BG: Ralph in Alexandria, Virginia

[JNRoot]

Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys put on a great show for a sold-out crowd of 500 at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, on Saturday night.  The Clinch Mountain Boys included Ralph's son, Ralph II, on vocals and rhythm guitar; James Shelton on guitar; Jack Cooke on bass; Steve Sparkman on banjo; Dewey Brown on fiddle; and Ralph’s grandson, Nathan, on mandolin.              The setlist included (not complete and not in order):   Walkin’ Down the Line (James on vocals) I'm Sittin' on Top of the World (Jack on vocals) Sandy Ridge (great instrumental written by Nathan) Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town (Ralph II) Room at the Top of the Stairs Girl from the Greenbriar Shore Lift Him Up, That's All O Death Sunny Side of the Mountain (James on guitar) A Robin Built a Nest on Daddy's Grave Rocky Island (Ralph on banjo) Katy Hill (Dewey on fiddle) Pretty Girls, City Lights (Ralph II on vocals)   Intermission (the band sold merchandise and signed autographs)   I’ll Fly Away (Nathan instrumental) Hard Times (Steve on banjo) Angel Band Pretty Polly How Mountain Girls Can Love (Ralph II on vocals) Stone Walls and Steel Bars (Ralph II) Carrying On (Ralph II’s tribute to his father and uncle) Somebody Loves You, Darlin’ (Nathan on vocals) Man of Constant Sorrow Hills of Home (Ralph says goodnight, goes to the merchandise table) Long Black Veil (Jack on vocals) Mountain Dew (Ralph II on vocals) Rank Stranger (Ralph on lead vocals, Jack on tenor) Katie Mae (Ralph II on vocals) Orange Blossom Special (Dewey on fiddle)   Encore Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms (Ralph II on vocals)                    Ralph looked great, and has lost some weight since his surgery in June.  He mentioned that he is tiring quickly, and that it takes about a year to fully recover from heart bypass surgery.             Nathan broke a string early in the show and left the stage to replace it.  As luck would have it, he was supposed to take the next lead.  Ralph wondered aloud where he went!  When Nathan returned, he played “Sandy Ridge,” a very catchy instrumental that he wrote and recorded for his upcoming CD.  Nathan’s instrumental of “I’ll Fly Away” will also be on the new CD.         I was thrilled to hear Steve play “Hard Times.”  That has always been one of my favorite banjo instrumentals.          Ralph joked that he recently became a great-grandfather and now has to sleep with a great-grandmother.  He also said that Ralph II’s wife is due to give birth to Ralph Stanley III on Wednesday.        Ralph told a couple of jokes that he’s told at previous shows.  He said that Steve Sparkman took first prize at a fiddler's contest, but they made him give it back.  He also had his usual line about Jack Cooke, saying that Jack has missed about 40 shows over the last 35 years, and has been drunk at 100 shows.         Ralph mentioned that he is considering opening his 36th Annual Bluegrass Festival on Wednesday, May 24, in order to offer a performance of the play that was written about the Stanley Brothers’ and Ralph’s careers.          This was a superior show with a first-rate setlist.  Everyone was in top form, and it was wonderful to see Ralph doing so well after his surgery!   Jeff Root Fairfax, Virginia