Working Close cover

Working Close

The Johnson Mountain Boys

Album · 1983 · Rounder 0185

Working Close was the Johnson Mountain Boys’ third album for Rounder Records, following The Johnson Mountain Boys (Rounder 0135, 1981) and Walls of Time (Rounder 0160, 1982). It was issued in 1983 as Rounder 0185 and reissued on CD in 1997.

The twelve tracks were recorded at Bias Recording Co. in Springfield, Virginia, in sessions on 20 and 21 October and 1 and 2 December 1982. Dudley Connell plays guitar, Richard Underwood banjo, David McLaughlin mandolin and fiddle, Eddie Stubbs fiddle and Larry Robbins bass. Connell, Underwood, McLaughlin and Stubbs are all credited with vocals. Jim Robeson engineered the album.

Most of the writing comes from inside the band. Connell wrote “I’m Still to Blame,” “Your Love Died Like the Rose,” “Call His Name” and “The Day Has Passed”; McLaughlin wrote “Granite Hill”; and Underwood wrote the instrumental “Five Speed.” The other songs are Wilma Lee Cooper’s “Tomorrow I’ll Be Gone,” Jerry Reed’s “Misery Loves Company,” Ralph Stanley’s “Say You’ll Take Me Back,” the Louvin Brothers’ “Are You Afraid to Die?” and “Don’t Throw Your Life Away,” credited to Billy Wallace and Webb Pierce. “The Waves on the Sea” carries no composer credit.

Tracklist

  1. 1 Tomorrow I’ll Be Gone Source Recording Wilma Lee Cooper · key Bb · 126 bpm 2:24
  2. 2 Misery Loves Company 3:02
  3. 3 I'm Still To Blame 2:35
  4. 4 Your Love Died Like The Rose 2:35
  5. 5 Call His Name 2:53
  6. 6 Five Speed 2:52
  7. 7 The Waves on the Sea Source Recording A.P. Carter · key E · 122 bpm 4:03
  8. 8 Don't Throw Your Life Away 3:00
  9. 9 Say You'll Take Me Back 2:15
  10. 10 The Day Has Passed 3:12
  11. 11 Granite Hill 2:16
  12. 12 Are You Afraid to Die alt version 3:03

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