February 15, 2016

Pop Stoneman Memorial Album 1968

MGM Records SE-4588

Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1968
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country
[Tracklist]
A1 Blue Ridge Mountain Blues (2:42)
A2 Katie Klein (2:18)
A3 I Love Corrina (2:01)
A4 The Baby-O (1:48)
A5 Stoney's Waltz (1:25)
A6 Hallelujah Side (2:16)
B1 A Message From Home (2:33)
B2 Where The Soul Never Dies (2:40)
B3 No Name For It Yet (1:47)
B4 The Birds Are Returning (2:16)
B5 The Mountaineer's Courtship (4:08)
[Credits]
Ernest V. Stoneman (autoharp/vocals)
Liner Notes: Norm Cohen, Produced by Jack Climent, Cover Art: Tony Kokinos
[Notes]
By 1961 the Stoneman Family act included Scott, Donna, Jim, brother Van on guitar, sister Veronica (Roni) on banjo, and Pop as featured singer and autoharpist. The group made two albums for Starday Records in 1962 and 1963, later recording for MGM and World-Pacific. Pop also joined his children for appearances at folk festivals and folk clubs. With the advent of the lively syndicated TV series Those Stonemans in 1966, Pop proved his skills on the small screen. He died on June 14, 1968, having lived to see the Stoneman Family win the Country Music Association 1967 Vocal Group of the Year Award. Hattie Stoneman, who died on July 22, 1976, also witnessed this triumph. Following his death, the children of Pop and Hattie Stoneman extended their family’s musical heritage into the twenty-first century. A fine vocalist and autoharp player, Patsy replaced her father in the act, which went on to record for other labels including RCA and CMH. Roni and Donna left early in the 1970s, and Scott died in 1971, but Patsy, Jimmy, and Van pressed on with assistance from non-family sidemen. Donna eventually returned, and Roni worked with them from time to time, in addition to starring on the popular Hee Haw TV series as banjo player and comedienne. By 1993, however, Jim and Van’s health problems effectively ended the band’s career. Although both brothers have passed away, Patsy and Roni continue to make occasional appearances, and Donna lends her talents to evangelistic work. Meanwhile, reissues of Pop’s classic 1920s recordings make his music available to new generations.

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