The Stanley Brothers - The Very Best Of...

50 Original Bluegrass Favourites On 2CDs

(Not Now Music) 2019

This is budget 2xCD (UK?) compilation with 50 tracks from the early Starday / King era. I doubt very much whether the Stanley estate will see any royalties from it, but it is nonetheless a fairly decent set, which largely concentrates on the Stanley's secular material.

The 2xCD set comes in a nice 3-fold digipak and has fairly decent sound quality. The liner notes however are terribly inaccurate & hilariously wrong in places eg. Comments like "Ruby Rakes was Carter Stanley using his wife's maiden name" show a rather basic ignorance & lack of common 'Stanley' knowledge... as does mentioning Ricky Skaggs as popularising the Stanley's music in the '80s, without mentioning his apprenticeship in the band...

For an extensive breakdown by song and background to these sessions, check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book. For page references, see the Original Release entries.

Track:	Title:	Time:	Date:	Original Release:	Guitar:	Banjo:	Fiddle:	Mandolin:	Bass:	Lead Guitar:
CD 1:	(61:00)
1	The Wild Side Of Life	02:14	15 Jan 1961	King 5460	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Art Stamper	Curley Lambert	George Shuffler
	W. Warren / A. Carter
2	Mountain Dew	02:44	14 Sep 1959	King 5347	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley			George Shuffler	Bill Napier
	Bascom Lamar Lunsford / Scotty Wiseman
3	Rank Stranger	03:09	?? May 1960	Starday 506	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley		Curley Lambert	Audie Webster	Ralph Mayo
	Albert E. Brumley
4	Let Me Love You One More Time	02:05	11 Jul 1960	In Person	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Vernon Derrick		George Shuffler	Curley Lambert
	R. Stanley
5	Carolina Mountain Home	02:20	Summer 1959	Starday SEP-107	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Chubby Anthony	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	Len Wright / Estel Lee Scarborough
6	She's More To Be Pitied	02:16	30 Sep 1958	King 5155	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	Ruby Rakes
7	It's Raining Here This Morning	02:26	14 Sep 1959	Sings Everybody's Country Favorites	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley			George Shuffler	Bill Napier
	Grandpa Jones
8	Clinch Mountain Backstep	02:19	01 Oct 1958	The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	Ruby Rakes
9	I'll Take The Blame	02:08	16 Jan 1961	King 5518	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Art Stamper	Curley Lambert	George Shuffler
	C. Stanley
10	I'm A Man Of Constant Sorrow	02:39	15 Sep 1959	King 5269	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley			George Shuffler	Bill Napier
	R.D. Burnett
11	Love Me, Darling, Just Tonight	02:15	30 Sep 1958	King 5165	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	M.H. 'Red' Malone / Ruby Rakes
12	Sweet Thing	02:45	14 Sep 1959	Sings Everybody's Country Favorites	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley			George Shuffler	Bill Napier
	Buddy Starcher
13	Old Love Letters	02:36	11 Jul 1960	King 5415	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Vernon Derrick		George Shuffler	Curley Lambert
	Johnny Bond
14	Train 45	02:46	01 Oct 1958	King 5155	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	G.B. Grayson
15	Don't Go Out Tonight	02:32	?? May 1960	Starday 546	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo		Audie Webster	Curley Lambert
	G.B. Grayson
16	Sweeter Than The Flowers	03:21	14 Sep 1959	King 5355	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley			George Shuffler	Bill Napier
	Ervin T. Rouse / Aubrey W. Mullican / Syd Nathan
17	Daybreak In Dixie	02:14	11 Jul 1960	King 5384	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Vernon Derrick		George Shuffler	Curley Lambert
	Bill Napier
18	Gathering Flowers For The Master's Bouquet	02:29	?? May 1960	Starday 506	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo		Audie Webster	Curley Lambert
	Marvin E. Baumgardner
19	Little Willie	02:39	15 Jan 1961	Sing The Songs They Like Best	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Art Stamper	Curley Lambert	George Shuffler
	P.D.
20	Gonna Paint The Town	02:21	Summer 1958	Starday 406	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Joe Meadows	Bill Napier	Al Elliot	Gene Meadows
	R. Stanley
21	Ridin' That Midnight Train	02:03	Summer 1959	Mountain Song Favorites	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Chubby Anthony	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	R. Stanley
22	Little Maggie	02:47	?? May 1960	Starday 522	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo		Audie Webster	Curley Lambert
	P.D.
23	Highway Of Regret	02:04	Summer 1959	Mountain Song Favorites	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Chubby Anthony	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	Donald 'Chubby' Anthony
24	The Story Of The Lawson Family	02:31	15 Jan 1961	Sing The Songs They Like Best	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Art Stamper	Curley Lambert	George Shuffler
	R. Stanley / C. Stanley
25	Midnight Ramble	02:06	01 Oct 1958	King 5165	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	Ruby Rakes
CD 2:	(59:30)
1	How Far To Little Rock	02:40	15 Sep 1959	King 5306	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley			George Shuffler	Bill Napier
	Ruby Rakes
2	Wildwood Flower	02:22	11 Jul 1960	In Person	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Vernon Derrick		George Shuffler	Curley Lambert
	A.P. Carter
3	Wild Bill Jones	02:16	15 Jan 1961	Sing The Songs They Like Best	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Art Stamper	Curley Lambert	George Shuffler
	P.D.
4	The Window Up Above	02:29	15 Jan 1961	King 5460	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Art Stamper		George Shuffler	Curley Lambert
	George Jones
5	Choo Choo Comin'	02:34	Summer 1959	Starday SEP-107	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Chubby Anthony	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	Corbet 'Cuddles' Newsome
6	Sunny Side Of The Mountain	02:31	14 Sep 1959	King 5291	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley			George Shuffler	Bill Napier
	Harry C. McAuliffe / Bobby Gregory
7	Holiday Pickin'	02:12	Summer 1958	Starday 413	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Joe Meadows	Bill Napier	Al Elliot	Gene Meadows
	R. Stanley
8	I'd Worship You	02:19	16 Jan 1961	King 5518	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Art Stamper	Curley Lambert	George Shuffler
	R. Stanley
9	Tragic Romance	03:01	14 Sep 1959	Sings Everybody's Country Favorites	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley			George Shuffler	Bill Napier
	Wiley Morris / Zeke Morris
10	Trust Each Other	02:30	Summer 1959	Starday 438	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Chubby Anthony	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	R. Stanley
11	How Mountain Girls Can Love	02:08	30 Sep 1958	The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	Ruby Rakes
12	Your Selfish Heart	02:19	30 Sep 1958	The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	Ruby Rakes / Al Elliot
13	Daybreak In Dixie (aka Ralph's Banjo Special)	02:00	15 Nov 1957	Hard Times	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Benny Martin / Howard Forrester	Bill Napier	Curley Lambert
	Bill Napier
14	Mastertone March	02:25	01 Oct 1958	King 5180	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	Ruby Rakes
15	Beneath The Maple (On The Hill)	02:45	Summer 1959	Starday 438	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Chubby Anthony	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	Gussie L. Davis
16	Think Of What You've Done	02:07	01 Oct 1958	The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	C. Stanley
17	Lover's Quarrel	02:41	15 Jan 1961	Sing The Songs They Like Best	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Art Stamper	Curley Lambert	George Shuffler
	Gussie Davis
18	The Memory Of Your Smile	02:19	30 Sep 1958	The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Ralph Mayo	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	Ruby Rakes
19	A Little At A Time	02:27	Summer 1959	Mountain Song Favorites	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Chubby Anthony	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	M.H. 'Red' Malone / R. Stanley
20	Little Benny	02:07	11 Jul 1960	King 5415	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Vernon Derrick		George Shuffler	Curley Lambert
	P.D.
21	Another Night	03:03	Summer 1959	Mountain Song Favorites	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Chubby Anthony	Bill Napier	Al Elliot
	Jack Adkins
22	Old Rattler	02:07	15 Sep 1959	King 5347	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley			George Shuffler	Bill Napier
	P.D.
23	Hey, Hey, Hey	02:03	15 Jan 1961	Sing The Songs They Like Best	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Art Stamper	Curley Lambert	George Shuffler
	C. Stanley
24	Jenny Lynn	02:07	15 Jan 1961	Sing The Songs They Like Best	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Art Stamper	Curley Lambert	George Shuffler
	P.D.
25	Still Trying To Get To Little Rock	02:40	22 Sep 1961	Award Winners At The Folk Song Festival	Carter Stanley	Ralph Stanley	Chubby Anthony		Chubby Anthony	George Shuffler
	R. Stanley