Fabulous Sound of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs cover

Fabulous Sound of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs

Various Artists

Compilation · 1964 · Columbia CL 2255

The Fabulous Sound of Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs was released by Columbia in November 1964 (CL 2255 in mono, CS 9055 in stereo) and credited to Flatt and Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys. It was recorded at Columbia’s Nashville studio in sessions on 3 June and 2–3 July 1964, with one track, “The Train That Carried My Girl from Town,” recorded on 27 November 1963. Don Law and Frank Jones produced the sessions. The album entered Billboard’s country albums chart on 2 January 1965, peaked at No. 2 and stayed on the chart for 26 weeks.

The band on the June and July 1964 sessions is Lester Flatt on guitar and lead vocal, Earl Scruggs on banjo, Paul Warren on fiddle, Josh Graves (credited as Buck Graves) on Dobro, Jake Tullock on bass and Monroe Fields on mandolin. Scruggs plays guitar rather than banjo on “Amber Tresses Tied with Blue,” “I’m Walking with Him,” “Georgia Buck” and “Father’s Table Grace,” and Billy Powers adds a guitar on “The Train That Carried My Girl from Town.” “Georgia Buck” is an instrumental. Tullock, Fields, Scruggs and Warren sing harmony on several of the other tracks.

The repertoire is a mix of songs credited to Flatt and Scruggs, among them “Bummin’ an Old Freight Train,” “My Wandering Boy” and “Please Don’t Wake Me,” and A.P. Carter’s “Hello Stranger” and “Amber Tresses Tied with Blue.” “When Papa Played the Dobro” is by Johnny Cash.

Tracklist

  1. 1 The Martha White Theme alt version 1:27
  2. 2 Come Back Darling alt version 2:39
  3. 3 Head Over Heels alt version 2:34
  4. 4 Jimmie Brown the Newsboy alt version 3:20
  5. 5 Don't Get Above Your Raising (with The Foggy Mountain Boys) 2:43
  6. 6 I'm Workin' on a Road (To Glory Land) (with The Foggy Mountain Boys) 2:48
  7. 7 Earl’s Breakdown alt version 2:59
  8. 8 'Tis Sweet to Be Remembered 2:55
  9. 9 Get in Line Brother alt version 2:21
  10. 10 Brother, I'm Getting Ready to Go 2:40
  11. 11 Why Did You Wander alt version 2:43
  12. 12 Flint Hill Special alt version 2:45
  13. 13 Dim Lights, Thick Smoke alt version 3:06
  14. 14 Dear Old Dixie alt version 2:57
  15. 15 Reunion in Heaven 2:51
  16. 16 I’ll Go Stepping Too alt version 2:53
  17. 17 Foggy Mountain Chimes alt version 2:52
  18. 18 Till the End of the World Rolls Round alt version 2:33
  19. 19 Foggy Mountain Special (with The Foggy Mountain Boys) - 78rpm Version 2:02
  20. 20 You Can Feel it in Your Soul alt version 2:29
  21. 21 I’m Gonna Sleep With One Eye Open alt version 2:36
  22. 22 Randy Lynn Rag (with The Foggy Mountain Boys) - 78rpm Version 2:04
  23. 23 Blue Ridge Cabin Home alt version 3:11
  24. 24 It Won’t Be Long alt version 2:32
  25. 25 Six White Horses alt version 3:05
  26. 26 Shuckin’ the Corn alt version 2:06
  27. 27 Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down alt version 2:13
  28. 28 Big Black Train alt version 3:02
  29. 29 Crying My Heart Out Over You alt version 2:58
  30. 30 Bugle Call Rag alt version 2:45
  31. 31 Foggy Mountain Top alt version 3:10
  32. 32 Cryin’ Holy alt version 2:18
  33. 33 John Hardy alt version 3:29
  34. 34 Cabin in the Hills alt version 2:29
  35. 35 Polka on a Banjo 2:43
  36. 36 Just Ain't 2:16
  37. 37 Go Home 3:15
  38. 38 The Legend of the Johnson Boys alt version 2:18
  39. 39 Foggy Mountain Breakdown alt version 2:20
  40. 40 The Ballad of Jed Clampett alt version 2:03
  41. 41 My Wandering Boy alt version
  42. 42 The Train that Carried My Girl From Town alt version 2:26

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