
Photo: Stanley Brothers afternoon performance at Oak Leaf Park, Luray, Va. 28th May 1961. Photo by Alice Gerrard.
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.
On this day... |
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| Stanley Brothers |
| 28 May 1961 - Luray, VA (65 years ago) This show at Oak Leaf Park, Luray, Virginia was recorded by Lamar Grier and was released on Stanley Series, Vol. 2 No. 2 (Copper Creek CCSS-V2N2) 1984. |
| Ralph Stanley |
| 28 May 1969 - La Grande, OR (57 years ago) Ralph played at the Eastern Oregon Colleger Theater, La Grande, Oregon. Also on the bill were the college group Blue Mountain Crested Wheatgrass Boys. Tickets cost $1.25. The show was part of a West Coast tour that also saw appearances in Los Angeles, Seattle, and on to Denver & Chicago. |
| 28 - 30 May 1971 - McClure, VA (55 years ago) Ralph held his '1st Annual Carter Stanley Memorial Blue Grass Festival' at the Old Home Place, between Coeburn & McClure, Virginia. In addition to Ralph Stanley, other acts on the bill included: Bill Monroe, Reno-Smiley-Harrell, Country Gentlemen, Carl Story, Goins Brothers, Roy McGinnis & The Sunnysiders, Jim Eanes, Rose Brothers & The Cumberland Mountaineers, Lee Allen & Band, Cooke Duet. After the music on Friday night, a live fox race took place. Tickets for all three days cost $10, with day tickets available for $3 (Friday) & $4 (Saturday/Sunday). |
| 26 - 28 May 1972 - McClure, VA (54 years ago) The '2nd Annual Carter Stanley Memorial Bluegrass Festival' at the Old Home Place. Advertised acts included: Ralph Stanley, Bill Monroe, Jim & Jesse, Reno-Harrell, Country Gentlemen, Jimmy Martin, Goins Brothers, Lewis Family, Carl Story, Cliff Waldron, James Monroe, Jones Brothers & Log Cabin Boys, Larry Sparks, Shenandoah Valley Cut-Ups, McClain Family, and Rose Brothers. Leslie Keith, the early Stanley Brothers fiddle player & composer of Black Mountain Blues also got special mention. |
| 26 May - 01 Jun 1975 - Louisville, KY (51 years ago) Ralph was listed as appearing on Friday (30 May) at the (3rd Annual) 'Bluegrass Music Festival Of The United States', Riverfront Plaza, Louisville, Kentucky. The band played two sets with a show in the afternoon and another in the evening. The festival itself ran from 26 May - 1 June and was sponsored by Citizens Fidleity Bank. Entrance was free, and other acts included: Bluegrass Alliance, Bill Monroe, James Monroe, Jim & Jesse, Blue Grass Generation, Goins Bros, The Bluegrass Saturday Night, Highwoods Stringband, Star Spangled Wash Board Band, Falls City Ramblers, JD Crowe, and Vassar Clements. |
| 27 - 30 May 1976 - McClure, VA (50 years ago) Ralph's '6th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' took place ath the Old Home Place between McClure & Coeburn, Virginia. In addition to Ralph advertised acts included: Bill Monroe, Leslie Keith, Dean Casey & the Shady Mountain Boys, Stanford Stanley & the Clinch Valley Boys, Rocky Mountain Boys, Kentucky River Boys, Dewey Rose, Country Gentlemen, Reno-Harrell, James Monroe, Charlie Moore, Goins Bros., Raymond Fairchild, Dr. Bruce Mongle & Band, Larry Sparks, Paul Mullins & the Boys From Indiana, Sullivan Family, Dave Marshall & the Gospel Road, Slone Family, Carl Story, and the Gospel Ramblers. |
| 25 - 29 May 1977 - McClure, VA (49 years ago) Ralph's '7th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' took place at the Old Homeplace between McClure and Coeburn, VA. Other acts included: Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Marshall Family, Jimmy Martin, Raymond Fairchild, Country Gentlemen, Reno - Harrell, James Monroe, Kentucky River Boys, Larry Sparks, Carl Story, Goins Bros., Leslie Keith, Boys From Indiana, Charlie Cline & the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, Slone Family, Stanford Stanley, Terry & Carl Rose and Band, Dewey Rose & the Cumberland Mountaineers, Tall Timber Grass, Boone Estep, Clayton Hale, Dean Casey, Rocky Mountain Boys, Dr Bruce Mongle and Band. |
| 25 - 29 May 1978 - McClure, VA (48 years ago) Ralph's '8th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' took place at the Old Home Place, between McClure and Coeburn, Virgina. Other acts included: Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Raymond Fairchild, Country Gentlemen, Osborne Bros., Marshall Family, Goins Bros., Larry Sparks, Lawrence Lane, Red Allen, Wilson Bros., Boone Estep, Charlie Cline & the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, Slone Family, Rocky Mountain Boys, Terry Rose, Stanford Stanley, Messa Grass, Ed Hamilton, Frank Neat & Bluegrass, Lewis Family, Jimmy Martin, James Monroe, McLain Family, and Dry Branch Fire Squad. |
| 27 - 30 May 1982 - McClure, VA (44 years ago) Ralph's '12th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' took place at the Old Home Place, between Coeburn and McClure, Virginia. Other acts included: Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Country Gentlemen, Larry Sparks, Dave Evans, Marshall Family, Goins Bros., Lonnie Glosson & Wayne Raney, Outdoor Plumbing Co., Stanford Stanley, Bluegrass Revue, Lost Kentuckians, Terry Rose & Band, Rocky Mountain Boys, Wilson Bros., Sullivan Family, and First National Bluegrass. |
| 26 - 29 May 1983 - McClure, VA (43 years ago) Ralph held his '13th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' at the Old Home Place between Coeburn and McClure, Virginia. Other acts at the festival included: Lost Kentuckians, Stanford Stanley, Dave Evans, Bill Monroe, Larry Sparks, Outdoor Plumbing Co., Lowell Varney & Landon Messer, Rocky Mountain Boys, Boys From Indiana, Goins Bros., Marshall Family, First National Bluegrass, Terry Rose, Don Reno, and New Frontier Grass. Material from this festival appeared as the LP Ralph Stanley and Friends - Live At The Old Homeplace (Rebel REB 1627) 1983. |
| 26 - 28 May 1988 - Roxana, KY (38 years ago) Ralph held his '18th Ralph Stanley Memorial Bluegrass Festival' at Roxana, Kentucky. Four shows from the festival were later broadcast on WMKY's "Kentucky Backyard" radio show. Other acts included: Warrior River Boys, Dave Evans, Boys From Indiana, Darlene Collins & the Southern Star Band, Outdoor Plumbing Co., Brickey Brothers, Paul Mullins & the Traditional Grass, Goins Bros., and others. |
| 28 May 1989 - Beaver Falls, PA (37 years ago) Ralph was billed as appearing on Sunday (28 May) at the '7th Annual Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Festival' at Bradys Run Park, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. The festival itself ran from 26-29 May and other acts included: New Grass Revival, Nashville Bluegrass Band, David Grisman, Mike Seeger, Horseflies, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Heart Beats, Reno Bros., Larry Sparks, Lost & Found, Beaver Creek, Dave Krysty & Bill Lemmons, Mac Martin, Coal Country Cloggers, Full House, Excalibur, Bluegrass Mountaineers, Mike Scott & the All American Bluegrass Band, and Flying Cunninghams. |
| 27 - 29 May 1993 - McClure, VA (33 years ago) Ralph held his '23rd Annual Memorial Blue Grass Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park/Old Home Place between Coeburn and McClure, Virginia. Other acts included: Gary & Anita with Verlin Sanders, Rick Phillips & Band, Shiloh Mountain Trio (with future CMB Mitchell Van Dyke), Bill Monroe, Raymond Fairchild, Blue Grass Strangers, Stevens Family, Big Country Bluegrass, Bob White & Band, Larry Sparks, Goins Bros., Brickey Bros. with Dale Kennedy, East Ohio Grass, Jeannie Stanley, and Tom T. Hall. |
| 26 - 28 May 1994 - McClure, VA (32 years ago) Ralph held his '24th Annual Memorial Blue Grass Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park, between Coeburn and McClure, Virginia. Other acts included: Blue Grass Echoes, Gary & Anita and Verlin Sanders, Larkin Family, Bill Monroe, Charlie Sizemore, Blue Grass Strangers, Traditional Grass, Wild Wood Girls, Sam Wilson Band, Doc Watson, Jimmy Martin, Isaacs, Larry Sparks, Vince Combs, Brickey Bros. with Dale Kennedy, Goins Bros., East Ohio Grass, and Jeannie Stanley. |
| 28 May 1995 - Brandenburg, KY (31 years ago) Ralph played on Sunday (28 May) at 'Tomorrows Bluegrass Today', Otter Creek Park, Brandenburg, Kentucky. The festival itself ran from 26-28 May and other acts included: Bill Monroe, Carl Story, Laurie Lewis & Grant Street, Lonesome River Band, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Lynn Morris Band, Front Range, Northern Lights, Charlie Sizemore, John Hartford, IIIrd Tyme Out, Reno Bros., Kathy Kallick, Sugar Beat, Gary Ferguson, Gary Brewer, Josh Williams & the High Gear Band, Youth All-Stars, and Eastbound. |
| 27 - 29 May 1999 - McClure, VA (27 years ago) Ralph held his '29th Memorial Bluegrass Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park, between Coeburn and McClure, Virginia. Other acts included: Lewis Family, Tim White & the VW Boys, Northfork, Gary & Verlin Sanders, Now & Then, Boys In The Band, Singing Conquerors, Rhonda Vincent, Gary Brewer, Larkin Family, Kenneth Davis & Scott County Boys, Brickey Bros. with Dale Kennedy, Bluegrass Strangers, Larry Sigmon & Barbara Poole, Larry Sparks, Blue Highway, Melvin Goins & the Boys, Schankman Twins, Bluegrass Mountaineers, Hart Bros., Clinch Mountain Boys reunion (featuring George Shuffler, Art Stamper, Larry Sparks, Melvin Goins, Lester Woodie, John Shuffler & Joe Meadows), and special guest Jim Lauderdale. |
| 27 - 29 May 2004 - McClure, VA (22 years ago) Ralph held his 'Ralph Stanley Memorial Bluegrass Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park, between McClure and Coeburn, Virginia. Other acts included: Jimmy Martin, Lewis Family, Gillian Welch, Jim Lauderdale, Country Gentlemen, Larry Sparks, Marshall Family, Melvin Goins, Cherryholmes, George Shuffler, Sigmon & Poole, Bluegrass Strangers, Singing Conquerors, Bluegrass Brothers, Kentucky Mountain Boys, and Dale Kennedy. |
| 26 - 28 May 2005 - McClure, VA (21 years ago) Ralph held his '35th Annual Memorial Weekend Bluegrass Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park, between Coeburn and McClure, Virginia. Other acts included: Rhonda Vincent, Lewis Family, Dave Evans, Cherryholmes Family, Cox Family, Norman & Nancy Blake, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Jim Lauderdale, Bluegrass Strangers, Bluegrass Brothers, James King, Josh Turner, Larry Sparks, Marshall Family, Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain, George Shuffler / Dale Kennedy Band, and Kentucky Mountain Boys. |
| 27 - 29 May 2010 - McClure, VA (16 years ago) Ralph held his '40th Annual Memorial Weekend Bluegrass Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park, between Coeburn & McClure, Virginia. Other acts included: Rhonda Vincent, Cumberland Highlanders, Tim White & VW Boys, Clinch Mountain Boys (featuring their individual recordings), Savannah Vaughn & Fall Creek, Ricky Skaggs, Gillian Welch, James King, Summertown Road, Bluegrass Mountaineers, Dailey & Vincent, Larry Sparks, Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, George Shuffer, and Ralph Stanley II. On the Friday (28 May) the festival was included as an affiliated partner to the Crooked Road. President Jim Baldwin & Dickenson County Tourism Director, Rita Surratt presented a banner to Ralph just prior to their perfomance. |
| 26 - 28 May 2011 - McClure, VA (15 years ago) Ralph held his '41st Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival' at the Hills Of Home Park, between Coeburn & McClure, Virginia. The festival itself ran from 26-28 May 2011 and other acts included: Dailey & Vincent, Dave Evans, Cumberland Highlanders, Ralph Stanley II, Junior Blankenship Band, Blue Highway, Paul Williams & Victory Trio, James King, Bluegrass Mountaineers, Larry Sparks, Lonesome River Band, Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain, Charlie Sizemore, Joe Mullins & Radio Ramblers, and George Shuffler. |
| 28 May 2015 - Knoxville, TN (11 years ago) Ralph and Nathan had a show at The International, Knoxville, Tennessee. Also on the bill were Dixieghost. |
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