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



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Clinch Mountain Echo

Pic. of the Day

Photo: After show 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...

Stanley Brothers
02 - 04 May 1962 - Ninth recording session for King (64 years ago)

At this three-day session the Stanley's recorded 21 tracks including the whole of the LP Good Old Camp Meeting Songs (King KLP-805) May 1962. Of the remaining tracks, three appeared on the LP Country Folk Music Spotlight (King KLP-864) Dec 1963. Singles from the session included:-

  • My Deceitful Heart / Drunkard's Dream (King 5674) Aug 1962
  • I Just Came From Your Wedding / Mama Don't Allow (King 5688) Aug 1962
  • Drinking From The Fountain / Who Will Sing For Me (King 5708) Nov 1962
  • Memories Of Mother / Paul And Silas (King 5754) May 1963
Ralph Stanley II
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
02 May 1967 - Baltimore, MD (59 years ago)

Ralph had a show at Zebelean's Lounge, Baltimore, Maryland, which was part-broadcast on local radio.

Mike Seeger also recorded the performance.

02 May 1970 - Jackson, KY (56 years ago)

Ralph had a show at the Courthouse, Jackson, Kentucky.

02 May 1971 - Kyoto, Japan (55 years ago)

The fifth show of Ralph's 1971 tour of Japan took place at Kyoto Shimbun Hall, Kyoto. These one was organised by Kobe Lost City and was captured for posterity on a radio broadcast. You can hear this one on youtube.

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.

02 - 03 May 1981 - Gettysburg, PA (45 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Saturday / Sunday (2-3 May) at Gettysburg Bluegrass Camporee, Granite Hill Family Campground, 6 miles West of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

The festival itself ran from 1-3 May and other acts included: Osborne Bros., Lewis Family, Seldom Scene, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Del McCoury, Adams Bros., Blue Ridge Partners, Five Strings of Bluegrass, Spirits Of Bluegrass, East Virginia, and Forbes Family.

One set from this festival looks like it was issued on a dodgy digital-only release Live From Gettysburg (ToneMaster) 2018. Audio also exists from the festival of another set by Ralph.

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

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

02 May 1987 - Virginia Beach, VA (39 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Saturday (2 May) at the '7th Annual Bluegrass Kickoff' in the Holiday Trav-L-Park in Virginia Beach, Virgina.

The festival itself ran from 1-3 May and other acts included: Doc Watson, Seldom Scene, Jim & Jesse, Lonesome River Band, Lewis Family, Lost & Found, Osborne Bros., Mike Snider, 100 Proof, Appalachian Trail, and others.

02 May 1992 - Big Leatherwood, KY (34 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Saturday (2 May) at the '3rd Annual Elbert Hamm Memorial Bluegrass Festival' in Big Leatherwood, Kentucky.

The festival itself ran from 1-2 May and other acts included: Del McCoury, Lost & Found, Goins Bros., Rawson Family Band, R.W. Skeens & Scioto Co., Hart Bros., Lost & Found, Shed House Trio, and Bluegrass Strangers.

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.

02 May 1996 - Whitesburg, KY (30 years ago)

Ralph had a live performance recorded for the "Bluegrass Express Live" WWMT 88.7 FM Radio show at Appalshop Theater, Whitesburg, Kentucky. Tickets cost $8.

02 May 1997 - Lincolnton, GA (29 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Friday (2 May) at the '10th Annual Lewis Family Homecoming & Bluegrass Festival', Elijah Clark State Park, Lincolnton, Georgia.

The festival itself ran from 1-3 May and other acts included: Earl Phillips, Mac Wiseman, 'Special' Talmadge Lewis, Lewis Family, Osborne Bros., Country Gentlemen, Wilma Lee Cooper, Jim & Jesse, IIIrd Tyme Out, Good Shepherd Quartet, Doyle Lawson, Marksmen, Larry Stephenson, Isaacs, Sunshine Boys, and Liberty.

02 May 1998 - Ephrata, PA (28 years ago)

Ralph had a show at Horst Auction Center, Ephrata, Pennsylvania. Sharing the bill were the Goins Bros. Tickets cost $6-$12.

02 May 1999 - Winchester, VA (27 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing at the '10th Annual Bluegrass Festival' at Wincheter Medical Center Grounds, Winchester, Virginia.

Events ran from 10am to 6pm and other acts included: Lynn Morris, Reno Bros., Dry Branch Fire Squad, Jim Hurst & Missy Raines, Red and Murphy & Co., Dalton Brill, and the Singing C.O.P.S.

02 May 2002 - New Orleans, LA (24 years ago)

Ralph appeared on Thursday (2 May) at the '33rd Annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival', at the New Orleans Fair Grounds Race Course (Sprint PCS/LG Mobile Phone Stage). The band were scheduled to perform at 6:50pm.

The festival itself ran from 26 April - 5 May with a wide variety of acts. On 2 May the Lousisiana Heritage Fair included: Ralph, Kermit Ruffin & the Barbeque Swingers, Blues Traveler, Delbert McClinton, Gov't Mule, the Blind Boys of Alabama, and the Mingus Big Band.

02 May 2003 - Lincolnton, GA (23 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Friday (2 May) at the '16th Annual Lewis Family Homecoming & Bluegrass Festival' at Elijah Clark State Park, Lincolnton, Georgia. The band were scheduled to perform a single 90min set at 9:15pm.

The festival itself ran from 1-3 May 2003 and other acts included: Jimmy C. Newman & Cajun Country, Talmadge Lewis, Earl Phillips, Mac Wiseman, Lewis Family, Chuck Wagon Gang with Anna Davis, Doyle Lawson, Jesse McReynolds, Larry Stephenson, Primitive Quartet, Osborne Bros., Village Singers, Larkin Family, Marksmen, David Peterson & 1946, Heaven's Echoes, and Carolina Road Band.

02 May 2008 - Rocky Mount, VA (18 years ago)

Ralph II appeared on Friday (2 May) at the 'Festival In The Pines' at Tripple Creek Music Campground, Rocky Mount, Virginia. Adverts list "Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys", but Dr. Ralph was performing in San Francisco on this date - presumably, there were two versions of the CMBs at this time!

The festival itself ran from 30 April - 1 May and other acts included: Little Mountain Boys, Michelle Nixon & Drive, Bluegrass Bros., In The Tradition, Lost & Found, James King, Junior Sisk, Larry Stephenson, and Churchmen.

02 - 03 May 2008 - Berkeley, CA (18 years ago)

Ralph had a 2-night booking at Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, California. Tickets cost $50.50.

02 May 2009 - Hilton Head Island, SC (17 years ago)

Ralph had a show at the Shoreline Ballroom, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Tickets cost $18 in advance, or $22 on the door.

02 May 2014 - Galax, VA (12 years ago)

Ralph and Nathan had a show on Friday (2 May) at "HoustonFest" in Felt's Park, Galax, Virginia. Ricky Skaggs and The Whites made a guest appearance with Ralph.

The festival itself, which was dedicated to the memory of local banjo player Houston Caldwell, ran from 2-3 May and other acts included: The Whites, Lonesome River Band, Church Sisters, The Boxcars, Whitetop Mountain Band, Ricky Skaggs, Kruger Bors., Ashe County Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM), Jeff Little Trio, Johnny & the Jambusters, and Rhythm-N-Motion Cloggers

Some pictures from the festival can be found here https://www.virginiafolklife.org/sights-sounds/houstonfest-2014-jewel-of-festival-circuit/

02 May 2015 - Alexandria, VA (11 years ago)

Ralph had a show at the Birchmere, Alexandria, Virginia. Tickets cost $35.



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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:-

Making The Break
(Outlet OUT-1052)


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
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