Clinch Mountain Echo

CMB Birthdays this month:

06 Jun 1931 - Charlie Cline. Baisden, Mingo County, West Virginia.

13 Jun 1930 - Curley Lambert. Born 'Richard Edward Lambert' in Meherrin, Brunswick, Virginia.

14 Jun 1971 - Ernie Thacker. Born 'Ernest Charles Thacker' in Ohio.

21 Jun 1964 - James Price. Born 'James Dean Price' in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.

26 Jun 1934 - Frank Wakefield. Born 'Franklin Delano Roosevelt Wakefield' in Emory Gap, Tennessee.


In Memoriam:

03 Jun 2014 - James Alan Shelton. Kingsport, Tennessee.

23 Jun 2016 - Ralph Stanley. Coeburn, Wise, Virginia.

23 Jun 1971 - Lindy Clear. Abingdon, Washington, Virginia.

25 Jun 1965 - Darrell 'Pee Wee' Lambert. Columbus, Franklin, Ohio.


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

Ralph II ralph2.com


Spotlight on:-

A Gospel Gathering
(Freeland Recording Co. FRC-CD642)


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Clinch Mountain Echo

Pic. of the Day

Photo: Edale Bluegrass Festival, UK 31st May-2nd Jun 1991. L-R: Ralph Stanley, Ernie Thacker, Jack Cooke. Photo by Barry C. Lane.


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
02 - 03 Jun 2006 - Chillicothe, IL (20 years ago)

Ralph II played (at some point) at the 'Bluegrass Music Festival', Three Sisters Park, Chillicothe, Illinois.

The festival itself ran from 2-3 June and other acts included: Karl Shiflett, Cumberland Gap, Special Consensus, Boohers, Harmas, Buffalo City Ramblers, High Lonesome, and James Creek Road.

02 Jun 2007 - Nashville, TN (19 years ago)

Ralph II led the CMB's on Saturday (2 Jun) at the "CMT Dukesfest 2007" at the Music City Motorplex, Nashville, Tennessee. The band were scheduled to perform at 5pm.

Other acts included: Sage Keefer, Heather Davis, Cale Yarborough, The Hazzard County Boys, Keni Thomas & Cornbred, Cooter's Garage Band, Tommy Jennings, and The Crickets.

Ralph Stanley
01 - 03 Jun 1973 - Little Hocking, OH (53 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing at the '2nd Annual Bluegrass Festival' at the Double R Ranch, Little Hocking, Ohio. Other bands on the bill included: Lester Flatt, Osborne Brothers, Jimmy Martin, Mac Wiseman, Chuck Atkins, Larry Sparks, Goins Brothers, Frank Neccessary, and Lillimai & Dixie Gospelaires.

Sound at the festival was by Cager Farler, who released a 45 which featured Roy Lee Centers, Ricky Skaggs & Keith Whitley: Live And Let Live/Orange Blossom Special (Big Whizz 4) c1971

31 May - 02 Jun 1974 - Hancock / Hagerstown, MD (52 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on all three days at the '3rd Annual Indian Springs Bluegrass Festival' at Indian Springs Campground between Hancock and Hagerstown, Maryland. Other acts on the bill included: Bill Monroe, Bill Clifton, Lewis Family, Seldom Scene, Country Store, Cliff Waldron, Grass Reflection, Southern Sounds Of Grass, The Hobbs Sisters & Bob Goff Jr, and Spirits Of Bluegrass.

Audio recordings from the festival (including Ralph, Country Store and Cliff Waldron) were later broadcast on WXXI on 23 Aug 1975 (at 10pm).

02 - 04 Jun 1978 - Broadway / Raymond, OH (48 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Friday (2 Jun) and Sunday (4 Jun), at the "Bluegrass Festival", Mill Creek Recreation & Camp Grounds, between Broadway and Raymond, Ohio. The band wasn't listed as performing on Saturday (3 Jun) as they had another booking in Xenia, Ohio - about 65 miles away. The Mill Creek… festival location was on South Route 347 between Broadway & Raymond, 10 miles North of Marysville, Ohio.

Other acts included: Goins Bros., Bill Estep & Fields Bros., Bud Price & Carl Young, Jimmy Martin, Wheat Straw, Jim Napier, Bluegrass Gospel Boys, and Hud Haley & Bluegrass Country.

01 - 03 Jun 1979 - Broadway / Raymond, OH (47 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Friday (1 Jun) & Sunday (3 Jun) at the '2nd Annual Milcreek Bluegrass Festival' between Broadway and Raymond in Ohio. On the Saturday (2 Jun) the band had another booking about 65 miles away in Xenia, Ohio.

The Millcreek festival itself ran from 1-3rd June and other acts included: Frog & the Greenhorns, Hud Haley, Jimmy Martin, Melvin Goins Show, Vernon McIntyre, Jim Napier & the Bluegrass Gospel Boys.

02 Jun 1979 - Xenia, OH (47 years ago)

Ralph interrupted his appearance at the '2nd Annual Milcreek Bluegrass Festival' to play the 'Annual Bluegrass Show' in Xenia, Ohio.

The event which was organised by Greene County Sheriff's Dept and raised funds for Youth Activity. Also included on the bill were: Red Allen, Allen Bros., Marshall Family, and Dixie Ryders.

02 Jun 1984 - Mooresville, IN (42 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing at the '3rd Semi-Annual Bluegrass Festival' at Spring Lake Park, Mooresville, Indiana. The festival ran from 1-3 June, but as Ralph had other bookings on Friday (1 Jun) and Sunday (3 Jun) they presumably must have played here sometime on Saturday (2 Jun).

Other acts included: Red Rector, Foster Family String Band, Bristol Mountain Bluegrass, Outdoor Plumbing Co., Ed Hamilton, Green Valley Band, Talmadge Law, and Roy Scalf.

31 May - 02 Jun 1985 - Crum, WV (41 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing at some point at 'Bobby's Spring Riverbend Bluegrass Festival' in Crum, West Virginia.

Other acts included: Jimmy Martin, Dave Evans, Landon Messer & Lundy Fields, Travelers Quartet, J & J Grass, Woodettes, and Goins Bros.

02 Jun 1985 - Fire On The Mountain (41 years ago)

The "Fire On The Mountain" TV show included a performance by Ralph. I presume this was the show recorded on 17 Apr 1985.

A newspaper report from "The Paris News", Paris, Texas mentions the tracks as Curly Ray performing Cotton-Eyed Joe, followed by the band with Little Maggie, Man In The Middle, Sally Goodin, He Will Set Your Fields On Fire, Cacklin' Hen and Leather Britches.

31 May - 02 Jun 1991 - Edale, England (35 years ago)

Ralph played at the '15th Annual Edale Bluegrass Festival' in Edale, Derbyshire, England.

The band played four sets at the festival, three of which were caught on video & can be found on youtube: (Friday Night), (Sat Afternoon), and (Sun Afternoon). All four sets were also recorded by the BBC with an edited 45min radio broadcast taking place later in the year. A rough mix from the BBC's mixing desk was also taken of all four perfomances…

Other acts at the festival also included: Crazy Creek, Ragged But Right, Monroes Revenge, Hired Hands, King Arthur & His Knights Of Bluegrass, Fingers & Co, Jalapen̂o Pickers, Head Over Heels, Up the Creek, Sound In Mind, Del Robinson & the Rocky Island Boys, Spruce Pine, Bluegrass Revue, Alive & Pickin', Survival String Band, Tom Travis Bluegrass Band, Jim Couza, Cop, Generation Gap, Culpepper, Occasional Bluegrass Band, Rainy City Bluegrass Boys, Huckleberry Hollow String Band, and the Thrifts.

02 Jun 2000 - Syria, VA (26 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Friday (2 Jun) at 'Graves Mountain Festival Of Music' at Syria, Virginia.

The festival itself ran from 1-3 June and other acts included: New Vintage, Valerie Smith, Lewis Family, James King, Longing For The Southland, John Donaldson & Low Profile, Mark Newton, IIIrd Tyme Out, Rhonda Vincent, Blue Highway, Knoxville Grass reunion, Lonesome River Band, Claire Lynch, Larry Stephenson, Seldom Scene, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Blueridge, Tony Rice & Peter Rowan, and a Rebel Records/Acutab All-Star jam.

02 Jun 2001 - Syria, VA (25 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing on Saturday (2 Jun) at the 'Graves' Mountain Festival Of Music', Syria, Virginia. The band were scheduled to appear at 2:30 and 7:20pm.

The festival itself ran from 31 May to 2 June and other acts included: Chapmans, Dale Ann Bradley, Lewis Family, Larry Cordle, Ben 'Cooter' Jones, Mountain Heart, Lynn Morris, Country Gentlemen, Dave Evans, IIIrd Tyme Out, Nothin' Fancy, Mark Newton, Blueridge, Rhonda Vincent, Tim O'Brien, Seldom Scene, Larry Stephenson, and a Rebel Records All-star jam.

30 May - 02 Jun 2002 - Preston, CT (24 years ago)

Ralph was billed as appearing (on either 30 May or 1 Jun) at the '25th Anniversary Bluegrass Festival' at Strawberry Park, Preston, Connecticut.

The festival itself ran from 30 May to 2 June and other acts included: Laurie Lewis, Karl Shiflett, Rhonda Vincent, Peter Rowan, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Traver Hollow, Amy Gallatin, Schankman Twins, Grass Routes, and others.

02 Jun 2002 - Preston, CT (24 years ago)

Ralph was listed as appearing on Sunday (2 Jun) at the '25th Annual Strawberry Park Bluegrass Festival' at Strawberry Park, Preston, Connecticut.

The festival itself ran from 1-2 June and other acts included: Rhonda Vincent, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Peter Rowan, and Karl Shiflett.

02 Jun 2006 - Ann Arbor, MI (20 years ago)

Ralph had a show at The Ark, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Tickets cost $35.



Our top YouTube video picks!


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

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CMB Birthdays this month:

06 Jun 1931 - Charlie Cline. Baisden, Mingo County, West Virginia.

13 Jun 1930 - Curley Lambert. Born 'Richard Edward Lambert' in Meherrin, Brunswick, Virginia.

14 Jun 1971 - Ernie Thacker. Born 'Ernest Charles Thacker' in Ohio.

21 Jun 1964 - James Price. Born 'James Dean Price' in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.

26 Jun 1934 - Frank Wakefield. Born 'Franklin Delano Roosevelt Wakefield' in Emory Gap, Tennessee.


In Memoriam:

03 Jun 2014 - James Alan Shelton. Kingsport, Tennessee.

23 Jun 2016 - Ralph Stanley. Coeburn, Wise, Virginia.

23 Jun 1971 - Lindy Clear. Abingdon, Washington, Virginia.

25 Jun 1965 - Darrell 'Pee Wee' Lambert. Columbus, Franklin, Ohio.


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

Ralph II ralph2.com


Spotlight on:-

Best Of The Best Of: Vintage Bluegrass
(Gusto/Federal FED-CD-6515-2)


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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