On tumblr I have found a picture of Ray Lunsford – a cover from an EP that says: Ray Lunsford – The King of the Electric Mandolin
I have found one youtube video with Ray Lunsford – the Carroll Country Blues:
Ray Lunsford – Carroll Country Blues
Ray Lunsford is also referenced in videos with Jimmie Skinner. Ray Lunsford played with Jimmie Skinner in many records like in the following two videos:
Jimmie Skinner – Just Ramblin’ On
JIMMIE SKINNER Ramblin boy blues
Playlists with Ray Lunsford and Jimmie Skinner
Ray Lunsford and his mandolin can obviously be seen on some of the shown record sleeves.
Additional Information
Wikipedia about Jimmie Skinner: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmie_Skinner
Skinner’s early records were notable for their sparse instrumentation, usually backed by electric mandolinist Ray Lunsford.
Blog post about Jimmie Skinner: http://www.bigvjamboree.com/JimmieSkinnerJustRamblinOn.htm
Ray Lunsford’s contribution to the early Jimmie Skinner sound should be acknowledged on a higher level ; he was to Skinner what Luther Perkins was to Johnny Cash – another way to measure the influence of the former on the latter. Ray never strayed far from the melody line and rarely launched into furious soli, but his playing was pleasant and complemented Skinner’s vocals to perfection. Around the mid-fifties, Lunsford had three instrumental singles on the Excellent label – one of which, coupling ‘Carroll County Blues’ and ‘Mt. Vernon Rag’, was eventually picked up by Starday and issued as # 296 in mid-1957. A lesser-known item by Ray Lunsford is an extended-play record on Sage Records (EP 285) ; Ray is dubbed as ‘King Of The Electric Mandolin’ and plays four tunes – ‘I Don’t Love Nobody’, ‘Rustic Dance’, a very good ‘Red Wing’ and ‘Pickin’ Around’, penned by Lunsford with Estel Lee Scarbrough.
Blog about Ray Lunsford (with 3 tracks as mp3 download?? – does not work):
http://ohiovalleysound.blogspot.de/2010/05/ray-lunsford_12.html
http://ohiovalleysound.blogspot.de/2010/05/ray-lunsford.html
Best known as the madolin player for Jimmie Skinner, Lunsford made several great records for Starday, Excellent, Sage, Allandale and many others I’m sure. Legend has it Lunsford and Skinner were next door neighbors for years before Skinner found out he was a musician, and asked him to play at a backyard barbecue. The rest is history. A true hometown hero for me.
I have used Audials One 9