Albert Elliott and the Blue Ridge Partners - Albert Elliott and the Blue Ridge Partners

(Mag RSR-258) 1977. Reissued (Old Homestead OHS-90158) 1983.

---

Al Elliott's debut LP with the Blue Ridge Partners is an excellent trad-bluegrass album with good vocal harmony and instrumentation. Although the majority of the material isn't original, the energetic performances are top-notch with Jerry Keys driving banjo being particularly noteworthy. The album flows well and the tight interplay between instruments is spot-on.

Albert lodged time with both The Stanley Brothers, and Charlie Moore, so it's no surprise to find versions of Charlie's Leaving Detroit & Truck Driver's Queen, plus the Stanley's Think Of What You've Done and Let Me Walk Lord By Your Side. (Al helped the Stanley's record their seminal King 615 LP, including on the original version of Think Of What You've Done).

Other familiar songs include Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain, cut by Larry Sparks in 1971; an uptempo rendition of Flatt & Scruggs Blue Ridge Cabin Home (here listed as Blue Ridge Mountain Home); Don Reno & Red Smiley's Keep Me Humble; and via the Louvin Brothers' Don't Laugh.

Jerry Key's banjo adaptation of Leslie Keith's fiddle tune Black Mountain Blues, is fabulous and he also composed the albums other banjo/guitar instrumental Major Breakdown.

The only other original song is Albert Elliott's Tomorrow I'll Be Leaving, which is fairly standard bluegrass fare.

The abridged liner notes below include some biographical info on four of the five band members on the album:-

• Albert Elliott - does the lead and enor singing and is from Wise County, Virginia... Albert started playing at a very young age with his brother Bob, they were known as "Bob and Al, The Elliott Brothers". This led them to 'Farm and Fun Time' at Bristol, Virginia and in 'The Mid Day Merry Go Around' in Knoxville, Tennessee. Later on Albert played with big names such as Charlie Moore and Dixie Partners and The Stanley Brothers.
• Jerry Keys - a young banjo player with a style of his own. He was born in the hills of East Tennessee and was inspired to (play) music by his later father, Jay F. Keys. Before joining this group he played with George Hazelwood and the Tennesse Partners. He has made several appearances at the Bluegrass Festivals for the last two years and was well received by young and old.
• J.R. Gibson - was born in Scott County, Virginia and has been playing the guitar for eight years in the Bluegrass Festivals and clubs. J.R. does a good job lead singing and playing rhythm guitar and was very instrumental in forming The Blue Ridge Partners.
• G.C. Matlock - was born in Hawkins County, Tennessee. Was formerly with George Hazelwood's Tennessee Partners, and has been with the Blue Ridge Partners for about a year.

The album was recorded at Maggard Sound Studios in Big Stone Gap, Va and originally released on their MAG label. It was later re-cut and reissued by Old Homestead in 1983.

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

Other artwork / related images: