Where the Sweet Waters Flow cover

Where the Sweet Waters Flow

Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers

Album · 1974 · Old Homestead OHS 90035

Where the Sweet Waters Flow was released on Old Homestead (OHS 90035) in 1974; Bluegrass Unlimited reviewed it that December. Sparks had recorded for Pine Tree before it, and went on to Starday and then, in 1977, to Rebel. Old Homestead was a Michigan label that John W. Morris started in 1971 to put out new and archival recordings by Wade Mainer, and it later became known for reissues of old-time and bluegrass records.

The twelve tracks are nearly all gospel. Four were written by Sparks with his sister Bernice, who had been in the first Lonesome Ramblers: the title song, “Don’t Turn Him Away,” “Jesus Is the Rock” and “There’s Room at the Cross.” Sparks wrote “I’ll Meet Him There” himself, and “What Kind of Man” is credited to him and Ralph Stanley. The rest are Lester Flatt’s “Get in Line Brother,” the hymns “Where We’ll Never Grow Old” and “What a Friend,” “When the Saints Go Marching In,” “Me and Jesus,” and “Wayfaring Stranger.” “What a Friend,” “Saints” and “Wayfaring Stranger” are instrumentals, and “Wayfaring Stranger” is Sparks on guitar alone.

Sparks plays guitar and sings lead throughout. Tim Maynard is the banjo player on most tracks, with Dave Evans on banjo and tenor on some, and Wendy Miller plays mandolin. Joe Meadows’s fiddle is on the record although the liner notes do not credit him, and Art Weidner plays bass. Bluegrass Unlimited’s review noted that two recording sessions seem to be represented, one with Maynard and one with Evans. A single, “Where the Sweet Waters Flow” backed with “I’ll Meet Him There,” came out on Old Homestead in 1974. Sparks later recorded “Jesus Is the Rock” again on The Rock I Stand On (1994).

Tracklist

  1. 1 Where the Sweet Waters Flow 2:51
  2. 2 Get in Line Brother alt version 2:15
  3. 3 Don't Turn Him Away 3:16
  4. 4 What a Friend 3:37
  5. 5 I'll Meet Him There 2:21
  6. 6 Jesus Is The Rock 3:03
  7. 7 Where We’ll Never Grow Old alt version 2:48
  8. 8 There's Room at the Cross 2:33
  9. 9 When the Saints Go Marching In 2:20
  10. 10 What Kind of Man 2:01
  11. 11 Wayfaring Stranger alt version 5:23
  12. 12 Me and Jesus 2:51

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