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John Wright - Promises

(No Label SL-1003) 1996.

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John Wright's second album, which was recorded on 21st May 1996 at Maggard Sound Studio in Big Stone Gap, Va, includes CMB's Junior Blankenship and James Price providing backing on guitar and fiddle respectively.

As with his debut Everything She Asks For, John plays clawhammer banjo and sings with a fairly charming, but somewhat rough vocal style.

Five of the songs are originals, and being a professor of classical literature, John also has a flair as a tune-smith. In the liner notes he says: "Songwriting, for me, is usually a matter of taking a verbal phrase which I have thought of, heard of or read and which for some reason won't leave my mind, and making up a song to put around that phrase. (Though seldom is the source of the phrase as illustrious as with 'We've Heard The Chimes At Midnight,' which comes from Shakespeare's Henry IV.)"

"'Solder's Boy', on the other hand, came from a scene in a Russian movie in which a mixed-up young man sees a vision of his father, who died a hero in World War II. The unhappy son asks his father for advice, but the father simply says 'How can I advise you? I'm three years younger than you ar.... In 'Soldier's Boy' I've modernized and Americanized this universal situation."

Other tracks include G.B. Grayson's Short Life Of Trouble which was also cut by Ralph in 1996 on his tribute to Grayson & Whiter:- Short Life Of Trouble.

Charlie Sizemore's Melody Of Love was similarly recorded by Ralph on his 1982 Memory Of Your Smile LP, and by Sizemore on his 1985 solo debut 'Congratulations' and 1989 'Call Of The Hony Tonk' album.

The final two tracks are songs which Ralph recorded on his 1971 Cry From The Cross LP.

See the Everything She Asks For entry for more biographical info on John Wright.

The CD can still be obtained from www.cdbaby.com.

• John Wright: banjo, vocal
• Jnr Blankenship: guitar, harmony vocal
• James Price: fiddle