Larry Sparks - Bluegrass Old And New

(Old Homestead OHS-90004) 1972

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Larry's third album saw him move to the newly formed Old Homestead label, as John Morris recalled: "I had made my original contact with him through Fay McGinnis who at that time headed the Ralph Stanley fan club. I was a new record company and didn't know many people personally in bluegrass, but Fay did and was helping me get started. She had known Larry for a long time and had orginally helped Larry get his job with the Stanley Brothers. I, of course had heard Larry's recordings with Ralph Stanley and knew of his great talent. Anyhow, I was really impressed with how Larry and his band (Wendy Miller, Mike Lilly, and Neal Brackett) [sounded]. They must have really spent a lot of time preparing for that first [Old Homestead] album because they knew every song and the arrangements extremely well even to the point of knowing which instrument would back each verse and each chorus. Their harmony was also perfect. They cut 15 songs in about 6 hours. Most of them first takes."

"The album that resulted from that first session was a great album, but because of my inexperience the stereo was not mixed properly and I sent the master tape to a company who did not make the master stampers well so an album wtih poor sound quality resulted."^[1]

The LP was dedicated to Fay McGinnis, and in her sleeve notes she recalled how the "Shed House Trio" monicker came into being: "The think I remember most as I think back over Larry's career was his untiring devotion to his music. After he joined the Stanley Brothers, I remember when they came to town and would visit my husband Roy and myself at our home. Larry would sit around all day before the shows and practice his guitar. He would also practice his singing with Roy and Sonny Nelson (who at that time was a member of the Sunnysiders) and one night Carter introduced them on the stage to sing a song as the Shed House Trio. Carter meant it to be funny and it brought a laugh from the audience but I believe Larry really enjoyed revealing his talent to Carter and Ralph as well as the audience. Since then Larry has developed an ability to put more feeling in his songs than anyobody in the business today."

The album is once again an improvement over the first two LPs for Pine Tree, with the arrangements and vocal harmonies being tighter. The results are marred slightly by the LP pressing quality and poor mix, but it's still a good album and well worth seeking out. It's also worth mentioning that the version of the album on Spotify has a much better sound quality...

'Bluegrass Unlimited' again gave the album 5 stars in their review which also noted the drawbacks of the recording, whilst commenting: "While with Ralph Stanley, he established himself as as an exceptional singer of old time songs as well as fine guitar instrumentalist. Since that time, he has improved though hardly prospered." A comment, which reflects the limited distribution of the Pine Tree & Old Homestead labels, but which is also somewhat precogniscant, given today's paltry artist royalties from music streaming services...

Several songs on the album were later revisited by Larry over the years with: Thank You Lord being re-recorded on: Thank You Lord (1976), The Rock I Stand On (1994), and Ministry In Song (2021); King Jesus and Where We'll Never Say Farewell resurfacing on Thank You Lord (1976); Ministry In Song (2021); plus Kentucky Banjo on Ramblin' Bluegrass (1972); These Old Blues, Memories Of The Past and Billy In The Lowground on The Lonesome Sounds Of... (1974); I Can't Go On Loving You on You Could Have Called (1976); and How I've Tried on Pickin' And Singin' (1975).

The first 12 tracks from the LP were later reissued by Old Homestead as Early & Essential Vol. 1, with the final 2 tracks being included on Early & Essential Vol. 2. I don't know how the quality of Vol. 1 compares with the original LP, but the two tracks on Vol. 2 are perhaps marginally better than the original, but still not as good as the Spotify versions.

The '15th' song cut at the 6 hour recording session is likely to be the version of This World Is Not My Home, which was included as the 'B' side to a 45 coupled with Thank You Lord (OHM-5010) 1972. The track was later included in the Early & Essential Vol. 2 collection.

• Larry Sparks: guitar, lead vocal
• Barney Carter: guitar (a)
• Mike Lilly: banjo, baritone vocal
• Wendy Miller: mandolin, tenor vocal
• Neal Brackett: bass

NB: (a) bass vocal on Thank You Lord.

Other artwork / related images:

[1] liner notes to 'Early & Essential Vol. 2'