Ralph and the Clinch Mountain Boys put on great show at the Birchmere in
Alexandria, Virginia, on Saturday night, December 16. The band wore purple
shirts, ties, and white cowboy hats. Danny Davis substituted on bass for Jack
Cooke, who had been in the hospital with fluid in his lungs. Ralph said that
Jack was improving and would get out of the hospital the next day.
The setlist was:
1. Fiddle instrumental (Dewey)
2. Little Maggie
3. Walkin' Down the Line (James on vocals)
4. Big Tilda (banjo instrumental)
5. Instrumental (Danny dances and loses his breath)
6. Sandy Ridge (mandolin instrumental by Nathan)
7. Katie Mae (or Katie Daley?) (Ralph II)
8. Room at the Top of the Stairs
9. O Death
10. A Robin Built a Nest on Daddy's Grave
11. John Henry
12. I Only Exist (Nathan on vocals)
13. Rank Stranger
14. Carryin' On (Ralph II)
15. Rocky Island (Ralph on banjo)
16. Fire on the Mountain (Dewey on fiddle)
Intermission
17. Banjo instrumental - Steve
18. A Distant Land to Roam (Carter Family song that Ralph described as one
of the prettiest songs ever written)
19. Black Rock (Danny)
20. Christmas Time is Near
21. Angel Band
22. I'll Fly Away
23. White Dove
24. Somebody Loves You Darling (Nathan on vocals)
25. Pretty Polly
26. Stone Walls and Steel Bars (Ralph II)
27. Mary, Merry Christmas (Ralph II)
28. Orange Blossom Special
Encore
29. Mountain Dew
Ralph said that he turns 80 on February 27, and that he plans to give a
concert on his 100th birthday. He joked that everyone in his family was a
singer, even the sewing machine!
I was thrilled to hear Ralph II sing "Mary, Merry Christmas," the song
that Carter Stanley wrote to his wife while on his deathbed. Ralph II said th
is song was lost until someone brought it to him prior to recording his first
CD. The song was featured in the play "Man of Constant Sorrow," where I
heard it for the first time.
I emailed Ralph, Ralph II, and James with a request for "O Beautiful
Star of Bethlehem." James responded, "I've begged (Ralph) to do "Beautiful
Star of Bethlehem" before and he says "That one just guts me!" It must be
pretty high for him so he shies away from that song."
All and all, it was a great show and wonderful evening! I was pleased
to hear that Ralph and the Clinch Mountain Boys will return to the Birchmere
twice in 2007.
Jeff Root
Fairfax, Virginia
