Wednesday, March 30, 2011

E.C. Ball with Orna Ball & The Friendly Gospel Singers [Rounder, 1973]





LP 0026

A1. Trials, Troubles, Tribulations 2:47
A2. When I Can Read My Titles Clear 2:19
A3. Born To Serve The Lord 2:17
A4. Chow Time 2:29
A5. Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party 3:41
A6. Do You Call That Religion? 2:02
A7. The Cabin In The Valley 2:18
A8. Give Me Just A Little More Time 1:52

B1. I See God In Everything 2:21
B2. House Of Gold 1:53
B3. Aint No Grave Can Hold My Body Down 3:08
B4. Raggin' The Wires 2:16
B5. The Early Bird Always Gets The Worm 2:37
B6. John The Baptist 3:06
B7. I'm Glory Bound 2:35
B8. The Parting Hand 2:37

Bonus 1. Black Mountain Rag
Bonus 2. Jennie Jenkins



Acoustic Guitar, Baritone Vocals - E.C. Ball
Accordian, Backing Vocals - Orna Ball
Edited By - Mark Wilson
Mastered By - Toby Mountain
Recorded By - Bruce Kaplan, R.N. Drevo

'Estil Cortez Ball [1913-1978] was first recorded by John Lomax in 1937 for The Library of Congress. JL's son Alan Lomax would record Ball & others in 1941 & 1959, and this would encourage many folk and bluegrass musicians to follow suit, see John Cohen & Mike Seeger. E.C. Ball had a prolific songbook of hymns, country gospel, ballads, blues, instrumentals, and comic songs. His day job would find him working in a service station or driving a school bus and he grandly looked the part. With his wife Orna, Ball was the unquestionable interpreter of the white folk spiritual. He was raised and buried in Rugby, Grayson County, Virginia'



one of the most enduring & endearing sacred & secular singing couples, first met by mine ears on alan lomax's superlative sounds of the south box, pon which they're predominantly represented. these tunes just radiate purity & understated beauty. included are a couple bonus tracks too; jennie jenkins has to be heard to be believed cuz there aint no words (or if there are, i can't confidently convey em :) 320 bits of benevolent bliss

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