Nathan Stanley, grandson of Dr. Ralph, has big plans for the month of December. He has his first headlining turn with the Clinch Mountain Boys in Pigeon Forge, TN, and will begin work in the studio for a new solo project.
On November 30, Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys will perform at Musik’s Mountain Theater, and afterwards Nathan will front the band there for the rest of the month, with different special guests each night. Scheduled to join them are Don Rigsby & Midnight Call, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, The Grascals, The Isaacs, and several others.
Pigeon Forge is well-known for its Branson-like theater shows, which are popular attractions during the Spring and Summer seasons. Then in December each year, the town, the shops and the shows change to a Christmas format that draw shoppers and music lovers a second time.
In the midst of his Musik Mountain run, Nathan will slide over to Maggard Sound in Big Stone Gap, VA for two days of tracking for a new album. He’ll have a number of current and former Clinch Mountain Boys in tow: Mitchell VanDyke on banjo, Junior Blakenship on lead guitar, Randal Hibbitts on bass, and Dewey Brown on fiddle. Nathan will play rhythm guitar and sing lead, with special guest Don Rigsby providing mandolin and harmony vocals.
Stanley tells us that this record will be Stanley style bluegrass, including both new songs and classics from his family tradition like Lover’s Quarrel and The Story of the Lawson Family.
Look for the yet unnamed record in January 2013 on the Nathan Stanley Entertainment label.
You can find the full schedule for December at Musiks Mountain Theater, with ticket and travel details, online.
