Though its leadership has changed hands a few different times, the Clinch Mountain Boys have continually kept the Stanley sound alive for 79 years. The group’s latest album, Rollin’ On Rubber Wheels, demonstrates Ralph Stanley II paying homage to that legacy alongside strongly crafted original material.
The album opens with the title track, Rollin’ On Rubber Wheels. Written by Carter Stanley, the song was first recorded by he and Ralph in July 1964. While this version remains faithful to Carter and Ralph’s original recording, the new track does an excellent job demonstrating that powerful vocal blend that Ralph II and Alex Leach have. Along with Stanley and Leach on guitar and vocals, the Clinch Mountain Boys also consist of Stanley Efaw on fiddle and mandolin, Curtis Coleman on banjo, and Randall Hibbits on bass.
Polly’s Revenge by David Carroll is a riveting, yet even darker sequel to the classic Pretty Polly. Though one could do without some of the overtly violent imagery, it’s a captivating song that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
Long White Line comes from Buford Abner, with lyrics that tell of adventure and contemplation. This song perfectly fits the overall theme of this recording, as does Saginaw Michigan, Ralph II’s take on the country classic written by Bill Anderson and Don Wayne.
Where the Dim Lights are the Dimmest, by Lonnie Nipper and Larry Sparks, explores the loneliness and darkness one might experience at a certain point in life. The group is joined on this track by Wyatt Ellis on mandolin, whose playing perfectly fits this song’s emotional feel.
Rank Stranger and Swinging the Nine Pound Hammer are both Stanley classics, the former popularized by the Stanley Brothers while the latter was recorded by Ralph in 1983. The group does great justice to both songs, showing that the music of the Stanleys is alive, well, and more vibrant than ever.
With Ralph II at the helm of the Clinch Mountain Boys since his father’s passing in 2016, he’s successfully created a formula that honors his family’s musical legacy, while also injecting it with a touch of his own. Rollin’ On Rubber Wheels provides an excellent example of that approach.
