Comments about the album

Click on the image at the right to see what she said:

Jeanie Stanley, daughter of Carter Stanley, here performs 14 of her late father's songs, backed by Ralph Stanley, Ralph Stanley II, and the Clinch Mountain Boys. Included are such enduring standards as "How Mountain Girls Can Love," "The Lonesome River," "She's More To Be Pitied," and "The Fields Have Turned Brown," as well as two previously unrecorded songs written by Carter.

Ms. Stanley takes the vocal lead on six cuts, Ralph Stanley on two (including a nice a cappella turn on the newly discovered "Jesus Is Precious"), and Ralph II on the rest. The set finishes with an excellent live version of "Dream Of A Miner's Child," where Jeanie Stanley sings overdubbed harmony to her father's fine lead vocal.

Every song captures the older instrumental and vocal style of the Stanley Brothers from forty years ago; a casual listener might think that he or she is listening to a "Best Of..." reissue. Jeanie Stanley's vocals have a touch of Rose Maddox or Jean Shepard, without their raucous edge, and she's very well-suited to the traditional Stanley Brothers material. Ralph Stanley and John Rigsby produce scintillating harmony vocals, and the fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and lead guitar work hark back to a time that curmudgeons among us believe to be the golden age of bluegrass. JR

Dee Hallett:

One of the finest albums to have arrived on my desk recently is "Baby Girl - (A tribute to my father - Carter Stanley)." This is a project undertaken by Jeanie Stanley - and one that should find its way into every 'open-eared' music fan's collection. Jeanie's heartfelt vocals truly do justice to her father's music!

Bluegrass Unlimited:

Every song captures the older instrumental and vocal style of the Stanley Brothers from 40 years ago. Jeanie Stanley's vocals have a touch of Rose Maddox or Jean Shepard, without their raucous edge, and she's very well suited to the traditional Stanley Brothers material.

Dixie and Tom T. Hall:

Listening to Jeanie Stanley is like enjoying a refreshing drink of cold well water from a gourd dipper.

Dr. Ralph Stanley:

This recording is a piece of history.

Here's a comment posted by K.D.Daley on Del McCoury's message board:

One thing I have learned as a result of this message board is that it is good to listen to all types of music and not restrict yourself to just one certain band. I was very guilty of only listening to my favorite bands music but someone on this board (actually it was Mike Bub-Del's bass player) impressed on us that you need to listen to all types. That being said, I feel the need to share with you some info about a new CD which I have fallen in love with. It is Jeanie Stanley's Baby Girl: A Tribute to My Father Carter Stanley. I will admit that I had never found a female bluegrass musician that I enjoyed - and yes, I do have a Rhonda Vincent CD and it's good, and I have listened to my share of Alison Krauss - but this one blew me away! If you like the very old-timey type bluegrass, what I call "mountain music", I think you'll like this one. Jeanie does not have the polished voice of many singers - she definately has a twang I enjoy.(reminds me of Kitty Wells in the 50s) She sings from the heart and each song is filled with emotion. She is joined on the album by Dr. Ralph Stanley, Ralph II, and Joe Isaacs, so there is a lot of talent here. Every song is beautiful - I can't pick a favorite. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this Baby Girl CD. My only problem now is deciding each morning if I'm going to listen to Baby Girl or The Company We Keep - I love them both!!! If you do buy the Stanley album, share your thoughts with us. Thanks, DMB, for allowing us to share our views on other bluegrass groups - that's what makes you fellas #1.

Tom Gray wrote:

It is an emotional experience listening to Jeanie Stanley along with her Uncle Ralph and Cousin, Ralph II. It takes me back to my youth, when I'd try to inject the mountain soul that was the heart of each Stanley Brothers record. You can just imagine some wooded and rocky hollow with a cabin porch where family members have gathered to pick and sing. Jeanie has lived her life in the flat lands of Florida, but has the heart and soul of Appalachia in her voice. How could it be otherwise, with her heritage?!

The members of The Clinch Mountain Boys and their talented friends provide the most appropriate support for Jeanie, singing her late father's songs. Their playing recreates the old Stanley sound. Everyone's voice is true and honest. Even John Rigsby's mandolin kickoff to Lonesome River recreates Peewee Lambert's licks from 55 years ago. Right on!

The liner notes are good, the photos of young Carter and Ralph and Jeanie are great. Two of the photos brought back memories to me, for I was there in 1963 when Carter appeared with Bill Monroe at Oak Leaf Park, Luray Virginia. They had some kind words for each other, some not so kind for some who refused to appear there with them. That park is now a hog farm.

My only complaint: I wish the name Jeanie Stanley had been more prominent on the CD package

Review by Joe Ross (staff writer, Bluegrass Now, freelancer, Bluegrass Unlimited)

CMH CD-8969
PO Box 39439, Los Angeles, CA. 90039
www.cmhrecords.com OR www.pickinon.com OR www.jeaniestanley.com
Playing Time - 43:36

SONGS - Baby Girl, Who Will Sing For Me, The Fields Have Turned Brown, The Memory of Your Smile, She's More To Be Pitied, How Mountain Girls Can Love, Harbor of Love, White Dove, Train 45, The Angels are Singing in Heaven Tonight, Two Sides to a Story, Jesus is Precious, The Lonesome River, Dream of a Miner's Child.

Subtitled "A Tribute To My Father Carter Stanley," this project features the lead singing of Jeanie Stanley who was only four years old when her father passed away on December 1, 1966 at age 41. Life on the road was hard, and the emotional and physical strain took its toll. Until his end, Carter sang with strength, feeling and conviction, and those same qualities are what his daughter Jeanie builds into her singing. Jeanie's uncle (Ralph Stanley) and cousin (Ralph Stanley II) also sing lead on a couple numbers. Vocal accompaniment is by Joe Isaacs (a long-time family friend who also produced the album), Stacy York (a member of Joe Isaac's band) and John Rigsby (former mandolin and fiddle player for Dr. Ralph Stanley). This recording includes two songs written by Carter Stanley which have never been recorded entitled, "Two Sides To A Story" and "Jesus Is Precious." The latter is sung acappella by Ralph Stanley. The album closer, "Dream of a Miner's Child" has Jeanie's voice mixed with her father's which was recorded live at the 1961 Chicago Folk Festival. Some favorite selections are the trios (like "The Fields Have Turned Brown") that have Jeanie singing with Ralph Stanley and John Rigsby. Stacy York and Joe Isaacs also sing harmonies on other cuts. "Harbor of Love" is the only quartet. I'm sure glad that Jeanie chose the mournful "Lonesome River" and "The Angels are Singing." I wouldn't have minded if she had included the classic "A Vision of Mother." Jeanie agreed with me that was one song that she wished now she had included, even if it had to make a 15th song.

The instrumental accompaniment is provided by the Clinch Mountain Boys, and they do a fantastic job. They feel it and play it in the old-time mountain way. Stacy York provides some solid harmonizing. The 16-page CD booklet has liner notes by Gary B. Reid, as well as many interesting photographs. None is as touching as the cover photo of Carter and Jeanie as a toddler, and when she closes with "O daddy, dear daddy please don't go away, I never could live without you." Ralph had to prove it could be done, not only with the passing of Carter but another of his lead singers, Roy Lee Centers, a few years later. Now resting in the old Smith Family graveyard in McClure, Va., Carter Stanley is a guardian from on high.

Ralph Stanley provided emotional support, encouragement and wisdom to help Jeanie realize this dream. Ralph says "I'm proud of it. It's good, it's a piece of history and people are gonna' love it." Carter would have been so proud of his "baby girl," and the tribute album also acknowledges the role that Jeanie's mother, Mary, played in remembering Carter and his music. Jeanie sings with rustic mountain twang and powerful delivery that reminds me a bit of Rose Maddox. I'm sure that it was moving experience for all of the musicians to work on this tribute album. The timeless music's sung right, done right, and has the proper feeling for a daughter's tribute to her eloquent songwriting, guitar-picking and singing father. With mountain soul, this album hits you right in the gut. As Jack Cooke would say, they keep it mountainous. (Joe Ross)