Ralph Stanley II and The Clinch Mountain Boys - Latest News

[journeybear]

I'm going to the monthly bluegrass jam in Darlington SC tomorrow, 30-odd miles away. This runs for about two hours, then they have a couple of bands playing a set each. I tend not to be interested, since I am not truly that big a bluegrass fan. I'm OK with playing it now and then, but generally don't have what it takes to sit and listen to it for long stretches of time. I used to, but somehow I seem to have changed over the years.

That said, tomorrow they're having Ralph Stanley II and The Clinch Mountain Boys, with opening act New Primitive (no info on them). I thought I'd take a look through the Café to see what people think about them, and I'm not seeing much in the way of current impressions. So I'm asking if anyone has seen them recently and how they were. I think I'm getting there isn't a mandolin in the band, and wonder if that's true, too. Fiddle, banjo, two guitars, and bass. That's playing into my fence-sitting.

Thanks!

[addamr]

New Primitive is a regional band from the Piedmont area of North And South Carolina. They have been playing together a few years. Several good pickers and they play some solid bluegrass. If you enjoy bluegrass you will probably enjoy them. Don't know much about Ralph Stanley II these days.

Adam

[journeybear]

Thanks. I'm probably going to stick around for the show, though it'll be a last-minute decision. Most likely I wouldn't go out of my for this, but I'll be there anyway, and it's only $15. It could be good, and even if it's not, I won't be out all that much. By contrast, earlier in the week I drove over 300 miles there and back to see Lucinda Williams for four times as much. But I knew it would be good, and it was, though a little disappointing, as she's still not all the way back from her stroke. Still, well worth it. Now I just have to figure out how to keep my mandolin warm for nearly an hour each way. It's in the 40s, and no heat in the van. Guess I'll wrap up the case in my down jacket before going out.

[Sue Rieter]

...Now I just have to figure out how to keep my mandolin warm for nearly an hour each way. It's in the 40s, and no heat in the van. Guess I'll wrap up the case in my down jacket before going out.

Totally off topic, and not mandolin related all, but your dilemma reminded me of this story.

When I was in my 20's we hired a mover to bring our stuff to our new (first!) house. It was summer and there was a turkey in the freezer, so I wrapped it up in a wool blanket I had in my trunk.

One of the movers (obviously not a physicist) said to me, why would you wrap it up like that, you are going to make it melt faster ....

[journeybear]

Obviously not a physicist! Funny - just last night, I realized I'd left a water bottle in the freezer too long, frozen solid, and thought, "Oh, I'll just wrap it in a blanket to thaw." Just for a moment, then it passed. No, that's not how this works. So I nuked it on low for a minute or so, no problem. Felt a little stupid, but then, nothing new about that.

[journeybear]

Just so as to put everyone's minds to rest, how did this all turn out, I did indeed stick around for the show. The opener, New Primitive, were good, and their mandolin player had some fine chops. He even got asked to sit in with Ralph and the boys for their encores. Ralph and them were very good - even their sound was better, fuller - guess that's a result of them having been at it for so long. About halfway in the fiddler, Stanley Efaw, switched over to mandolin for a feature, a slam-bang version of "Rawhide."

[Russ Jordan]

Journeybear--did you meet my brother at The Grand Old Post Office ? He's the one in this photo with suspenders, and is the President of Southeastern Bluegrass Association.

I need to make it down to one of the bluegrass shows. I did finally make to The Old Post Office in December for the first time, to see Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin!

Sometime this spring or summer Caroline Owens will be playing there---Spencer Strickland is her mandolin player. In addition to being a great player, Spencer is building wonderful mandolins and guitars. You can see examples of Spencer's work on his YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@spencerstrickland

[journeybear]

Oh, yes! Met him when I first went in November, and talked with him a while then and also yesterday. He put me on the notification list. For the first half of the show I was sitting on the couch in the back of the room, much more comfortable thn their straight-back chairs. I was also behind the membership desk, which they might have thought about but didn't seem to mind. At one point he got a box of Girl Scout cookies (they had a table set up) and gave me one. Nice guy. Forgot his name.

Small world!

[Russ Jordan]

My brother is Rob Jordan. Glad y’all got acquainted.

[journeybear]

Rob - that's right. He asked if he knew me, and I said we talked a bit the last time I was there - three months ago. Guess I made some sort of positive impression. Happens, now and then, in spite of myself.

I almost went in December, tempted by the food. But it was up against the Georgia-Bama game. And really cold.