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RALPH STANLEY - MY ALL AND ALL (REB-1740), 1997

Musicians
Ralph Stanley: Clawhammer Banjo, Vocals
Ralph Stanley II: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Steve Sparkman: Banjo
John Rigsby: Mandolin, Tenor Vocals
James Alan Shelton: Lead Guitar
James Price: Fiddle
Jack Cooke: Bass
Sonya Isaacs: Tenor Vocal on track 6, High-Baritone Vocal on track 11
Becky Isaacs: Baritone Vocal on track 6

Production Credits
Produced by Ralph Stanley
Recorded at Maggard Sound Studio, Big Stone Gap, VA
Engineered by David Castle
Mastered by Lee Anne Sonenstein at Airshow Mastering, Springfield, VA

Right from the start of his career, gospel music has been an important component of Ralph Stanley's music. The early recordings which Ralph made as part of the Stanley Brothers alternated back and forth between bluegrass albums and gospel. This pattern was maintained throughout the remainder of Ralph's career.

My All And All harkens back to the days of his gospel recordings of the early 1970s which included Ricky Skaggs who shared the same religious background as Ralph. This pairing made for an easy recreation of the old Baptist hymns, and Ralph liked how their voices rolled together, surging and falling together almost instinctively. This same quality is evident here with this lineup of the Clinch Mountain Boys.

My All and All is another of the many fine gospel albums Ralph Stanley released on the Rebel label. "We Are Drinking From the Fountain" and "Take Me Home" were both recorded by the Stanley Brothers. Others were arranged by Ralph Stanley and Franklin Viers, a preacher friend of Ralph's, from an old Baptist hymnal. On "The Uncloudy Day" Ralph and the band are joined by Sonya and Becky Isaacs doing background vocals.

This is great old-time gospel music that ranks with the best of Ralph Stanley's prolific recorded output.