Ralph Stanley’s singing voice was a wonder of nature. When he was young he sounded old, and when he was old he hardly sounded different from when he was young. This self-titled album was recorded in 2002, when Stanley was 75 years old. He certainly sounds like a 75-year-old man, but his voice is as strong as it ever was, his intonation still solid, his ability to flutter gently and thrillingly around a note before landing on it undiminished. He’s not recording with his regular band here; instead, he has something of a modern-bluegrass supergroup behind him: luminaries like Norman Blake, Stuart Duncan, and Mike Compton are playing, and the unbiquitous roots-music impresario T-Bone Burnett is at the board. The program is a mix of gospel (“Twelve Gates to the City,” “Lift Him Up, That’s All”) and secular songs (“The Death of John Henry,” “I’ll Remember You Love in My Prayers” ) some of them sung solo and a cappella in skin-prickling style. Burnett’s production showcases Stanley’s inimitable voice perfectly – and the sidemen, respectfully and wisely, stay well out of his way.