Given our discussion in the Jimmy Martin post, this post being not should not be a surprise to anyone. This volume covers the Stanley's recordings for Wayne Raney's Rimrock label. As I have been putting together these volumes, artists like the Stanleys fascinate me with their one-off record deals with other labels. By this point in their career, they were recording a lot for King and seemed to be a King artist. However, the two albums they did for Rimrock, the John's Gospel Quartet albums they did for Wango, and they would even record an album for Cabin Creek (to appear on a subsequent volume). Ralph would continue this as well with King and Rebel being his primary labels but also doing numerous projects for the likes of Jalyn, Jessup, King Bluegrass, Stanleytone and Blue Jay, just to name a few.
As to the Rimrock recordings, one notices quickly that they lack the high fidelity of their King records. However, the difference in fidelity is made up for by the quality of the recordings. Carter was in good voice, which was an important factor in the success of their sessions during that period. The material was all traditional sacred tunes, but sometimes that isn't a bad thing. The group obviously knew the material and could deliver it with strong conviction.
A far as our previous topic from the Martin post, I did a little research after writing it up and I will say that the BGHOF and I might actually agree on the Mount Rushmore question, although I am not sure how they would handle number 4. To be clear, the BGHOF does agree with me on one, two and three. Monroe, Scruggs and Flatt were all inducted in the inaugural year in 1991. Year two saw the Stanley Brothers and Reno and Smiley inducted. So if they could have only inducted one out of the four that came in in 1992, I am not sure which one they would have included.
I will say that they do disagree with me on where Jimmy Martin stands. Jimmy didn't make it until 1995, which was after those mentioned above, Mac Wiseman and Jim and Jesse in 1993 and the Osborne Brothers in 1994. In my world, he goes in fifth (or sixth depending on how you look at it) behind Monroe, Scruggs, Flatt and Ralph Stanley. If you have to put in Carter with Ralph then it is sixth, but I actually think that Jimmy's contributions over a longer period of time warrants induction prior to Carter, who may be the greatest bluegrass lead vocalist of all time.