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Clinch Mountain Express Newsletter Review
Jeffery Fox, Editor
 As you may have
heard, a new movie has just been released called O Brother, Where Art Thou? The film features a
whole lot of old time mountain music as an integral part of its theme. Prominent among performers heard
are the Stanley Brothers. For many of us, the highlight of the movie is Ralph singing "O Death".
Rebel Records took the opportunity of the film's debut to compile this truly outstanding CD containing many
long time Stanley favorites. Several of the featured songs ("O Death", "I Am Weary", "Dream of a Miner's
Child", "Calling My Children Home" and "I've Just Seen the Rock of Ages") have never before been available on
CD. Beside "Oh Death", perhaps the highlight of the release is the title song, "Man of Constant Sorrow"
as only Ralph himself can sing it. I'd have to admit, besides Ralph's incomparable vocal, Jack's jazzy
bass work on this title song is one of my favorite parts of the project. My other favorite is "Oh Death".
If this duet by Keith Whitley and Ralph doesn't make the little hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, I
don't know what will. Or as the guy from the big city who did the liner notes write, "His is a sound that
resonates in our primordial collective unconscious like some disembodied spirit moaning for redemption".
To long-time Stanley fans, this CD is also a fine nostalgia trip featuring the fiddling of the late Curly Ray
Cline; lead guitar by Ricky Lee, Renfro Profitt and Junior Blankenship; mandolin by Danny Marshall; and vocals
by the late Roy Lee Centers, Charlie Sizemore and the late Keith Whitley. In addition, all soundtracks
feature fine bass and banjo work by current Clinch Mountain Boys Jack Cooke and Ralph Stanley himself.
I'd also be remiss if I neglected to mention the impressive performance of banjo standard, "Hard Times", and a
pair of clawhammer favorites, "Rocky Island" and "Little Birdie". These will make you want to roll up the
carpet and start dancing. If you don't have your copy of this CD yet, by all means be sure to get one
from Ralph or Jack at the record table as soon as you can.
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