This four-CD set is a collection of the entire output of Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys during an astonishing three-year period in the early '70s. The albums collected here include the first appearance of Stanley's signature a cappella bluegrass-gospel, and feature the outstanding lead singing of the late Roy Lee Centers. The strong incarnation of the Clinch Mountain Boys features Curley Ray Cline on fiddle, Jack Cooke on bass, and Ricky Lee on lead guitar. Teenage Stanley disciples and future country stars Keith Whitley and Ricky Skaggs make their first recorded appearances here also, and Country Gentleman John Duffey stops by to max out the needles on the Stanley Brothers classic The Lonesome River. The band runs through straight bluegrass, gospel, old-time banjo songs, fiddle tunes, and Stanley Brothers classics, all with great confidence and style. Songs are pulled from multiple and diverse sources, including the Carter Family, old country, Bill Monroe, and even a beautiful Jesse Winchester song, "Brand New Tennessee Waltz." This set is for purists more than bluegrass neophytes, but no fan of Ralph Stanley or the Stanley Brothers should be without it. These albums broke new stylistic ground at a time when there was some concern whether Ralph Stanley could continue in the wake of Carter Stanley's death.
Disc 1 (00:43:16)
01. I Am The Man, Thomas (1:57)
02. Take Your Shoes Off, Moses (2:19)
03. Death Is Only A Dream (2:49)
04. Brand New Tennessee Waltz (2:42)
05. Two Coats (2:44)
06. Bright Morning Star (2:33)
07. Come On Little Children (1:36)
08. The Prettiest Flowers Will Be Blooming (2:17)
09. Cry From The Cross (2:51)
10. Step Out In The Sunshine (1:40)
11. You're Drifting On (1:56)
12. Gloryland (2:43)
13. Stairway To Heaven (2:37)
14. Will He Wait A Little Longer (2:11)
15. Sinner Man (2:32)
16. Shotgun Slade (3:32)
17. Old-Time Pickin' (1:48)
18. I'll Remember You Love In My Prayers (2:29)
Disc 2 (00:56:45)
01. Joh Henry (3:07)
02. Pretty Little Indian (2:37)
03. Little Birdie (3:04)
04. Cripple Creek (3:04)
05. East Virginia Blues (2:38)
06. Little glass Of Wine (3:54)
07. Somebody Touched Me (2:11)
08. Sally Goodin' (2:34)
09. Working On a Building (2:25)
10. Rolling in my Sweet Baby's Arms (2:27)
11. Bound to Ride (2:11)
12. Mississippi Sawyer (2:50)
13. Goin' to Georgia (2:26)
14. All the Love I had Is Gone (2:26)
15. Will You Miss Me (2:59)
16. Katy Daly (2:11)
17. A little Boy Called Joe (3:07)
18. Six More Miles (2:48)
19. Cluck Old Hen (2:51)
20. That Lonesome Old Song (4:58)
Disc 3 (1:14:57)
01. Man Of Constant Sorrow (2:50)
02. Pretty Polly (3:36)
03. Maple on the hill (2:00)
04. Clinch Mountain Backstep (2:22)
05. Lisa's Joy (1:44)
06. Don't Ask Me Why (1:52)
07. All I Ever Loved was You (3:09)
08. God Gave You To Me (2:49)
09. Little Maggie (2:44)
10. Flood Of '57 (3:02)
11. Old Country Church (2:16)
12. When I get Home (3:18)
13. These Men Of God (2:45)
14. My Lord's Been Walking (1:58)
15. Green Pastures In the Sky (2:30)
16. Give Me the Roses Now (2:17)
17. Honey In the Rock (2:30)
18. Hide Me Rock Of Ages (3:37)
19. 10,000 Angels (1:41)
20. Standing By the River (2:22)
21. Village Church Yard (5:38)
22. I Hold a Clear Title (2:29)
23. Bill Cheatum (2:12)
24. On and On (2:33)
25. What About You (3:05)
26. Gonna Paint the Town (1:52)
27. I Wonder How Old The Folks Are At Home (3:16)
28. Who Will Sing For Me (2:31)x
Disc 4 (1:07:24)
01. Love Me Darling just Tonight (2:18)
02. Poison Love (2:23)
03. Ridin' That Midnight Train (1:55)
04. Lovin You Too Well (1:53)
05. Nobodys Love Is Like Mine (1:52)
06. Cumberland Gap (1:42)
07. Shout Little Lulie (2:00)
08. Rocky Island (1:54)
09. Old Time Pickin (1:43)
10. John Henry (1:28)
11. Little Birdie (2:17)
12. Bound To Ride (1:47)
13. The Lonesome River (2:53)
14. The Fields Have Turned Brown (2:50)
15. Hard Times (2:15)
16. Train 45 (2:21)
17. Gold Watch And Chain (1:58)
18. You Know I Will Be Lonesome (2:10)
19. The Orphan girl (2:58)
20. I Am Going That Way (3:30)
21. Brighter Mansion (1:42)
22. Who Is That? (1:56)
23. Going Up Home To Live In Green Pastures (2:35)
24. I Wanna Make Heaven My Home (1:40)
25. Rank Strangers (2:42)
26. Angel Band (1:54)
27. I Want To Preach The Gospel (2:01)
28. Dark And Thorny Is The Desert (2:47)
29. Great High Mountain (3:21)
30. A Rose Among The Thorns (2:38)
