The Carter Family was a country music group that performed and recorded bet… Read Full Bio ↴The Carter Family was a country music group that performed and recorded between 1927 and 1943. Their music had a profound impact on later bluegrass, country, pop and rock musicians, as well as on the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s.
The original group consisted of Alvin Pleasant Delaney Carter (A.P.; 1891-1960), his wife, Sara Dougherty Carter (autoharp and guitar; 1898-1979), and Maybelle Addington Carter (guitar; 1909-1978). Maybelle Carter (later popularly known as Mother Maybelle Carter) was married to A.P.'s brother Ezra (Eck) Carter. All three were born and raised in southwestern Virginia where they were immersed in the tight harmonies of mountain gospel music and shape note singing. Maybelle Carter's distinctive and innovative guitar playing style quickly became a hallmark of the group.
The Carters got their start on July 31, 1927 when A.P. convinced Sara and Maybelle (pregnant at the time) to make the journey from Maces Springs, Virginia to Bristol, Tennessee to audition for record producer Ralph Peer who was seeking new talent for the relatively embryonic recording industry. They received $50 for each song they recorded.
In the Fall of 1927 the Victor recording company released a double-sided 78 rpm record of the group performing "Wandering Boy" and "Poor Orphan Child". In 1928 another record was released with "The Storms Are on the Ocean" and "Single Girl, Married Girl". This one proved very popular.
They stopped touring and recording in 1943.
In 1987, the three daughters of Maybelle Carter - June Carter (also known as June Carter Cash, following marriage to Johnny Cash), Helen Carter and Anita Carter, along with June Carter's daughter Carlene Carter, appeared as the Carter Family and were featured on a 1987 television episode of Austin City Limits along with Johnny Cash.
The Carters were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970 and were given the nickname "The First Family of Country Music". In 1988, the Carter Family was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and received its Award for the song "Will the Circle Be Unbroken". In 1993, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative postage stamp honoring A.P., Sara, and Maybelle. In 2001, the group was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor. In 2005, the group received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Carter Family III carries on the tradition. The group consists of A.P. Carter and Sarah Carter’s grandson Dale Jett, Maybelle Carter’s grandson John Carter Cash and his wife Laura Cash.
For more details, see the Carter Family biography at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carterfamily/peopleevents/p_carters.html
The original group consisted of Alvin Pleasant Delaney Carter (A.P.; 1891-1960), his wife, Sara Dougherty Carter (autoharp and guitar; 1898-1979), and Maybelle Addington Carter (guitar; 1909-1978). Maybelle Carter (later popularly known as Mother Maybelle Carter) was married to A.P.'s brother Ezra (Eck) Carter. All three were born and raised in southwestern Virginia where they were immersed in the tight harmonies of mountain gospel music and shape note singing. Maybelle Carter's distinctive and innovative guitar playing style quickly became a hallmark of the group.
The Carters got their start on July 31, 1927 when A.P. convinced Sara and Maybelle (pregnant at the time) to make the journey from Maces Springs, Virginia to Bristol, Tennessee to audition for record producer Ralph Peer who was seeking new talent for the relatively embryonic recording industry. They received $50 for each song they recorded.
In the Fall of 1927 the Victor recording company released a double-sided 78 rpm record of the group performing "Wandering Boy" and "Poor Orphan Child". In 1928 another record was released with "The Storms Are on the Ocean" and "Single Girl, Married Girl". This one proved very popular.
They stopped touring and recording in 1943.
In 1987, the three daughters of Maybelle Carter - June Carter (also known as June Carter Cash, following marriage to Johnny Cash), Helen Carter and Anita Carter, along with June Carter's daughter Carlene Carter, appeared as the Carter Family and were featured on a 1987 television episode of Austin City Limits along with Johnny Cash.
The Carters were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970 and were given the nickname "The First Family of Country Music". In 1988, the Carter Family was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and received its Award for the song "Will the Circle Be Unbroken". In 1993, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative postage stamp honoring A.P., Sara, and Maybelle. In 2001, the group was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor. In 2005, the group received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Carter Family III carries on the tradition. The group consists of A.P. Carter and Sarah Carter’s grandson Dale Jett, Maybelle Carter’s grandson John Carter Cash and his wife Laura Cash.
For more details, see the Carter Family biography at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carterfamily/peopleevents/p_carters.html
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The Essential Carter Family
The Carter Family Lyrics
Anchored in Love I've found a sweet haven of sunshine at last, and Jesus…
Bear Creek Blues Way up on Bear Creek, watching the sun go down Way…
Black Jack David Black Jack Davey come a running through the woods Singing so…
Can't Feel At Home This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through My…
Diamonds in the Rough While walking out one evening Not knowing where to go Just…
Engine One-Forty-Three Along came the FFV, the swiftest on the line Running o'er…
Foggy Mountain Top If I was on some foggy mountain top, I'd sail away…
Gold Watch and Chain Darling, how can I stay here without you I have nothing…
Gospel Ship I'm going to take a trip in that old gospel…
I Never Will Marry One morning as I rambled all down the seashore The wind…
I'll Be All Smiles Tonight I'll deck my brow with roses The loved ones may be…
I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes 'Twould been better for us both had we never In this…
I'm Working on a Building I'm a workin' on building I'm a workin' on building I'm a…
It'll Aggravate Your Soul Come all of you people take warning from me Don't take…
Jimmie Brown the Newsboy I'm very cold and hungry, sir My clothes are worn and…
John Hardy Was a Desperate Little Man John Hardy was a desperate little man He carried two guns…
Keep on the Sunny Side There's a dark and a troubled side of life There's a…
Little Darling Pal of Mine In the night, while you lay sleeping Dreaming of your amber…
Lonesome for You Now I know what it means to be lonesome And I…
Lonesome Valley Everybody's got to walk this lonesome valley We've got to w…
Motherless Children Motherless children sees a hard time when their mother is…
My Clinch Mountain Home Far away on the hills To a sunny mountainside Many years a…
On the Rock Where Moses Stood Crying Holy unto the Lord Crying Holy unto the Lord Oh, in…
Single Girl, Married Girl single girl · single girl she's goin dressed fine o she's go…
The Cannonball You can wash my jumper starch my overalls, Catch the train…
The East Virginia Blues I was born in East Virginia North Carolina I did go There…
The Homestead on the Farm Well, I wonder how the old folks are at home Well,…
The Storms Are On the Ocean I'm going away to leave you, love I'm going away for…
The Winding Stream O give to me a winding stream It must not be…
Wabash Cannonball From the great Atlantic ocean to the wide Pacific shore She…
Where We'll Never Grow Old I have heard of a land, on the faraway strand 'Tis…
Wildwood Flower I will twine, I will mingle my raven black hair With…
Worried Man Blues It takes a worried man to sing a worried song It…