The Blue Ridge Partners with Al Elliott - The Blue Ridge Partners (with Al Elliott)

(Old Homestead OHS-90086) 1978

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Al Elliott's second LP with the Blue Ridge Partners is another fine trad-bluegrass effort, with largely original material and a slower pace than their debut, at least on some tracks. The bands strong harmony vocals are still in evidence throughout, however, and the core line-up is the same, with Virgil Shouse taking over bass duties and also providing some overdubbed fiddle.

Strangely one song was recorded for both albums with the version of I'll Be No Stranger There here being a tad slower.

The album kicks off with Al Elliot's 3/4 waltz The Song Birds Are Calling which opens with an almost identical intro to the Stanley's String, Eraser And Blotter. Elliott contributes four songs to the album, plus the mandolin instrumental Wise County Breakdown. All are mid-tempo, dealing with relationships, and one - Just The Thought Of Losing You had previously been recorded by Charlie Moore & Bill Napier on their 1975 Collectors Edition LP. His 3/4 waltz This Memory Of You is also slightly reminiscent of String, Eraser And Blotter, but is pretty lovely nonetheless, with G.C. Matlock's lead guitar fills, and the bands close harmony vocals on the choruses working well.

J.R. Gibson's uptempo I've Lost Her is another strong track with a Jimmy Martin/Lonesome Pine Fiddlers feel to it, with driving banjo plus harmony vocal on the choruses.

Jerry Keys' Road To Gloryland sounds like it was influenced by the Country Gents, and the instrumental J.J. features his banjo & Al's mandolin on alternating breaks.

The Hadacol Boogie (shown as The Hadicol Boogie) is a version of a song originally released by Bill Nettles in 1949, from the theme for a patented medicine. It was marketed in the Southern states as a dietary suppliment, but it's main appeal may have been it's 12% alcohol content, particularly in dry counties. The arrangement by the Blue Ridge Ramblers, is patterned after Bill Monroe's classic Blue Grass Special.

Ray Price's country hit I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me) is also pretty good bluegrass adaptation, but the version of the Louvin's The Angels Rejoiced Last Night isn't quite as good as it could have been.

Overall, this is another album worth hearing.

• Albert Elliott: mandolin, vocal
• J.R. Gibson: guitar, vocal
• Jerry Keys: banjo
• G.C. Matlock: lead guitar
• Virgil Shouse: fiddle, bass

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