Grateful Dead Family Discography: Rosa Lee McFall

Rosa Lee McFall

Composer: Charlie Monroe

This song occurs on recordings as Rosa Lee McFall, Rosalee McFall and Rosalie McFall. The latter was used on the first Grateful Dead release of the song on the Reckoning LP and has subsequently been used when referring to Grateful Dead versions of the song. The original Charlie Monroe recording and most others use the Rosa Lee McFall title.

The first release of the song was on a Charlie Monroe single probably 1949. This was released in 78rpm and 45 rpm formats and is thought to be one of the earliest commercially released 45 rpm singles.

Subsequently, in some sources, this version of the song has been described as a Monroe Brothers recording from the late 1930's, possibly due to it's inclusion on the Monroe Brothers Early Bluegrass Music LP. This is probably not the case. It is thought that it was recorded in 1947 or 1948 by a Charlie Monroe group with Red Rector on mandolin.

Rosalie McFall was performed by the Grateful Dead in acoustic sets in 1970 and 1980.

Grateful Dead recordings

Reckoning, Grateful Dead, 1981
Beyond Description, Grateful Dead, 2004

Jerry Garcia

The Pizza Tapes, Garcia / Grisman / Rice, 2000
Pure Jerry: Lunt-Fontanne, The Best Of The Rest, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band/Jerry Garcia Band, 2004

Other recordings

no info Single (They Didn't Believe It Was True / Rosa Lee McFall), Charlie Monroe, 1949
Early Bluegrass Music, The Monroe Brothers, 1963
Songs of the Southland, Harry and Jeannie West, 1963
Rural Delivery No. 1, New Lost City Ramblers, 1964
no info Single, Hardy Brendle and the Virginia Partners, 1969
Mandolin Fantasy, Michael Melford, 1976
Peter Rowan With The Red Hot Pickers, Peter Rowan, 1984
Keep on Pushing, Country Gazette, 1991
One Eyed Dog, Powell/Herrman/Sauber, 1993
Dead Ringers, Dead Ringers, 1994
Bluegrass Bonanza, Various Artists (Charlie Monroe), 2001
Bluegrass Bonanza: The Monroe Legacy 1936-45, Various Artists (Charlie Monroe), 2001
Under the Covers, The Clumsy Lovers, 2002
Cascade Serenade, Clampitt, Gaddis & Buck, 2005
I'm Old Kentucky Bound, Charlie Monroe, 2007