RAGTIME RALPH - VOLUME 4

Bootleg 1983/Empty Square Records 2009

01. Badlands Blake
02. Texas Tomatoes
03. Desert Rat Blues
04. Cast Your Fate to the Wind
05. Cloudburst
06. White Christmas
07. Travis McGee on the Ice Road
08. The Serpentine/Nico Meki Rivers Flood Plain Blues
09. Ragtime Piece in G
10. Walk on the Tracks
11. Radiation from the Station
12. The Going Away Song

Ragtime Ralph is Ralph Johnston, and 'Volume 4' would of been the title assigned had it been released as originally intended; on Takoma. That would place it after 'The Dance Of Death & Other Plantation Favorites' and before 'The Great San Bernardino Birthday Party And Other Excursions'.

I'm not sure why it was unreleased at the time, I suspect however, that like the message on the inside of the L.P. reads, that if John Fahey could of (released this record), he would of.

It's a shame, this is some top class finger pickin' and slide American primitive.

A bootleg saw it's way out in 1983 and Empty Square records in Canada put out a limited edition in 2009.

Essential for Takoma, Fahey and primitive guitar fans.