Marshall Family Archives - Bluegrass Today

Mountain Home to reissue classic David Marshall record

Mountain Home Music Company has announced plans for the imminent re-release of a bluegrass gospel gem from the label’s early days, Clearwaters, by David Marshall.

Marshall was the banjo player for his family’s band, The Marshall Family, who had a brief but meteoric career in the 1970s. The group’s introduction to professional status is pure bluegrass. Not booked at Ralph Stanley’s Hills of Home festival in 1974, the Marshalls attended the festival and were discovered by Dr. Ralph playing in the campground. He asked them to come to the stage, they did, and were an instant hit.

Soon signed to Rebel Records, The Marshall Family recorded three albums and then disbanded in 1977. Their sound was pure, mountain style gospel music, which they learned and developed in their West Virginia home, based around the singing of David’s sister, Judy Marshall, who remained close to the Stanley family until Ralph died.

Other members of the group were David and Judy’s brothers, Ben on bass and Danny on mandolin, along with their father, Chester (Pops) Marshall.

After the family band dissolved, David signed with Mountain Home, then a start up label, and recorded Clearwaters at Horizon studio in Asheville, NC in the early 1980s. It was produced by Tim Surrett, now with Balsam Range, who continues to work with Mountain Home, and included support from Bryan Sutton on guitar, Jeff Parker on mandolin, and Ben Isaacs on bass. Providing harmony vocals were Dale Ann Bradley and Steve Gulley.

David Marshall developed a strong lead vocal style, influenced by the Stanley sound, and a bit reminiscent of Larry Sparks. You can get a taste in this video shot at roughly the time of Clearwaters, with David and Judy singing together at Renfro Valley, supported by Bobby Sloane on fiddle, Jeff Parker on mandolin, and Steve Gulley on bass.

Clearwaters is set for a digital-only re-release on January 27 on Mountain Home Music. Pre-saves are enabled now online.

Count Your Blessings: Bluegrass Songs for your Thanksgiving Weekend

I don’t know about you, but every year, Thanksgiving ranks higher and higher on my list of favorite holidays. And every year, as Christmas seems to come earlier and earlier, it frustrates me more that Thanksgiving continues to be pushed aside.

Thanksgiving is the only major holiday without a strong sense of commercialism attached to it, which is what makes it so great. Like few other holidays, it has managed to stay unblemished in the face of a society that is always looking to “cash in.”

The sole purpose of Thanksgiving is to reflect and appreciate what we have, rather than focus on getting what we don’t have. Spending the day eating great food with family, and maybe even watching a little football, is mighty hard to beat. I really enjoyed spending my day with family yesterday, and I think I’m still feeling the effects of a good ole turkey hangover.

In order to cultivate an attitude of gratitude, here are some bluegrass songs to help you count your blessings.

Thank You – Becky Buller
A new song from Becky’s solo album, ‘Tween Earth and Sky, I had this song stuck in my head as our family prepared for our Thanksgiving feast. Becky is a triple threat in this industry with her singing, songwriting, and fiddle playing. The melody for Thank You is addictive, and I’m sure you’ll find yourself humming this one in no time, just as I have.

Thank You World – Dailey & Vincent
This old Statler Brothers song was included on Dailey & Vincent’s Grammy-nominated Dailey & Vincent Sing The Statler Brothers album. Giving the song a country-grass treatment makes this old favorite a lot of fun. The extreme vocal talent of the group is in the spotlight, as to be expected from the three-time IBMA Vocal Group of the Year.

Thank You Lord – Larry Sparks
An old gospel song from the early days of Larry Sparks, Thank You Lord shows why Sparks is considered the King of Bluegrass Soul. His powerful voice is absolutely captivating, and few singers can provide a more emotional delivery than this future hall of famer.

Thanks Again – Ricky Skaggs
Although from his country days, Thanks Again‘s acoustic arrangement makes it loved by country and bluegrass fans alike. With this song, Skaggs thanks his parents for everything from flying’ his kite and tannin’ his bottom. You’ll want to hug your parents a little tighter after giving this one a listen. Thanks Again is easily one of my favorites from Ricky’s country heyday.

Thankful For Each Day – Junior Sisk & Rambler’s Choice
Clocking in at just under two minutes, this a cappella selection from Junior’s award-winning The Heart Of A Song album is straightforward gospel song of thanksgiving for not only this earthly life, but for an eternal home in heaven.

Thanks A Lot – IIIrd Tyme Out
This old Ernest Tubb standard popped up on IIIrd Tyme Out’s debut album. In addition to Russell Moore’s killer lead vocals (as to be expected), this country classic kicks off with some of Russell’s under appreciated guitar playing. Alan Bibey’s mandolin and Mike Hartgrove’s country fiddle are sure to lift you out of your seat as well.

Thank God For Kentucky – Bill Monroe
The Father of Bluegrass was always proud of his Kentucky home. He tips his famous hat to “The Bluegrass State” with Thank God For Kentucky, sure to cause all Kentuckians to place their hands over their heart.

Thank You, Dear God – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
From Doyle’s latest album, Thank You, Dear God is such a blessing. This song reminds us to be thankful for the simple beauty all around us and for God’s divine providence, no matter how toilsome our life may seem. Doyle and his mandolin have been touching hearts for decades, and this new song follows in the great tradition of Quicksilver gospel music.

Thanks For All The Yesterdays – The Osborne Brothers
The country-grass files of the Osborne Brothers are some of my music of all time. The timeless sound of their powerful vocals backed with a lonesome steel guitar is as good as it gets. While being the saddest song on this list, I think we can all agree that we need to be thankful for the music of the Osborne Brothers.

Thank You – The Isaacs
The Isaacs have been one of the most successful bluegrass gospel groups of the past twenty years. The beautiful family harmony from Ben, Becky, and Sonya Isaacs can touch even the most callous heart. This early hit of theirs reminds us be “thankful for the things that I never thanked you for” — a message of which we all need to be reminded.

Thank God For Mama – The Lonesome River Band
Who doesn’t love a good Mama song? We are all due to show more appreciation for our mothers. As my mother (Love you, Momma Tam!) says, “He’s a good boy, but he sure wasn’t born that way!” Thank God For A Mama helps reminds us of that. Ronnie Bowman sings his heart on this LRB classic.

Thank You Lord – Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
The first song I remember hearing from Paul Williams & The Victory Trio is Thank You Lord. Not to be confused with the aforementioned Thank You Lord from the Larry Sparks catalog, this song has served as a great reminder of all of God’s blessings in my life ever since I was a little boy. I’m thankful that I can remember learning this one with my sister and singing it as children with Dad in church. (We quickly learned that she was a much better than I, so I have since been demoted to singing this one in the car.) The words of this simple song come to mind a lot around this time of year, and I wish I pondered on this song’s message more often.

I Just Want To Thank You Lord – The Marshall Family
In my opinion, I Just Want To Thank You Lord is one of most powerful songs in the bluegrass gospel canon. While Larry Sparks’ version is very close to my heart, no list of “thankful” songs would be complete without the original recording from The Marshall Family. Judy Marshall wrote this classic, and her voice is so beautiful. It’s nearly impossible to listen to her sing this song and not get goosebumps.

I just want to thank you, Lord
For every time you heard me pray.
I just want to thank you, Lord
For always being there.

When I was so down and out
You came along and made me want to shout.
I just want to thank you, Lord.
Thank you, Lord.

This song has touched people’s hearts for nearly forty years, and I don’t think it’s going to stop blessing people any time soon.

Hopefully, you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving, eating your fill and spending time in fellowship with friends and family.

If I missed any of your favorite thankful songs, be sure to leave them in the comments below!

Gospel Choices #1

Here’s another new feature, where we ask bluegrass personalities to choose their top five Gospel songs. This week we hear from Peter Thompson, host of Bluegrass Signal on KALW.

The five I’ve chosen are all from the wonderful world of bluegrass, although I can imagine a collection that also includes favorites from African-American Gospel.

Wings – Kathy Kallick Band: Walkin’ In My Shoes (Live Oak, 1999)
Some Glad Day – Mac Martin & the Dixie Travelers: Basic Blue Grass (Old Homestead, 1987)
I’ll Not Be a Stranger – Stanley Brothers: The Early Starday-King Years (King, 1961)
When I Wake Up To Sleep No More – Marshall Family: Requests (Rebel, 1976)
Won’t You Come and Sing For Me? – Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard: Pioneering Women Of Bluegrass (Smithsonian-Folkways, 1973)

Of course, Kathy is my favorite singer, songwriter, guitarist, and bandleader, and I treasure the 20 years we’ve lived together. It’s hard to limit myself to just one of her great songs, but this one seems appropriate. I love its ecumenical and inclusive approach, optimistic perspective, and soulful singing. The recording is the first one issued on the Live Oak Records label that Kathy and I founded, named for areas of Florida and Michigan where the Stanley Brothers and Jimmy Martin were based — and for the trees that grow right outside our bedroom window in Oakland.

One of the joys of producing a concert series is the ability to call up a musical hero and invite him/her to come for a show. When I did so with Mac Martin, I had no idea it would lead to a close relationship with him and his wife, Jean, along with several concerts and visits. Mac’s County album with the classic Dixie Travelers is what drew me to his music, but I appreciate his version of another positive song, this one from the Monroe canon. Mac has always been a distinctive interpreter and arranger, and is a singer with loads of nuance and feeling.

The Stanley Brothers’ music was what got me hooked on bluegrass, and I never tire of listening to Carter’s powerful songs and that equally powerful duet with Ralph. Again, this is not from my favorite Stanley Brothers era — the Mercury sessions get that nod — but everything they recorded has merit, and I think this song fits well with the others. I’ve done thematic radio shows for many years, and I guess this set is no exception.

Hazel Dickens and Judy Marshall represent, for me, the yin and yang of bluegrass vocals, encompassing the edgy and haunting as well as the beautiful and transcendent aspects of singing, equally thrilling and moving. Hazel was, of course, one of our music’s extraordinary songwriters, and always made me listen to what she had to say. Judy, with her siblings, could sound sweetly powerful like no others. Both make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and stay there — as do all the musicians in this Gospel set.

Peter Thompson currently produces and hosts Bluegrass Signal on KALW (San Francisco) and WAMU’s Bluegrass Country, and earlier did bluegrass shows for Vancouver Co-op Radio and CBC Radio. He has been involved in bluegrass since the mid-1970s as not only a radio producer/host but also as a concert presenter, emcee, publicist, tour manager, record producer, booking agent, board member, product seller, label owner, and nanny.