The Later King Years

The Later King Years

by The Stanley BrothersThe Stanley Brothers

Overview

During the final part of their career, the Stanley Brothers did most of their recording for the King label, laying down almost 200 sides for the company between 1958 and 1965. All of those tracks are available in box set form should you want them, but the ordinary fan will be satisfied with more selective samplers such as this one, which has a couple dozen cuts originally released in 1961-1966. The Stanley Brothers were a consistent enough act that the songs picked for best-of comps are pretty much up to the taste of the compiler, but this does a fine job both in the quality and the variety of the material presented. In addition to plenty of originals, there are also interpretations of songs by A.P. Carter, Alton Delmore, and traditional items. The sentimental "Old and in the Way" might be the most familiar tune here, if for no other reason than having inspired the name of Jerry Garcia's side-project band with David Grisman. It's not necessarily the highlight, however, the other tracks covering up-tempo romps ("Fast Express"), close-harmony ballads, train songs, and even the odd holiday outing ("Christmas Is Near," "Just Because") and cuts tinged with novelty effects ("Keep Them Cold Icy Fingers off Me," "Train 45"). The liner notes give a good overview of both the Stanley Brothers' King years and the recordings specific to this anthology.

Product Details

Release Date: 10/30/2007
Label: Ace Records Uk
UPC: 0029667029926
catalogNumber: 1167
Rank: 122020

Tracks

  1. Little Bessie
  2. Fast Express
  3. I'm Only Human
  4. Keep Them Cold Icy Fingers off Me
  5. Still Trying to Get to Little Rock
  6. Drunkard's Dream
  7. Mama Don't Allow
  8. Christmas Is Near
  9. I Don't Want Your Rambling Letters
  10. Just Because
  11. No Letter in the Mail Today
  12. Six Months Ain't Long
  13. Old and in the Way
  14. Little Darling Pal of Mine
  15. The Hills of Roan County
  16. Train 45
  17. Never Again
  18. Don't Cheat in Our Hometown
  19. Shout Little Lulie
  20. I Just Stood There
  21. Rollin' on Rubber Wheels
  22. Prayer of a Truck Driver's Son
  23. What a Price
  24. I Feel Like Going Home

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Stanley Brothers   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Ralph Stanley   Composer
Ray Pennington   Composer
Bill Carlisle   Composer
Carter Stanley   Composer
William York   Composer
Alton Delmore   Composer
John Lair   Composer
Syd Nathan   Composer
Bob Shelton   Composer
Joe Shelton   Composer
Benny Williams   Composer
Sydney Robin   Composer
Roy Marcum   Composer
Fred Stryker   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Ruby Rakes   Composer
Bobby Gregory   Composer
Ralph Mayo   Composer
Chris Bolton   Liner Notes

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