] and is one of the Stanley's absolute classics. The flip side, Carter's mournful Lonesome Night also garnered 3 out of 5, and is another excellent cut. Oddly, the Stanley's had recorded Lonesome Night previously for Mercury in 1956, but it wasn't released until the 1993 2xCD set, The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys 1953 - 1958 & 1959.

I love Ralph's banjo work on Stone Walls... which often jumps to the next chord one beat ahead of the songs chord changes.[2]

Both sides of the single can be found on The King Years, 1961-1965 4xCD box set.

 

For a detailed breakdown and background to the Stanley's sessions, check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book, pages 171-172 and 203.

 

Track:
Title:
Time:
Date:
Original Release:
A-1
Stone Walls And Steel Bars
02:07
14 Aug 1963
King 5809

Ray Pennington / Roy E. Marcum
  Ld Vcl - Gtr Tn Vcl - Bjo Bt Vcl - Fid Bs Bs Vcl - Ld Gtr    
  Carter Stanley
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Mayo
Henry Dockery
George Shuffler
 
 
B-1
Lonesome Night
02:19
14 Aug 1963
King 5809

C. Stanley
  Ld Vcl - Gtr Hi Bt Vcl - Bjo Fid Bs Tn Vcl - Ld Gtr    
  Carter Stanley
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Mayo
Henry Dockery
George Shuffler
 
 
Other artwork / related images:
Lonesome Night

[1] https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=TwsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA45&lpg=PA45&dq=king+5809+stanley+brothers+billboard&source=bl&ots=fPD1bg-XRm&sig=uQvFAc7z4JPb0zEeXM70Nb7W6jM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_xr-09pTUAhWKDsAKHZUnBJwQ6AEINTAC#v=onepage&q&f=false
[2] See Gary Bates (aka 'Stanleytone') meticulous tab on the banjo hangout:- http://www.banjohangout.org/myhangout/photos.asp?id=13373

For the Official Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys site, visit:

Ralph II ralph2.com

Spotlight on:-

Ralph Stanley II and The Clinch Mountain Boys
(Stanley Family 8829559048)


CME Recommends...

A Life Of Constant Sorrow
alifeofsorrow.com

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Ralph Stanley Museum
ralphstanleymuseum.com

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Hills Of Home Festival
drralphstanleyfestival.com

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Rebel Records
rebelrecords.com

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Bluegrass Unlimited
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