---

---

Ralph II Stanley - Listen To My Hammer Ring

(Rebel REB-CD-1750) 1998

---

Ralph II's debut 'solo' CD features the regular CMB's on back-up and was recorded at Maggard Studios in Big Stone Gap, Va in Dec. 1997 and April 1988. Most of the selections are drawn from the extensive Stanley back catalogue, with Mary, Merry Christmas being an unreleased Carter Stanley original, which he wrote during his final days in hospital in Nov. 1966.

The title track, Listen To My Hammer Ring is a cover of an Aubrey Holt song which he recorded on the Boys From Indiana - 'Life On The Road' LP (Atteiram API-1638) 1985, although Charlie Moore had also previously cut the song on his 1975 LP 'The Fiddler' (Old Homestead OHS-90052). Given John Rigsby's track record of digging up obscure bluegrass records for Dr. Ralph to record, I wonder if he thought of doing this one too?

Strolling In The Moonlight is an original by Joe Isaacs, who also also adds his baritone vocal to the song and sings lead on the last verse. Joe had briefly been a CMB in 1969 and helped record two songs with Dr. Ralph and on his Clinch Mountain Country set, which was recorded just prior to Ralph II's 'Listen To The Hammer Ring'. Joe and Dr. Ralph had also collaborated on A Gospel Gathering in 1995.

The other non-Stanley track, Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain, was originally recorded by Roy Acuff in 1945, and also performed by Hank Williams Snr and several others. Willie Nelson gave the song a new lease of life when he recorded it on his 1975 'Red Headed Stranger' multi-platinum blockbuster album.^[1] As Ralph II's later work took on more of a country flavour, maybe this was an early indication of the times to come.

Overall this isn't too bad an album, but the performances are fairly perfunctory and Ralph II's lead vocal wobbles a bit here and there in places.

• Ralph II Stanley: rhythm guitar, vocals
• Jack Cooke: bass
• James Price: fiddle
• James Alan Shelton: lead guitar
• John Rigsby: mandolin, fiddle
• Steve Sparkman: banjo
• Ralph Stanley: tenor vocal

^{[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Eyes_Crying_in_the_Rain
and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Headed_Stranger}