Emma Smith - We Are One

(Old Homestead OHS-90166) 1984.

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This is a reissue of an 8-track tape which Larry Sparks put out on his own Lesco label circa 1981/2, with two later cuts added to bring the playing time up to 31:02. The original ten tracks (A1-A5 & B1-B5) feature Larry on harmony vocal, guitar, bass, mandolin and also on some tracks banjo, with Emma providing lead vocals and rhythmn guitar.

The 8-track was said to have sold well,^[1] and a copy was heard by Old Homestead label owner John Morris, who subsequently released a handful albums by her including one with Dave Evans on the Rutabaga imprint in 1984. I've only heard one of her other albums - 'Hazard' (Old Homestead ohs-90157) 1982, which features three of her original songs including an earlier version of Mother How I Miss You, which was also cut for the Lesco 8-track.

Larry recorded several of Emma's songs including three from this LP: Mother How I Miss You, Don't Neglect The Rose and Jesus Is All That I Need. Over the years he recorded ten: Mother How I Miss You and Take My Hand on The Testing Times (1983); Everything's Alright, Jesus Is All That I Need, Old Church Yard, I Want To See Him Smile and Ship From King Harbor Shore on Gonna Be Movin' (1986); Don't Neglect The Rose on Silver Reflections (1988) & It's Just Me (2023); and The Rock I Stand On & Memories on The Rock I Stand On (1994).

Ralph also recorded three of Emma's songs with Everything's Alright, on his 1988 LP I'll Answer The Call, Give Me Jesus on Back To The Cross, and Christmas Praise on Christmas Time With....

The 'We Are One' album is well worth seeking out. The songs include nine of her own compositions which have pleasant vocals, deft lyrics & fine melodies, and then there's Larry's backup which is always worth paying attention to. The non-original tracks include a version of Snow Covered Mound which Larry first cut with Ralph on the 1968 Over The Sunset Hill LP, plus John Morris' Battlefield which takes it's melody from Knoxville Girl, and a version of Charlie Moore's On A High, High Mountain. Both of these latter tracks were cut later without Larry, and feature back-up by Dana Cupp and Don Barrett.

I'm really surprised that no-one seems to have re-recorded the lovely We Are One and Time To Get Humble, which easily stand up to the classics like Don't Neglect The Rose...

In addition to the 8-track tape, Larry also released a 45 from the tape as Emma Smith with Larry Sparks - We Are One / The Gangster (Lesco no #).

• Emma Smith: lead vocal, guitar
• Larry Sparks: harmony vocal, guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass

NB: On tracks A-6 & B-6 personnel includes Dana Cupp & Don Barrett 'on backup instrumentation and harmony'.

Other artwork / related images:

[1] Liner notes to Emma Smith - 'Hazard' (Old Homestead OHS-90157) 1982.