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
In The Shadow Of Clinch Mountain
The Carter Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the beauties and the music of the woods
The sweet song of the bright bubbling fountain
And the warble of the birds I understood
When I've sung my last song in the evening
And the sun sets in the golden west
All the scenes of this world I'll be leaving
Long ago said the oak and the cedar
Singing deeply in a whisper of the past
Stood not then this great towering leader
Nor the fountain where the crystal gems are kept
When I've sung my last song in the evening
And the sun sets in the golden west
All the scenes of this world I'll be leaving
In the shadow of Clinch Mountain I will rest
Then I asked, how this green lofty mountain
In the cauldron of the lonely desert stood?
Said this song of the bright sunny fountain
We were given by the waters of the flood
When I've sung my last song in the evening
And the sun sets in the golden west
All the scenes of this world I'll be leaving
In the shadow of Clinch Mountain I will rest
Out that gate I have passed since my childhood
Over the railway through the tunnel to the west
Singing songs of the Clinch Mountain wild woods
Songs that people found and birds loved the best
When I've sung my last song in the evening
And the sun sets in the golden west
All the scenes of this world I'll be leaving
In the shadow of Clinch Mountain I will rest
The Carter Family's song In The Shadow of Clinch Mountain speaks of the beauty of nature and the peacefulness of resting in its shadow. The first verse begins with the singer describing their childhood on the side of Clinch Mountain, where they were surrounded by the beauty of the woods, the sweet song of the bubbling fountain, and the warble of the birds. The second verse speaks of the wisdom of the oak and cedar trees, which have stood for centuries and have witnessed the passage of time. The chorus repeats the idea that when the singer's time on earth is done, they will find rest in the shadow of Clinch Mountain.
The third verse asks how this green lofty mountain came to be in the "cauldron of the lonely desert," and the answer is given by the "bright sunny fountain" that sings the story of a flood that gave life to the mountain. Finally, the last verse speaks of the singer passing through a gate and over a railway through a tunnel to the west, singing the songs of the wild woods. The song ends with the chorus, repeating the idea of finding rest in the shadow of Clinch Mountain.
Line by Line Meaning
I grew up on the side of Clinch Mountain
I was raised in the beautiful woods right next to Clinch Mountain.
With the beauties and the music of the woods
I was surrounded by the stunning scenery and the sounds of the forest.
The sweet song of the bright bubbling fountain
I loved listening to the peaceful melody of the sparkling fountain.
And the warble of the birds I understood
I knew the language of the birds and listened to their delightful singing.
When I've sung my last song in the evening
At the end of my life, when I'm finished singing and the day is done,
And the sun sets in the golden west
And the sun disappears over the western horizon,
All the scenes of this world I'll be leaving
I'll be leaving behind all the sights and sounds of this world,
In the shadow of Clinch Mountain I will rest
And I'll find peace and rest in the shadow of Clinch Mountain.
Long ago said the oak and the cedar
The ancient oak and cedar trees spoke of times long past,
Singing deeply in a whisper of the past
Whispering quietly and solemnly about the distant history of the land.
Stood not then this great towering leader
Clinch Mountain was not always the tall and impressive peak it is today,
Nor the fountain where the crystal gems are kept
The sparkling fountain with its glistening gems did not always exist in this place.
Then I asked, how this green lofty mountain
Curious about the origins of Clinch Mountain,
In the cauldron of the lonely desert stood?
I wondered how this tall, green mountain could exist in the midst of a lonely desert.
Said this song of the bright sunny fountain
The answer came in the form of the peaceful, cheerful song of the fountain.
We were given by the waters of the flood
The fountain and the mountain were formed by the powerful waters of a great flood.
Out that gate I have passed since my childhood
I've traveled through the same gate since I was a child,
Over the railway through the tunnel to the west
Taking the train through the tunnel to the west,
Singing songs of the Clinch Mountain wild woods
I would sing songs about the untamed beauty of Clinch Mountain's woods,
Songs that people found and birds loved the best
Songs that people enjoyed but that birds especially adored.
Contributed by Jason A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.