The Stanley Brothers were an American bluegrass duo made up of brothers Carter and Ralph Stanley.
Biography[]
Carter and Ralph Stanley were born on a small farm near McClure, Virginia in Dickenson County. Music was a part of their lives from early on, as they were able to listen to the likes of the Monroe Brothers, J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers and the Grand Ole Opry on local radio. The brothers soon formed a band, the Lazy Ramblers, and performed as a duo on WJHL radio in Johnson City, Tennessee.[1] World War IIinterrupted any thoughts of a musicalCAREER, and it was not until both brothers returned from the service that they were able to make their own mark in music.
They formed their band, the Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys, in 1946 as the first band to copy theMonroe sound.[2] CarterPLAYED guitar and sang lead while Ralph played banjo and sang with a strong, high tenor voice. Additional members of this early band were Darrell "Pee Wee" Lambert on mandolin and Bobby Sumner on fiddle. Sumner was soon to be replaced by Leslie Keith.[3] On December 26, 1946, the band began performing at radio stationWCYB in Bristol, Tennessee as stalwarts of the famed Farm and Fun Time radio show.[4] They made their recording debut inSEPTEMBER 1947 for Rich-R-Tone Records which had been founded the year before. Their records sold well "outselling even Eddy Arnold"REGIONALLY.[5] Up to now, Ralph had been playing the banjo with two fingers only on recordings and in concerts but switched in 1948 to the three-finger style popularised by Earl Scruggs.[6] In March 1949, the Stanley Brothers began recording for Columbia Records.[7]
During this time, Bill Monroe was not particularlyFOND of groups like the Stanley Brothers and Flatt & Scruggswhom he believed "stole" his music by copying it and they were therefore seen as "economic threats."[8][9] Financially hard times in the early 1950s forced the brothers to take aSHORT BREAK in their musicalCAREER and they began working for the Ford Motor Company in Detroit. Eventually, Monroe and the Stanley Brothers became friends and Carter performed for several months with Bill Monroe in the summer of 1951. In August 1951, Ralph was involved in a serious automobile accident that almost ended his career.[10] Following his recovery, Carter & Ralph reunited to front their Clinch Mountain Boys.
As bluegrass music grew less popular in the late 1950s, the Stanley Brothers moved to Live Oak, Florida to headline the weekly Suwannee River Jamboree radio show on WNER from 1958 to 1962. The three-hour show was also syndicated across the Southeast.[11] In 1966, the brothers toured Europe and upon returning home theyCONTINUED to perform together until Carter's death in December 1966.[12]
The brothers wrote many of their own songs and Carter had a particular knack for writing deceptively simple lyrics that portrayed strong emotion. The Stanley's style can best be described as a traditional "mountain soul" sound that remained close to the Primitive Baptist vocal stylings they learned from their parents and others near their southwestern Virginia home. Ralph has often used the expression "...old-time, mountain style, what they call 'bluegrass' music", to differentiate the Stanleys' sound from mainstream bluegrass. They later added an innovative touch to their traditional sound with the guitar solos of George Shuffler, an early proponent of the crosspicking guitar style.
Later, Ralph revived the Clinch Mountain Boys and is still performing as of 2010. Among the musicians who havePLAYED in the revived Clinch Mountain Boys are Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, Larry Sparks, Curly Ray Cline, Jack Cooke, Roy Lee Centers, Charlie Sizemore, Ray Goins, and Ralph Stanley II. Ralph's career received a big boost with his prominent role on the phenomenally successful soundtrack recording of the 2000FILM, O Brother, Where Art Thou?. The Stanley Brothers were inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor in 1992. In 2005, The Barter State Theatre of Virginia premiered an original stage production entitled, "Man of Constant Sorrow: The Story of the Stanley Brothers," written by Dr. Douglas Pote. The University Press of Mississippi published the first full-length biography of the Stanley Brothers, Lonesome Melodies: The Lives and Music of the Stanley Brothers by David W. Johnson, on February 1, 2013. The paperback edition was published March 1, 2014.
Ad Options ==Selected recordings==
Among the Stanley Brothers' best known recordings are:
- I'm A Man of Constant Sorrow (Columbia 20816, Rec: Nov. 3, 1950, Released: May, 1951)
- Rank Stranger
- Angel Band (1955)
- How Mountain Girls CanLOVE
- How Far to Little Rock? (novelty)
- Still trying to get to Little Rock (novelty)
- Ridin' That MidniteTRAIN
- Clinch Mountain Backstep
- She's More To Be Pitied
- The Memory ofYOUR Smile
- LoveMeDarlin' Just Tonight
Clinch Mountain Boys Members[]
1946 to 1966:
- Carter Stanley (Lead vocalist, guitar)
- Ralph Stanley (banjo)
- George Shuffler (guitar, bass)
- Darrell "Pee Wee" Lambert (mandolin)
- Jim Williams (mandolin)
- Curly Lambert (mandolin, guitar)
- Leslie Keith (fiddle)
- Robert "Bobby" Sumner (fiddle)
- Lester Woodie (fiddle)
- Ralph Mayo (fiddle, guitar)
- Chubby Anthony (fiddle)
- Art Stamper (fiddle)
- Joe Meadows (fiddle)
- Paul Moon Mullins (fiddle)
- Red Stanley (fiddle)
- Don Miller (fiddle)
- VERNONDerrick (fiddle, guitar)
- Curly Ray Cline (fiddle)
- James "Jay" Hughes (bass)
- Ernie Newton (bass)
- James "Chick" Stripling (bass)
- Mike Seeger (bass)
- Charlie Cline (guitar)
- Bill Napier (guitar, mandolin)
- Albert Elliott [ Mandolin, Upright Bass, and Baritone ]better known as [Touser Murphy] stage name.
- Larry Sparks (guitar)
- Jack Cooke (bass)
- John Shuffler (bass)
- Melvin Goins (bass, guitar)
Discography[]
78 RPM[]
Year | Title | Label | NUMBER |
1947 | "Mother No Longer Awaits Me atHOME" / "The Girl Behind the Bar" | Rich-R-Tone | 420 |
1948 | "Little Maggie" / "The Little Glass of Wine" | Rich-R-Tone | 423 |
1948 | "The Rambler's Blues" / "Molly and Tenbrooks" | Rich-R-Tone | 418 |
1949 | "The Jealous Lover" / "Our Darling's Gone" | Rich-R-Tone | 435 |
1949 | "The WhiteDOVE" / "Gathering Flowers for the Master's Bouquet" | Columbia | 20577 |
1949 | "Little Glass of Wine" / "Let Me BeYOUR Friend" | Columbia | 20590 |
1949 | "The Angels Are Singing (In Heaven Tonight)" / "It's Never Too Late" | Columbia | 20617 |
1949 | "A Vision of Mother" / "Have You Someone (In Heaven Awaiting)" | Columbia | 20647 |
1950 | "The Old Home" / "The Fields Have Turned Brown" | Columbia | 20667 |
1950 | "Death is Only a Dream" / "I Can Tell You the Time" | Rich-R-Tone | 466 |
1950 | "I Love No One But You" / "Too Late to Cry" | Columbia | 20697 |
1950 | "We'll Be Sweethearts in Heaven" / "The Drunkard's Hell" | Columbia | 20735 |
1950 | "Hey! Hey! Hey!" / "Pretty Polly" | Columbia | 20770 |
1951 | "The Lonesome River" / "I'm a Man of Constant Sorrow" | Columbia | 20816 |
1952 | "Sweetest Love" / "The Wandering Boy" | Columbia | 20953 |
1952 | "Little Girl and the Dreadful Snake" / "Are You Waiting Just for Me?" | Rich-R-Tone | 1055 |
1952 | "Little Glass of Wine" / "Little Birdie" | Rich-R-Tone | 1056 |
1953 | "This WearyHEART You Stole Away" / "I'm Lonesome Without You" | Mercury | 70217 |
1953 | "Say Won't You Be Mine" / "Our Last Goodbye" | Mercury | 70270 |
1954 | "I Long To See The Old Folks" / "A Voice From On High" | Mercury | 70340 |
1954 | "Memories Of Mother" / "Could You Love Me One More Time" | Mercury | 70400 |
1954 | "Poison Lies" / "Dickson County Breakdown" | Mercury | 70437-X45 |
1954 | "Blue Moon of Kentucky" / "I Just Got Wise" | Mercury | 70453-X45 |
1954 | "Calling From Heaven" / "Harbor Of Love" | Mercury | 70483-X45 |
1955 | "Hard Times" / "I Worship You" | Mercury | 70546-X45 |
1955 | "So Blue" / "You'd Better Get Right" | Mercury | 70612-X45 |
1955 | "Lonesome And Blue" / "Orange Blossom Special" | Mercury | 70663-X45 |
1955 | "I Hear My Savior Calling" / "Just A Little Talk With Jesus" | Mercury | 70718-X45 |
1956 | "Nobody's Love Is Like Mine"/ "Big Tilda" | Mercury | 70789-X45 |
1956 | "Baby Girl" / "Say You'll Take Me Back" | Mercury | 70886-X45 |
1957 | "I'm Lost, I'll Never Find The Way" / "The Flood" | Mercury | 71064-X45 |
1957 | "Fling Ding" / "Loving You Too Well" | Mercury | 71207-X45 |
1958 | "She's More To Be Pitied" / TRAIN 45" | King | 5155 |
1958 | "Midnight Ramble" / "Love Me Darling Just Tonight" | King | 5165 |
1959 | "Keep a Memory" / "Mastertone March" | King | 5180 |
1959 | "How Can We Thank Him" / "ThatHOME Far Away" | King | 5197 |
1959 | "The Memory ofYOUR Smile" / "Suwanee River Hoedown" | King | 5210 |
1959 | "The WhiteDOVE" / "Mother's Footsteps Guide Me On" | King | 5233 |
Albums (US)[]
Year | Title | Label | NUMBER | Notes |
1958 | Country Pickin' and Singin' | Mercury | MG-20349 | |
1959 | Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys | King | 615 | |
1959 | Hymns and Sacred Songs | King | 645 | |
1959 | Mountain Song Favorites Featuring 5 String Banjo | Starday | SLP 106 | reissued 1964 as Nashville NLP-2014 |
1960 | Sacred Songs From the Hills | Starday | SLP-122 | |
1960 | The Stanley Brothers Sing Everybody's Country Favorites | King | 690 | |
1960 | For the Good People - Sacred Songs | King | 698 | |
1961 | The Stanley's InPERSON | King | 719 | Stereo |
1961 | Stanley Brothers Live At Antioch College - 1960 | Vintage | ZK 002 | limited edition of 500 |
1961 | Sing The Songs They Like Best | King | 772 | |
1961 | The Stanley Brothers | Harmony | HL-7291 | recorded in 1949 |
1961 | Old Country Church | Gusto | 0084 | |
1962 | AwardWINNERS at the Folk Song Festival | King | 791 | live |
1962 | Good Old Camp Meeting Songs | King | 805 | |
1962 | The Mountain Music Sound of the Stanley Brothers | Starday | SLP-201 | |
1962 | Old Time Camp Meeting | King | 750 | |
1963 | Folk Concert from the Heart of America | King | 834 | reissued as Hollywood HT-248, Just Because |
1963 | The Country Folk Music Spotlight | King | 864 | |
1963 | The World's Finest Five String Banjo | King | 872 | ALTERNATEtitle: Banjo in the Hills |
1963 | Hard Times | Mercury | MG 20884 | SR 60884 stereo |
1964 | Hymns of the Cross | King | 918 | with George Shuffler |
1965 | The Remarkable Stanley BrothersPLAY and Sing Bluegrass Songs for You | King | 924 | |
1965 | Songs of Mother andHOME | Wango | LP 106 | reissued 1973 as County 738 |
1966 | The Stanley Brothers: Their Original Recordings | Melodeon | MLP 7322 | 1947 Rich-R-Tone sessions, recorded in Bristol, Tennessee |
1966 | ACOLLECTION of Original Gospel & Sacred Songs | King | 963 | original title: The Greatest Country and Western Show On Earth |
1966 | Jacob's Vision | Starday | SLP-384 | |
1966 | The Stanley Brothers Goes to Europe | Rimrock | RLP 200 | |
1966 | The Angels Are Singing | Harmony | HL 7377 | HS 11177 stereo |
1966 | Carter & Ralph | Nashville | NLP-2037 | |
1966 | John's Gospel Quartet | Wango | LP 103 | reissued 1977 as County 753 |
1966 | John's Country Quartet | Wango | LP 104 | reissued 1973 as County 739 |
1966 | John's Gospel Quartet | Wango | LP 105 | reissued 1976 as County 754 |
1966 | Bluegrass Gospel Favorites | Cabin Creek | 203 | |
1967 | Stanley Brothers Sing the Best-Loved Sacred Songs of Carter Stanley | King | 1013 | |
1967 | An Empty Mansion: In Memory of Carter Stanley | Rimrock | RLP 153 | reissued 1978 as Old Homestead 118 |
1967 | A BeautifulLIFE | Rimrock | RLP 200 | reissued 1978 as Old Homestead 119 |
1967 | Gospel Singing As Pure As the Mountain Stream | Rimrock | RLP 200 | |
1969 | How Far To Little Rock | King | KLP-1046 | |
1970 | Sweeter Than theFLOWERS | Nashville | NLP-2078 | also NA7-2046-2 |
1970 | The Legendary Stanley Brothers, Recorded Live | Rebel | SLP 1487 | |
1970 | The Legendary Stanley Brothers, Recorded Live, Vol 2 | Rebel | SLP 1495 | |
1971 | Together For the Last Time | Lisa Joy | 10329 | recorded live in 1956 and 1966, reissued 1972 as Rebel SLP 1512 |
1972 | On Radio - Great 1960 Radio Shows | Rebel | 1115 | recorded in Live Oak, Florida |
1976 | Stanley Brothers on the Air | Wango | 115 | |
1980 | Columbia Sessions Vol 1 | Rounder | SS-09 | |
1980 | Columbia Sessions Vol 2 | Rounder | SS-10 | |
1984 | On Radio Vol 1 | County | 780 | |
1984 | On Radio Vol 2 | County | 781 | |
1984 | Starday Sessions | County | 106/107 | |
1988 | The Stanley Brothers on WCYB BristolFARM & Fun Time | Rebel | 855 | recorded 1947 |
1994 | Clinch Mountain Bluegrass | Vanguard | 77018-2 | live, Newport Folk Festival, 1959 and 1964 |
1997 | Earliest Recordings | Rich-R-Tone | 6004 | recorded 1947-1952 |
2004 | An Evening Long Ago | Columbia Legacy | CK-86747 | recorded in Bristol, VA, March 1956 |
2004 | The Last Show of the Stanley Brothers - Brown County Jamboree | Stanleytone | recorded in Bean Blossom, IN,OCTOBER16, 1966 |
Video[]
Year | Title | Label | NUMBER | Notes |
2005 | Rainbow Quest: The Stanley Brothers andDOC Watson | Shanachie | 605 | DVD, season 1, episode 18, 1965 |
Charted singles[]
Year | SINGLE | US Country |
---|---|---|
1960 | "How Far to Little Rock" | 17 |