The Louvin Brothers were an American country music duo composed of brothers… Read Full Bio ↴The Louvin Brothers were an American country music duo composed of brothers Ira Lonnie Loudermilk (1924–1965) and Charlie Elzer Loudermilk (1927–2011), better known as Ira and Charlie Louvin. They helped popularize close harmony, a genre of country music. The brothers are cousins to John D. Loudermilk, a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member.
The brothers adopted the name Louvin Brothers in the 1940s as they began their career in gospel music. Their first foray into secular music was the minor hit "The Get Acquainted Waltz", recorded with Chet Atkins. Other hits included "Cash on the Barrelhead" and "When I Stop Dreaming". They joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1955 and stayed there until breaking up in 1963.
Their songs were heavily influenced by their Baptist faith and warned against sin. Ira Louvin was notorious for his drinking, womanizing, and short temper. He was married four times; his third wife Faye shot him four times in the chest and twice in the hand after he allegedly beat her. Although seriously injured, he survived. When performing and drinking, Ira would sometimes become angry enough on stage to smash his mandolin; otherwise his style was heavily influenced by Bill Monroe.
As of 1963, Charlie was making enough money that he was able to start a solo career, and Ira also went on his own.
Ira died on June 20, 1965, at the age of 41. He and his fourth wife, Anne Young, were on the way home from a performance in Kansas City when they came to a section of construction on Highway 70 outside of Williamsburg, Missouri where traffic had been reduced down to one lane. A drunken driver struck their car head-on, and both Ira and Anne were killed instantaneously.[4] At the time, a warrant for Ira's arrest had been issued on a DUI charge.
Country-rock band The Byrds recorded the Louvin-penned "The Christian Life" for their 1968 release Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
In 2001, the Louvin brothers were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The tribute CD Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers, produced by Carl Jackson and Kathy Louvin and released in 2003, won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Country Album.
Although the brothers are still remembered today for their musical talent, they are also remembered for the unusual cover used for their 1959 album, Satan Is Real. Designed by Ira Louvin, the cover features the brothers standing in a rock quarry in front of a 12-foot-tall (3.7 m) plywood rendition of the Devil as several hidden tires soaked in kerosene burn behind them as fire and brimstone. While some reviewers count this as being one of the "greatest iconic album covers of all time", the cover can also be found today on several Web sites celebrating unusual or bizarre album covers. The cover has also become an Internet meme on a number of Web sites such as Fark.com, where it has been posted in discussion threads as an example of religious views of the era.
The opening bars of the album's title track "Satan is Real" can be heard at the beginning of Hank Williams III's "Medley: Straight to Hell / Satan is Real", on his Straight to Hell album of 2006. It is also excerpted in Will Ferrell's 2009 one-man Broadway show, You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush.
The brothers adopted the name Louvin Brothers in the 1940s as they began their career in gospel music. Their first foray into secular music was the minor hit "The Get Acquainted Waltz", recorded with Chet Atkins. Other hits included "Cash on the Barrelhead" and "When I Stop Dreaming". They joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1955 and stayed there until breaking up in 1963.
Their songs were heavily influenced by their Baptist faith and warned against sin. Ira Louvin was notorious for his drinking, womanizing, and short temper. He was married four times; his third wife Faye shot him four times in the chest and twice in the hand after he allegedly beat her. Although seriously injured, he survived. When performing and drinking, Ira would sometimes become angry enough on stage to smash his mandolin; otherwise his style was heavily influenced by Bill Monroe.
As of 1963, Charlie was making enough money that he was able to start a solo career, and Ira also went on his own.
Ira died on June 20, 1965, at the age of 41. He and his fourth wife, Anne Young, were on the way home from a performance in Kansas City when they came to a section of construction on Highway 70 outside of Williamsburg, Missouri where traffic had been reduced down to one lane. A drunken driver struck their car head-on, and both Ira and Anne were killed instantaneously.[4] At the time, a warrant for Ira's arrest had been issued on a DUI charge.
Country-rock band The Byrds recorded the Louvin-penned "The Christian Life" for their 1968 release Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
In 2001, the Louvin brothers were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The tribute CD Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers, produced by Carl Jackson and Kathy Louvin and released in 2003, won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Country Album.
Although the brothers are still remembered today for their musical talent, they are also remembered for the unusual cover used for their 1959 album, Satan Is Real. Designed by Ira Louvin, the cover features the brothers standing in a rock quarry in front of a 12-foot-tall (3.7 m) plywood rendition of the Devil as several hidden tires soaked in kerosene burn behind them as fire and brimstone. While some reviewers count this as being one of the "greatest iconic album covers of all time", the cover can also be found today on several Web sites celebrating unusual or bizarre album covers. The cover has also become an Internet meme on a number of Web sites such as Fark.com, where it has been posted in discussion threads as an example of religious views of the era.
The opening bars of the album's title track "Satan is Real" can be heard at the beginning of Hank Williams III's "Medley: Straight to Hell / Satan is Real", on his Straight to Hell album of 2006. It is also excerpted in Will Ferrell's 2009 one-man Broadway show, You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush.
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Close Harmony
The Louvin Brothers Lyrics
A Seaman's Girl She stands all alone on the seashore As the waves plain…
A Soldier's Last Letter When the postman delivered a letter It filled her dear heart…
A Tiny Broken Heart He was just a little farm lad so busy at…
Alabama Alabama your beautiful sunlight your fields are so recent po…
Are You Afraid to Die Are you a stranger to God Carried away with your pride Tel…
Are You Teasing Me When we're all alone and I'm in your arms Are you…
Are You Wasting My Time Does the moon shine a little brighter When I hold you…
Blue It's a big job just gettin' by with nine kids…
Blue from Now On Blue you found me, blue you left me And blue I…
Born Again Born again, free from sin I'm happy night and day Makes me…
Broad Minded That word broadminded is spelled s-i-n I read in my Bible,…
Cash On The Barrelhead I got in a little trouble At the county seat Lord, they…
Childish Love Oh, childish love, that I could not hold I thought your…
Don't Laugh If I cry when I kiss you or when we…
He Can Be Found He can be found in a mother's smile He can be…
I Can't Keep You In Love With Me It must have been an awful thing that someone did…
I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby Last night, my dear, the rain was falling I went to…
I Love You Best Of All I love the silver in your hair I love the gold…
I Wish It Had Been a Dream We were alone last night pretending wrong was right Time fl…
I Wish You Knew I wish you knew how hard I've tried to tell…
I'm Ready to Go Home Through the valleys of this life I have wandered And I've…
If I Could Only Win Your Love If I could only win your love I'd make the most…
If You Love Me Stay Away What a pleasant surprise to have you call me Your voice…
In the Pines In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never…
Just Suppose Suppose you could change eyes with God for just one…
Katie Dear Oh Katie dear go ask your mother If you can be…
Keep Your Eyes On Jesus Keep your eyes on Jesus When the tidal waves of trouble…
Kentucky Kentucky you are the dearest land outside of Heaven to…
Kneel At The Cross Kneel at the cross, Christ will meet you there Come while…
Knoxville Girl I met a liitle girl in Knoxville, a town we…
Let Her Go, God Bless Her I IV Let her go, let her go, God bless her I…
Lorene Lorene Lorene write me a letter Answer the last one that I…
Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself Love thy neighbor as thyself. Do unto him as you'd have…
Making Believe Making believe that you still love me It's leaving me a…
Mary of the Wild Moor Was on one cold winter's night And the wind blew across…
Midnight Special Well, I wake up in the morning, hear the ding…
Must You Throw Dirt in My Face What is it that brings you to this part of…
My Baby's Gone Hold back the rushing minutes Make the wind lie still Don't …
Nearer My God to Thee In articulo mortis Caelitus mihi vires Nearer my God to The…
Nobody's Darling but Mine Come sit by my side little darlin' Come lay your…
Ruby's Song Way out in the country where I used to live…
Satan Is Real Satan is real, working in spirit You can see him and…
Satan's Jeweled Crown Satan's jeweled crown, I've worn it so long But God, for…
Scared of the Blues Let me go with you don't leave me I'll miss…
She Didn't Even Know I Was Gone O mister, let me stay a while and talk with…
Take the News to Mother While the shot and shells were scattering All o'er the batt…
Tennessee Waltz 私はテネシー・ワルツのダーリンと一緒に歩いていました。 昔の友人が偶然見かけたとき、 私は彼女を私の愛する人に紹介しまし…
The Angels Rejoiced Last Night A house not a home was the picture Satan painted For…
The Christian Life I like the Christian life My buddies tell me that I…
The Drunkard's Doom It was on one dark and starless night I heard and…
The First One to Love You I'm just a name from out of your past I was…
The Gospel Way There′s a right and a wrong way to praise th'Lord. And…
The Great Atomic Power Do you fear this man's invention that they call atomic…
The Great Judgement Morning I dreamed that the great judgment morning Had dawned, and th…
The Kneeling Drunkard's Plea "Lord have mercy on me!" Was the kneeling drunkard's plea An…
The River of Jordan To the River Of Jordan our Savior went one day And…
The Weapon of Prayer In that land across the sea there's a job for…
There's a Higher Power When burdens seem to overcome there's a higher power Who's …
There's A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere There′s a star spangled banner, waving somewhere In that dis…
Today Here today and gone tomorrow Our love will always be a…
Too Late Some friends just told me that they saw you and…
What Is Home Without Love Sad and alone in a mansion No loving wife to caress Sat…
When I Loved You When I loved you, you didn't want me You turned me…
When I Stop Dreaming When I stop dreaming That's when I'll stop loving you The w…