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RALPH STANLEY II - STANLEY BLUES (REB-1775), 2002

Musicians
Ralph Stanley II: Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocals, Lead guitar on track 9
John Rigsby: Mandolin, Tenor Vocals
James Alan Shelton: Lead Guitar
Steve Sparkman: Banjo
James Price: Fiddle
Mark Fain: Bass
Jack Cooke: Bass on track 6
Terry Eldredge: Tenor Vocals on tracks 1, 5 & 11
Ralph Stanley: Tenor Vocals on tracks 6 & 12

Production Credits
Produced by Ralph Stanley II and Bil Vorndick
Engineered and mixed by Bil Vorndick
Recorded at Quad Studios, Nashville, TN
Additional recording at Maggard Sound Studio, Big Stone Gap, VA
Mixed at Mountainside Audio, Nashville, TN
Assistant Engineers: Lew Card and Phillip Stein
Mastered by John Eberle at Americana Mastering, Nashville, TN

Ralph Stanley II, or “Two” as he prefers to be called, has been performing professionally with his father since he was 12 years old. Now an 11-year veteran of the stage and traveling life, Two is firmly rooted in the Stanley tradition. On the Grammy nominated Stanley Blues, his third solo release for Rebel Records, the younger Ralph demonstrates his mastery of that tradition. Two’s voice fuses strong elements of both his late uncle, Carter Stanley, and the late Keith Whitley, who was a Clinch Mountain Boy himself in the 1970s. The combination of his voice with John Rigsby’s beautifully subdued Ralph Stanley style tenor hearkens back to the days when the Stanley Brothers toured the hills of Appalachia, performing everywhere from drive-in theaters to little old schoolhouses.

Two and Rigsby perform six songs together including the guitar-mandolin instrumental “Taylor Brooke,” written by Ralph II for his baby daughter born in June 2001. Notably, Carter Stanley’s “We’ll Be Sweethearts In Heaven” and the gospel-flavored “Homeward Bound” are both sung in a straight Stanley Brothers style duet. “Daddy’s Dinner Bucket” is the only cut on the album that Two sings solo. This song about a miner dying in the tunnels has proven to be very popular and highly requested at live shows. Of course, what would a Stanley album be without Dr. Stanley, himself? Ralph Sr. lends his voice to two gospel numbers, Jim Mills’ “Ship Gone Astray” and a moving “Four Horsemen.”

Appearing on Stanley Blues are a majority of the Clinch Mountain Boys, with Rigsby on mandolin, James Alan Shelton on lead guitar (with “Taylor Brooke” being the only exception), James Price on fiddle, and Steve Sparkman on the Stanleytone banjo. Guest Mark Fain from Ricky Skaggs’ band, Kentucky Thunder, takes Jack Cooke’s place on the bass for all selections except for “Ship Gone Astray.” And Terry Eldredge adds vocals to the title track as well as Mel Tillis’ “Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town” and Ralph Sr.’s “Tennessee Truck Driving Man.”

Two has compiled a dozen superb tracks that will surely please any Stanley fan and indeed any fan of good…make that great…mountain music!