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:-

Making The Break
(Outlet OUT-1052)


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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: Rickie Lee. Photo by Carl Fleischhauer.


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
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
16 - 17 May 1969 - Los Angeles, CA (57 years ago)

Ralph had a two night booking at the Hollywood Center Theatre, 1451 Las Palmas, Los Angleles, California. The shows were the third in a series of "Ash Grove Revival Concerts" and ran from 8:30pm to 2am, and were headlined by folk singer Hedy West.

17 May 1973 - Boone, NC (53 years ago)

Ralph was mentioned in the Charlotte Observer (17 May) as playing a free show at the Varsity Gym, Appalachian State Univerity, Boone, North Carolina. The "Doc Watson Appreciation Night" event also featured Doc Watson, but the newspaper didn't explicitly mention the date of the show.

16 - 18 May 1974 - Troy, NC (52 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing (at some point between 16-18 May) at the '4th Annual Montgomery County Bluegrass Festival', one mile west of Troy, North Carolina on Highway 27 & 109.

The festival itself ran from 15-19 May and other acts included: Osborne Bros. Charlie Moore, Jim & Jesse, James Monroe, Snuffy Jenkins, Pappy Sherril & Greasy Medlin, Herschel Sizemore & Country Grass, Jones Bros. & the Log Cabin Boys, Red Rector, Lincoln County Partners, Betty Fisher, Red White's Bluegrass Band, Smokey Ridge Boys, Blue Grass Kats, Sounds Of Grass, Clinton King & Virginia Mountain Boys, Bluegrass Tarheels, Homer Briarhopper, Glen Thompson, Hillbilly John, Jim Sizemore, Conrad Hinson Family, Happy Hollow String Band, and Blue Denim.

17 - 18 May 1975 - Steele, AL (51 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing at the 'Horse Pens 40 Spring Bluegrass Festival' in Steele, Alabama on the Saturday / Sunday (17-18th May).

The festival itself ran from the 16-18th May and the other acts included:- Larry Sparks, Glenn Tolbert & Scooter Hill, Farmer's Market String Band, Hickory Wind, Three-On-A-String, Ground Hog Revue, US Grass, Dixie Mountain Boys, Morton Twins, Leola Mills & Keys To Bluegrass, and JD Whited.

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

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

17 - 19 May 1985 - Shartlesville, PA (41 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing (at some point) at the '2nd Annual Spring Mountain Springs Bluegrass Festival' at Mountain Springs Camping Resort, in Shartlesville, Pennsylvania.

The festival itself ran from 17-19 May and other acts included: Hot Rize, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Walt Michael & Co., Goins Bros., Country Ham, Whetstone Run, Bluegrass Thoroughbreds, Wildwood Pickers, Whiskey Jack, Blanchard Valley Boys, and East Side Dave.

17 May 1986 - Annapolis / Crownsville, MD (40 years ago)

Ralph was listed as playing on Saturday (17 May) at the 'Capitol City Bluegrass Festival' at Elks Camp Barrett, near Annapolis / Crownsville, Maryland.

The festival itself ran from 16-18 May and other acts included: Del McCoury, Jim & Jesse, Lewis Family, Bill Harrell, Walter Hensley & the Dukes Of Bluegrass, Jack Fincham & the Dixie Grass, Maryland Ramblers, Lawson Bros., & the Virginia Mountain Boys, Twigg Bros., and Excalibur

17 May 1996 - Lexington, KY (30 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Friday (17 May) at the '6th Annual Red Mile Bluegrass Festival', Paddock Park, Lexington, Kentucky. The band were scheduled to perform at 4:40 and 10:40pm.

The festival itself ran from 16-18 May and other acts included: Osborne Bros., JD Crowe, Lou Reid & Carolina, David Parmley - Scott Vestal & Continental Divide, James King, Sam Wilson, Eastbound, and Southern Harvest.

17 May 2002 - Berea, KY (24 years ago)

Ralph was listed as appearing on Friday (17 May) at 'Coon Creek Bluegrass Music Festival' at the Oh Kentucky Campground in Berea, Kentucky.

The festival itself ran from 17-18 May and other acts included: Dale Ann Bradley, Gary Brewer, Continental Divide, Larry Sparks, Blue & Lonesome, Southern Harvest, Moron Bros., Eastbound, Anglin, Barnes, French & Golden.

17 May 2003 - Gettysburg, PA (23 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Saturday (17 May) at the 'Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival', Granite Hill Campground, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The band were scheduled to perform one 90min show at 8:30 pm.

The festival itself ran from 15-18 May and other acts included: Del McCoury, Seldom Scene, Doyle Lawson, Rhonda Vincent, Good Deale Bluegrass with Mike Auldridge, IIIrd Tyme Out, Lonesome River Band, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Mountain Heart, Blue Highway, Kenny & Amanda Smith, Isaacs, Pine Mountain Railroad, Country Gentlemen, Michelle Nixon & Drive, Lou Reid & Carolina, Shenandoah Blue, Dale Ann Bradley, and Wheeling Park High School Band.

17 May 2008 - Fairdale, KY (18 years ago)

Ralph had a 5pm show as part of the 4th annual "Forest Fest" at Jefferson Memorial Forest, Fairdale, Kentucky.

The festival included a craft fair, children's activities. Other music acts included: Stone Hollow, Dozens of Dollars, Bluegrass 101, and Kentucky Sassafras. Admission was free.

17 May 2012 - Birmingham, AL (14 years ago)

Ralph had a show booked at WorkPlay Theater, Birmingham, Alabama. Unfortunately it was cancelled and replaced with another show on 15 Nov.

15 - 18 May 2014 - Gettysburg, PA (12 years ago)

Ralph appeared (at some point) at "Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival", Granite Hill Camping Resort, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

The festival itself ran from 15-18 May and other acts included: Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, and the Howlin' Bros.

16 - 17 May 2014 - Nashville, IN (12 years ago)

Ralph appeared (at some point) at the "Muddy Roots Spring Weekender", eXplore Brown County, Nashville, Indiana.

The festival itself ran from 16-17 May and other acts included: The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit, Jayke Orvis & the Broken Band, The Tillers, The Pine Hill Haints, Black Jake & the Carnies, Carrie Nation & the Speakeasy, Calamity Cubes, James Hunicutt, Fifth On the Floor, Megan Jean & the Klay Family Band, Dad Horse Experience, O'Death, Strawfoot, Whistle Pigs, and Owen Mays.

Nathan Stanley
17 May 2007 - Amelia, VA (19 years ago)

14 ¾ year-old Nathan Stanley was billed as appearing (presumably with the CMBs) on Thursday (17 May) at the 'Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival' at the Amelia Family Campgrounds, Amelia, Virginia.

The festival itself ran from 17-19 May 2007 and other acts included: Rhonda Vincent, Jonathan Dillon, Randy Waller & Country Gentlemen, James King, Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road, Bluegrass Bros., Al Batten & Bluegrass Reunion, Harvest Wind, Jeanette Williams, Flint Hollow, Wildwood Valley Boys, Smith Mountain Grass, Honi Deaton, Little Mountain Boys, Lost & Found, Blue Moon Rising, Big Country Bluegrass, and Lonesome Will Mullins.



Our top YouTube video picks!


Have you seen this?

Got a favourite Stanley related youtube video? Send us your suggestions!

(Note that any youtube video which has embedding disabled unfortunately can't be shown!)

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:-

Clinch Mountain Sunday
(Harmony 3001)


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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