BG: Washington Post Review of Birchmere Show

[JNRoot]

A review of Ralph's December 12 show at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, appeared in the December 14 edition of the Washington Post.  The review is copied below.       I have one question about the review.  I know that Nathan is Ralph's grandson, but is he Ralph II's son?  I always thought Nathan was Ralph II's nephew.   Jeff Root Fairfax, Virginia ------------------------------------------------------------------------------   http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62353-2004Dec13.html   Tuesday, December 14, 2004; Page C05 Ralph Stanley At 77, Ralph Stanley knows how to pace himself. Touring with the Clinch Mountain Boys -- a group that also includes his son, Ralph Stanley II, and Ralph II's son Nathan, a kid not yet old enough to shave but plenty old enough to impress on five-string mandolin -- Stanley served as part performer, part impresario at the Birchmere on Sunday night. Ralph Stanley performed at the Birchmere on Sunday with the Clinch Mountain Boys. (Andrea Psimer -- AP) The band preceded him onstage for the opening number, giving the compact, nattily dressed mountain-music legend a grand entrance. In each of the next several songs, he highlighted a band member: James Shelton on lead guitar, Jack Cooke on bass fiddle, Steve Sparkman on banjo, Ralph II on rhythm guitar, Nathan on mandolin and John Rigsby on fiddle. Rigsby, in particular, was versatile and expansive, consistently bringing freshness to an old style. When it came time to introduce himself, Stanley joked about his age: "Folks, I can stand up here till 4 o'clock in the morning and not say enough about this fine young man." His vocals on "Room at the Top of the Stairs" defined "high lonesome." The sometimes ragged but always true ensemble offered a planned set before intermission and took requests afterward. Both sets were heavy on gospel, including "A Robin Built a Nest on Daddy's Grave," surely the jauntiest song with "grave" in the title. And Stanley further courted the underworld with his famous, a cappella rendition of "O Death." The grim words combined with Stanley's age-worn consonants and eerie warbled notes to bring chills. After the final line, "Won't you spare me over till another year," Stanley sang one more line: "Thank you." -- Pamela Murray Winters