Clinch Mountain Echo

CMB Birthdays this month:

04 May 1922 - Harold 'Red' Stanley. Born 'Harold Oplis Stanley' in Fentress, Tennessee.

18 May 1938 - Henry Dockery. Walnut Marsh, North Carolina.

28 May 1956 - Ralph 'Hank' Smith. Born 'Ralph Dewayne Smith' in Elliott County, Kentucky.


In Memoriam:

02 May 1974 - Roy Lee Centers. Breathitt County, Kentucky.

03 May 2000 - Bill Napier. Johnson City, Tennessee.

09 May 1989 - Keith Whitley. Goodlettsville, Davidson County, Tennessee.

23 May 2022 - James Price. Parkersburg, Wood, West Virginia.


For the Official Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys site, visit:

Ralph II ralph2.com


Spotlight on:-

Wango EP-110
(Wango EP-110)


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A Life Of Constant Sorrow
alifeofsorrow.com

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Ralph Stanley Museum
ralphstanleymuseum.com

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Hills Of Home Festival
drralphstanleyfestival.com

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Rebel Records
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Bluegrass Unlimited
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Clinch Mountain Echo

Pic. of the Day

Photo: In the dressing room Mainichi Hall, Osaka 1 May 1971. Photo by Tsutomu Otsuka.


Rollin' On Rubber Wheels

New Ralph II album!


Ralph Stanley II & the Clinch Mountain Boys - Rollin' On The Rubber Wheels

Ralph II has a fine new album available on Stanley Family Records.

Featuring a choice selection of songs, the album successfully combines the rich legacy of the "Stanley" sound with Ralph II's own contemporary country-influences.

Click here for a full review.

If you're in the US CD's can be ordered from Ralph II's webstore / ralph2.com. (Outside of the US if you're address shows as invalid, use the contact email on ralph2.com to sort mailing costs/payment)

Digital copies can be found on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon (US), Amazon (UK). There's also a playlist on youtube.


...The Clinch Mountain Time Machine...


On this day...

Ralph Stanley II
01 May 2004 - Wise, VA (22 years ago)

Ralph II led the CMB's at a show at UVA, Wise College, Wise, Virginia.

19 Mar - 19 May 2005 - Warrenton, VA (21 years ago)

Ralph II had a show (with the CMBs) at Fauquier High School, Warrenton, Virginia. Also on the bill was Cliff Waldron. The event was a fund-raiser for the Warrenton Volunteer Fire Company. Tickets cost $15 in advance, or $20 on the door.

Ralph Stanley
01 May 1970 - Dayton, OH (56 years ago)

Ralph had a 9pm show at 'The Arrow Club', 2820 Wayne Avenue, Dayton, Ohio

01 May 1971 - Osaka, Japan (55 years ago)

The third and fourth shows of Ralph's 1971 tour of Japan took place at Mainichi Hall, Osaka. These two were organised by Kobe Lost City, with an afternoon appearance at 14:00 and evening show starting at 18:30.

01 May 1977 - Warrenton, VA (49 years ago)

Ralph was billed as playing at 'An All Star Bluegrass Concert' at Fauquier High School, Warrenton, Virginia. Other acts included Lester Flatt, Osborne Bros., Hobbs Sisters & Bob Goff Jr. Two shows were held at 1:30 and 6pm and the event was organised by the John D. Suddeth American Legion Post 72.

01 - 04 May 1980 - River, KY (46 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing at the Lawson's '3rd Annual Spring Bluegrass festival' at Doc Turner's farm, River, Kentucky.

Other acts included: Bill Monroe, Jim & Jesse, Lonzo & Oscar, James Monroe, Larry Sparks, the Lawsons, Goins Bros., Outdoor Plumbing Co., Lillimae & the Dixie Gospel-Aires, Wynn Osborne & the Nashville Express, and Midnight Travelers.

30 Apr - 01 May 1982 - Bristol, TN (44 years ago)

Ralph and the CMBs played at the "Appalachian Music Days festival" on Friday-Saturday (30 Apr - 1 May) & took part on Saturday morning in a parade down State Street in Bristol, Tennessee. On Saturday the band played at Steele Creek Park in the afternoon & evening and there was a ceremony at 9pm to induct Ralph & Carter into the Appalachian Music Museum Hall of Fame.

Other acts perfoming on the Friday/Saturday included: Holston Mountain Boys, Southland Ramblers, Larkin Bros., Goins Bros., Smokey Mountain Cloggers, Brickey Bros., Southern Grass, Flint Hill, Dr. Mongle String Band, Larry Sparks, and Country Grass. A gospel show at Joe Morrell Music House on Sunday (2 May) also featured George Shuffler with the Shuffler Family.

21 Feb - 21 May 1985 - Nashville, TN (41 years ago)

Ralph played a show at the Station Inn, Nashville, Tennessee.

01 - 02 May 1993 - Virginia Beach, VA (33 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing at the '13th Annual Bluegrass Kickoff' at the Holiday Trav-L-Park, Virginia Beach, Virginia. The festival itself ran from 30 April to 2 May, but as Ralph had another booking on Friday (30 Apr), the band presumably appeared here sometime over Saturday / Sunday (1-2 May).

Other acts included: Seldom Scene, The Whites, Alison Krauss, Bill Monroe, Jim & Jesse, Jeff & Sheri Easter, Lost & Found, Stevens Family, New Tradition, New Dominion and Sam & Son - the Geezinslaw Bros.

30 Apr - 01 May 1994 - Wilkesboro, NC (32 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Saturday / Sunday (30 Apr - 1 May) at the '7th Annual Merle Watson Memorial Festival', Wilkesboro, North Carolina. It was Ralph's first advertised appearance at the festival & was billed as 'Ralph Stanley and his Saturday Night, Sunday Morning friends. On Saturday (5-6pm) Ralph took part in a workshop with Mike Seeger, and in the evening (7-8pm) was billed as Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys. On Sunday (3-4:15pm) the "Ralph Stanley & Friends" appearance took part on the main stage.

The event itself ran from 28 April to 1st May 1994 and other acts included: Doc Watson, Sweethearts Of The Rodeo, Emmylou Harris & the Nash Ramblers, Cephas & Wiggins, Lonesome Standard Time, Iris Dement, Sam Bush & John Cowan, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Alison Krauss, Tim & Mollie O'Brien & the Boys, Peter Rowan, Seldom Scene, Tony Rice Unit, Jerry Douglas, Mark O'Connor, Front Range, JD Crowe, Shady Grove Band, Claire Lynch, Cowboy Jubilee, Kukuruza, Auldridge - Gaudreau - Coleman - Klein, Larry Sparks, Pete Wernick & the Live Five, Clint & Clarence Howard with Kenneth Price, Heartbeats, Kathy Chiavola, Richard Watson, Steve Kaufman, Jack Lawrence, Cherish The Ladies, Mike Seeger, David Holt, Robin & Linda Williams, Barry & Holly Tashian, Frosty Morn, Guy Van Duser, Muriel Anderson, John Jackson, Phil Jamison, Brad Leftwich & Linda Higginbotham, Janette Carter, Pine Ridge Boys & Patsy, Etta Baker, Bill Clifton, Joe & Odell Thompson, Folktellers, Sheila Kay Adams, Jesse Lovell and many others.

01 May 1999 - Springfield, OH (27 years ago)

Ralph was listed as appearing at 'Bass Lake Bluegrass Festival' in Springfield, Ohio.

01 May 1999 - Warrenton, VA (27 years ago)

Ralph was listed as playing at Warrenton Volunteer Fire Company, Warrenton, Virginia. Also on the bill were Mark Newton.

01 May 2009 - Ormond Beach, FL (17 years ago)

Ralph was listed as appearing at "Destination Daytona" at the Coca-Cola Pavillion, Ormond Beach, Florida. Also on the bill were the Lovell Sisters and Cherryholmes. Tickets cost $20.

The band were scheduled to perform at 7pm.

01 May 2010 - St. Augustine, FL (16 years ago)

Ralph was listed as appearing on Saturday (1 May) at "Gamble Rogers Folk Festival", Flagier College Auditorium, St. Augustine, Florida.

The event itself ran from 30 April - 2 May and other acts included: Loudon Wainwright III, Janis Ian, John Cowan, Patty Larkin, and Farewell Drifters.



Our top YouTube video picks!


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CMB Birthdays this month:

04 May 1922 - Harold 'Red' Stanley. Born 'Harold Oplis Stanley' in Fentress, Tennessee.

18 May 1938 - Henry Dockery. Walnut Marsh, North Carolina.

28 May 1956 - Ralph 'Hank' Smith. Born 'Ralph Dewayne Smith' in Elliott County, Kentucky.


In Memoriam:

02 May 1974 - Roy Lee Centers. Breathitt County, Kentucky.

03 May 2000 - Bill Napier. Johnson City, Tennessee.

09 May 1989 - Keith Whitley. Goodlettsville, Davidson County, Tennessee.

23 May 2022 - James Price. Parkersburg, Wood, West Virginia.


For the Official Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys site, visit:

Ralph II ralph2.com


Spotlight on:-

Trooper Lee
(Crosscut CR-1134)


CME Recommends...

A Life Of Constant Sorrow
alifeofsorrow.com

CME Recommends...

Ralph Stanley Museum
ralphstanleymuseum.com

CME Recommends...

Hills Of Home Festival
drralphstanleyfestival.com

CME Recommends...

Rebel Records
rebelrecords.com

CME Recommends...

Bluegrass Unlimited
Bluegrass Unlimited