Act 1 was the Seldom Scene’s first album, released by Rebel in 1972 (SLP 1511). The band had formed in 1971 in Bethesda, Maryland, and its members kept day jobs: John Duffey repaired instruments, Ben Eldridge was a mathematician, John Starling a physician, Mike Auldridge a graphic artist and Tom Gray a cartographer with National Geographic. The Bluegrass Discography dates the recording to sessions on 20 February, 5 March and 26 March 1972 at R. D. Homer Associates. Charles R. Freeland produced, Roy Homer engineered, and Bill Vernon wrote the liner notes.
Starling plays guitar and sings lead, Duffey plays mandolin, Eldridge banjo, Auldridge Dobro and Gray bass. Eldridge switches to second guitar on “Sweet Baby James,” “Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown” and “500 Miles,” and the trio vocals are Starling, Duffey and Auldridge. “Joshua” and “Cannonball” are instrumentals.
Songs from outside bluegrass include Paul Craft’s “Raised by the Railroad Line” and “Want of a Woman,” James Taylor’s “Sweet Baby James” and Steve Goodman’s “City of New Orleans.” Bill Monroe’s “Summertime Is Past and Gone” is also here, and Duffey is credited with the arrangements of “Darling Corey,” “Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown” and “500 Miles.” The five original members were inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2014.
Tracklist
- 1 Raised by the Railroad Line Source Recording 2:56
- 2 Darling Corey alt version 3:43
- 3 Want Of A Woman 2:13
- 4 Sweet Baby James Source Recording 3:05
- 5 Joshua 2:38
- 6 Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown alt version 3:08
- 7 City of New Orleans Source Recording 2:59
- 8 With Body and Soul alt version 3:53
- 9 Summertime Is Past And Gone 2:10
- 10 500 Miles Source Recording 3:18
- 11 Cannonball 2:42
- 12 What Am I Doing Hanging 'Round 2:54
