Buzzbomb - Posted - 12/25/2014:  07:09:57

Santa just brought me the new Ralph Stanley - "My Life & Legacy" CD... a 48 min compilation of Ralph's "most recognizable & most popular recordings".

There's scant liner notes, and although I've worked out the original source/line-up on the first 17 tracks (see attached), I'm stumped with the bonus track - a recording of the Carter Family's "Single Girl, Married Girl", which The Stanley Brothers used to performed live.

From the sound, I'd guess it's a Steve Sparkman / James Alan Shelton / Dewey Brown era recording, well outside the time frame of the CDs other tracks (all 1970s). It's likely to be the same version that came out on a shop-only 78 rpm disc (500 copies) in 2012, though Ralph's vocals suggest it was recorded a tad earlier.

Does anybody know when it was recorded & with what line-up?

Ralph Stanley - My Life & Legacy Track List

Buzzbomb - Posted - 01/17/2015:  01:46:36

Just an update in case anyone finds the thread looking for info...

It is the same version as the Tompkins Square 78, although a fraction faster than on this youtube clip of the release:-

youtube.com/watch?v=B6ehDuJXjIE

A BU advert for the CD says it was recorded 20 years ago - so probably 1994.

The Old Timer - Posted - 01/17/2015:  06:28:20

Well that's certainly not a 1970s Rebel recording. And it has a mandolin chop, there was no mando back in the 1970s (for the most part). None of Ralph's guitar-men had that clear tone back in the 70s. So I'd guess you're probably right about it being the more recent band. Not Ralph's 1970s voice. The bit of fiddle back up isn't Curly Ray Cline.

Your second post suggesting 1994 seems more on the beam, but was Sparky recording back then? I thought that was about the time Ralph brought him in to "cover" while Ralph was suffering his "broken femur bone".

The photos on the YouTube version are very interesting though.

Buzzbomb - Posted - 01/17/2015:  08:59:29

Steve Sparkman started (I think) in June '94. There's some youtube clips with Ralph in a wheelchair from Winterhawk festival with Steve on banjo July 14-17th 1994

eg youtube.com/watch?v=5Ungl7Ndxmc

Although Ralph played at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London 26th July 1994 without Steve & with the banjo on a cushion his wheelchair:

hangoutstorage.com/banjohangou...12015.jpg" src="http://www.hangoutstorage.com/banjohangout.org/storage/photos/large/73/73952-1574181712015.jpg" style="width: 463px; height: 237px;" />

frobbi.org/audio/ivor/Stanley-...ndex.html

Edited by - Buzzbomb on 01/17/2015 09:03:49