Charles Elzer Loudermilk (July 7, 1927 – January 26, 2011), known professio… Read Full Bio ↴Charles Elzer Loudermilk (July 7, 1927 – January 26, 2011), known professionally as Charlie Louvin, was an American country music singer and songwriter. He is best known as one of the Louvin Brothers, and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1955.

The magical harmonies and depth of feeling found on Louvin Brothers recordings of the 50's and 60's inspired a new generation of musicians, firmly establishing the Louvins' stature as one of the most influential duos in country music history.

In 2006, the Tompkins Square label reached out to Charlie about making his first new studio album in over ten years. They enlisted Mark Nevers, who engineered sessions for many top country artists, and produced Calexico, Lambchop, Candi Staton among others. Guests on the album include Elvis Costello, George Jones, Jeff Tweedy, Will Oldham, Tom T. Hall, Tift Merritt, Marty Stuart, Bobby Bare Sr., David Kilgour, members of Bright Eyes, Lambchop, Clem Snide, Superchunk and more.

Louvin enjoyed the experience. "Mark Nevers is one of the best engineers I've ever worked with. My brother and I cut our teeth on some of those old songs and they influenced us tremendously. I'm glad we're able to remind people of them."

Charlie was born July 7, 1927 in Henager, Alabama. He and his older brother Ira worked as field hands on the family farm. In the evening, they would listen to the country hits of the day on their father's Victrola. Inspired by the tight-harmony duets of The Delmore Brothers, Monroe Brothers and Blue Sky Boys, the brothers began developing a distinctive style called "shape note singing" based on gospel harmonies they had learned in church.

The duo nailed down steady work in the 40's on local radio stations in Knoxville and Memphis. They also toured heavily in Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee during this period. On one swing through Dyess, Arkansas, Charlie remembers an encounter with a teenager named Johnny Cash. "We were playing with Eddie Hill. I was selling tickets and I saw this young man standing outside alone. I asked him to show me where the bathroom was. As we walked back, he noticed I had two soda crackers in my shirt pocket. He asked me why, and I said, 'To keep from starving to death.' I invited him in to the show I could tell he didn't have any money. Years later in his book (Man In Black, 1975), he said he always ate two soda crackers before he went on stage." Cash also recalls the date in an intro to his version of the Louvin's "When I Stop Dreaming" on the recent Columbia/Legacy release, Personal File.

The Louvins scored their first record deal with Apollo in 1947, released a single on Decca in 1949, and recorded 12 sides for MGM in 1951 and 1952. One of those sessions took place with Hank Williams waiting outside for his turn in the studio. Their recording and performing schedule was sporadic due to Charlie's military service during the Korean War. Upon his return to the States, they began recording for Capitol Records, which remained their label home until the brothers parted ways in 1963.

Marking a shift from gospel to secular material, the Louvins scored their commercial breakthrough in 1955 with the top ten hit "When I Stop Dreaming." They toured in early 1955 with soon-to-be superstar Elvis Presley as their opening act, and became members of the Grand Ole Opry. From 1955 through 1962, the Louvin Brothers churned out 12 hits on the Billboard country chart, including "I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby," "You're Running Wild," "Cash On The Barrelhead" and "Knoxville Girl."

Although the Louvins hit machine had slowed by the early 60's, they instead created a string of themed albums, cult favorites that still resonate with today's alt-country audience, including A Tribute to the Delmore Brothers and Satan Is Real. By 1963, with a shifting marketplace and interpersonal tensions mounting, the Louvin Brothers parted ways. Ira released his lone solo album, The Unforgettable Ira Louvin, in 1964. He died in a car crash in Missouri on June 20, 1965.

Charlie's solo career began in 1964 with the top five hit "I Don't Love You Anymore," and he followed it with six Billboard-charting singles from 12 Capitol LPs. By the late 60's, a renewed interest in the music of the Louvin Brothers began to take shape.

The Louvins' continued legacy is at least partly attributed to Gram Parsons, who, according to legend, paid people to scour LA record shops looking for their out-of-print sides. His versions of Louvins classics "The Christian Life" from the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo, or "Cash on the Barrelhead" from Grevious Angel, serve as the blueprint for so much "alt-country" that was to follow. Emmylou Harris' first hit was the Louvins' "If I Could Only Win Your Love." Uncle Tupelo covered "Great Atomic Power" on their third album, March 16-20, 1992. "The Christian Life" has been worked into The Raconteurs' live set recently.

The Louvin Brothers were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October 2001.

In 2003, Charlie was invited to open on a national tour with Cheap Trick and Cake. That year also saw the release of Livin', Lovin' Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers on Universal South, a Louvin Brothers tribute album featuring James Taylor, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, and Johnny Cash among others. The collection went on to win two Grammy Awards in 2004.

Charlie will embark on a national tour with his band in 2007, including special appearances to celebrate his 80th birthday (July 7th, 2007).

Ira
Charlie Louvin Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You were the king of Sand Mountain
At least I thought so
You had a knack for high tenor
And I sang the low
Alabama to the Opry
Was the second hardest road
The worst was me losing you
And singing all alone

Ira, I still hear you
Off in the distance your sweet harmony
Ira, I still miss you
There'll never be another
'Cause you can't beat family
I know you're up there singing
With the angels, Hallelujah, Ira.

Mandolin strings still ringing
In my memory
There were times when you gave Bill Monroe
A run for his money
You had a way with writing
Music from the heart
Your voice is strong
Even though you're gone
'Cause I still hear your part.

Ira, I still hear you
Off in the distance your sweet harmony
Ira, I still miss you
There'll never be another
'Cause you can't beat family
I know you're up there singing
with the angels, Hallelujah, Ira.

One day soon I'll sing with you
And the angels, Hallelujah, Ira.

Overall Meaning

The song "Ira" by Charlie Louvin is a tribute to his brother, Ira Louvin, who was his partner in The Louvin Brothers duo. The lyrics depict Charlie's admiration for Ira's musical talent and their journey in the music industry. The first verse portrays Ira as the king of Sand Mountain, and his high tenor voice complementing Charlie's low when they sang together. The verse talks about their travels from Alabama to the Opry, facing challenges on the way, but losing Ira was the hardest road Charlie had to take.

The chorus talks about how Charlie still hears and misses Ira's sweet harmony, remembering him even though he is no longer present. The second verse mentions the mandolin strings still ringing in Charlie's memory and how Ira was a versatile musician who could compete with Bill Monroe. Ira had a special way of writing music from the heart, and even though he's gone, his strong voice still echoes in Charlie's mind, and he hears his part in their old harmonies.

Overall, the song is a touching and emotional tribute to Ira. It is a reminder of the bond they shared as brothers and as musicians. The song's message is that their music will live on forever, even though Ira is no longer here, and Charlie will join him one day in the afterlife.

Line by Line Meaning

You were the king of Sand Mountain
You were not an actual king, but people in the mountain considered you a leader and a role model.

At least I thought so
The singer is not sure if Ira was actually the king of Sand Mountain, but he believed so at the time.

You had a knack for high tenor
Ira was skilled at performing music with high-pitched singing.

And I sang the low
The singer sang the lower-pitched harmony that complemented Ira's high tenor.

Alabama to the Opry
Ira and the singer performed in various places in Alabama before they were able to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.

Was the second hardest road
It was not an easy journey for Ira and the singer to get to Nashville, but it was not the hardest struggle they faced.

The worst was me losing you
The most difficult moment was when Ira passed away and the singer lost his musical partner and family member.

And singing all alone
The singer had to continue performing without Ira, and it was hard to sing without his part of the harmony.

Ira, I still hear you
The singer still remembers Ira's singing and presence, even though he is no longer alive.

Off in the distance your sweet harmony
Ira's voice is not physically present, but the singer imagines hearing it in the distance like an echoing memory.

Ira, I still miss you
The singer still grieves the loss of Ira, his family member and musical partner.

There'll never be another
There can never be another Ira because he was a unique and irreplaceable person and performer.

'Cause you can't beat family
The bond between the singer and Ira, their shared experiences and their family relationship were something special and cannot be replicated.

I know you're up there singing
The singer believes that Ira is in heaven, singing and performing with fellow angels.

With the angels, Hallelujah, Ira.
The singer imagines Ira singing with other angels and praises the Lord's name with a hallelujah.

Mandolin strings still ringing
The sound of mandolin strings from the times when Ira was still alive still echoes in the singer's memory and heart.

In my memory
The singer fondly remembers the times when they performed together with Ira.

There were times when you gave Bill Monroe
Ira was such a talented musician and performer that there were moments when he outperformed even the great Bill Monroe, a pioneer of bluegrass music.

A run for his money
Ira was so good that he posed a real competition for Bill Monroe and could have easily won a music competition or taken more gigs than Bill.

You had a way with writing
Ira was also a good songwriter and had a gift for crafting songs with deep emotions and themes.

Music from the heart
Ira's music was sincere, touching and real, inspired by his own experiences and feelings.

Your voice is strong
Even though Ira is no longer alive, his memory and influence still resonate through his music, which continues to inspire and move people.

Even though you're gone
Ira's physical presence is gone, but his music and legacy live on.

One day soon I'll sing with you
The singer believes that he will join Ira in heaven one day, where they can sing and perform together again.

And the angels, Hallelujah, Ira.
The singer looks forward to singing with Ira and other angels in heaven, praising the Lord's name with a hallelujah.

Contributed by Jackson A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS