OBRAY RAMSEY ORIG TOP BANJO BALLAD SINGER

$

40

OBRAY RAMSEY
BLUE RIDGE BANJO
ORIGINAL FIRST PRESS 
WASHINGTON LABEL 707 (FOLK MUSIC OF THE WORLD SERIES)
1957
GOLD CENTER LABELS WITH BLACK PRINT (PICTURE SHOWN)
BEAUTIFUL TEXTURED MATT COVER ON THICK CARDBOARD (HEAVY)
THIS IS RAMSEY'S FIRST RECORD AND ITS OLD TIME JUST HIM AND THE BANJO
TEXT FROM BACK COVER: From the back cover:

In recent years, we have heard all to often about the 'dying' of folk culture in the Southern mountains. Many of the collectors who ventured into this area to record the songlore of the region in the 1930s and '40s, shed sorry tears for the passing of a beautiful and rich tradition, each proclaiming his own collection to be the "last leaves" of this once-proud heritage. So, fewer and fewer adventuresome souls have involved themselves in recording the still-living tradition of the area. Those who have, however, have been amply rewarded by finding that, even though mountain life has been completely revolutionized in the past few decades, tradition dies hard, and numerous singers may still be heard and recorded. To be sure, there are new sounds and new songs, but this material is, in many ways, as vibrant and vital as it was in the days of Cecil Sharp's pioneering collecting forays.

Obray Ramsey, whose sprightly banjo songs and instrumentals make up this LP, is living proof that this tradition still exists. And there are many more young, middle-aged and old folksingers like him, who have retained the best songs of their hardy mountain ancestors, perhaps changing some of them to suit their own artistic and performing abilities, but still retaining the best elements of old-style singing and playing.

Ramsey was born on the banks of the three Laurels at the edge of the Smokey Mountains in western North Carolina. His father's people came from the highlands of Scotland, and his mother's ancestors were Cherokee Indians. Most of his songs were learned from his mother and grandmother, both fine singers with extensive repertoires. For most of his life he has sung his songs unaccompanied, though he had learned to play the guitar when still a young boy. After he married and settled down as a successful farmer near Marshall, North Carolina, he met Bascom Lamar Lunsford, folksinger, collector, and organizer of the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival held annually in Asheville, North Carolina. Lunsford recognized his fine singing talents and encouraged him to take up the 5-string banjo, which he believed would be perfectly suited to Obray's style of singing. To show his faith in this belief, Lunsford gave Ramsey his first banjo in 1953. Now, Obray Ramsey is one of the finest banjo-pickers in the Southern Mountains. His style is a perfect compromise between old picking styles and currently popular modern styles.
- Kenneth S. Goldstein
LONG OUT OF PRINT AND VERY VERY SCARCE
A ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL LP 
Tracks:
1. The Rambling Boy
2. Keep on the Sunny Side
3. Polly Put the Kettle On
4. Little Margaret
5. I Am a Pilgrim
6. Cripple Creek
7. Down By the Sea Shore
8. Song of the French Broad River
9. God Gave Noah the Rainbow Sign
10. Shortenin' Bread
11. Wildwood Flower
12. My Lord, What a Morning
13. Lonesome Road Blues
14. Weeping Willow


CONDITION:
VERY HIGH COLLECTABLE CONDITION
 COVER:  STONG VG++ 9.7. SOME MINOR WER TO BOTTOM SEEM.  SMALL NUMBER WRITTEN ON BACK COVER IN TOP RIGHT CORNER VINYL: VG+ TO VG++, 9.3 .  A FEW EXTREMLY FINT SMALL SURFACE SCUFFS.  HARD TO NOTICE WITH OUT GREAT INSPECTION UNDER GOOD LIGHT.  PLAYS WITH SOME CRACKLES.  THIS IS MOSTLY THE RESULT OF THE RECORD PRESSING NOT THE CONDITION OF RECORD.  THIS IS A RECORD FROM 1957.  IT IS A SMALL LABEL AND I AM CERTAIN ALL COPIES OF THIS PLAY WITH A SIMILAR CRACKLING DUE TO QUALITY OF PRESSING.  ANY SERIOUS COLLECTOR OF EARLY FOLK AND BLUES LP SHOULD UNDERSTAND THIS.   BOOKLET: NONE ISSUED CENTER LABEL: NM
check out my other listings for MORE RARE beautiful TOP CONDITION folk and blues.  from my STUNNING COLLECTION BUILT OVER MANY YEARS.  don't miss it.  MANY GEMS!!
SHIPPING: 
EUROPE: ONE RECORD IS16 USD EACH ADDITIONAL RECORD 1 USD.  
ASIA: ONE RECORD IS 19 USD EACH ADDITIONAL RECORD 1 USD
CANADA: ONE RECORD IS 13 USD EACH ADDITIONAL IS 1USD
MORE GREAT MUSIC TO BE LISTED AT END OF JAUARY.  STAY TUNED!!
~~~~~PLEASE NOTE ~~~~~~
~~~~~IF YOU PAY WITHIN 14 HOURS OF PURCHASE YOU WILL HAVE YOUR ITEM SHIPPED  ALMOST CERTAINLY ON , THE 27TH OR 28TH, MODAY OR TUESDAY  . ~~~~~~~
ALL THOSE WHO MAKE PAYMENTS RECEIVED OVER 14 HOURS AFTER WINNING ITEM CAN EXPECT TO WAIT UP TO 5 BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE ITEM IS PUT IN MAIL 
check out my other listings for MORE RARE beautiful TOP CONDITION folk and blues.  from my STUNNING COLLECTION BUILT OVER MANY YEARS.  don't miss it.  MANY GEMS!!