What a great concert that must have been.
Thanks for the notes - hard to believe Ralph will be 80. It's wonderful that he's still going strong. Three songs I can't get enough of that I'm glad he's still performing: I Only Exist, Room at the Top of the Stairs, White Dove. Tom Eshelman Columbus, OH -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 8:50 PM To: [email protected] Subject: BG: Ralph Stanley at the Birchmere 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 this 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
