Though The Dillards were already an established bluegrass band, their biggest claim to fame is performing musically as members of the fictional Darling family on The Andy Griffith Show, introducing bluegrass to many Americans who had never heard it. This was a recurring role and the Dillards were led by veteran character actor Denver Pyle as their father and jug player, Briscoe Darling. Maggie Peterson played Charlene Darling, their sister and the focus for the attentions of character Ernest T. Bass, played by Howard Morris. The appearances of the Dillards as the Darlings ran between 1963 and 1966. In 1986, the Dillards reprised the role in the reunion show Return to Mayberry. As part of their current tour, Rodney Dillard answers questions about the TV series. He says the songs such as "Dooley" are about people the family knew.
On the October 1963 episode "Briscoe Declares for Aunt Bee", the Dillards performed the first wide scale airing of the 1955 Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith composition Feudin' Banjos (Dueling Banjos).
According to Jim Clark of The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club, three albums have been produced with songs performed on the show. Clark says Songs That Make Me Cry is the only one currently available with real performances and has the three songs which included Maggie Peterson, who played Charlene. Back Porch Bluegrass: Live Almost includes five songs that were sung on the show, and Rodney Dillard released another album with the real performances of other songs.
The Dillards are notable for being among the first bluegrass groups to have electrified their instruments in the mid-1960s. They are considered to be one of the pioneers of the burgeoning southern California folk rock, country rock and progressive bluegrass genres, and are known to have directly or indirectly influenced artists such as The Eagles, The Byrds, and Elton John. In 1972, The Dillards joined Elton John on his first American tour. John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin has also acknowledged their influence, particularly in his decision to play the mandolin.
Rodney Dillard is a founding member of The Dillards - the group he formed with his brother, Douglas Dillard in the late 1950s. Credited throughout the years as the driving force behind the group's musical direction, success, and phenomenal longevity as a working act. Today, Dillard's musical duties include lead and harmony vocals, guitar, and dobro.
Beverly Cotten-Dillard is a native of Morrisville, North Carolina who performed with Janette Carter, Ola Belle Reed, Tommy Jarrell, and Doc and Merle Watson. She has appeared on Hee Haw and the Disney Channel and at Carnegie Hall. Cotten-Dillard is recognized as an authority on the traditional "clawhammer" banjo technique and is a featured member of The Dillards live shows. Her 1981 album Clog-In 'is considered an American folk classic."
George Giddens is a classically trained musician who is an awarded fiddler and mandolin player for the band.
Gary J. Smith was added to the lineup, having recorded double bass in the 2015 studio sessions for the new Dillards album. Smith is well known in Nashville circles after stints with Tom T. Hall, The Brother Boys, Ed Snodderly, and his long-time collaborator, Jeff Gilkinson.
Former member, Dean Webb, died at the age of 81, on June 30, 2018.
Dooley
The Dillards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He lived below the mill
Dooley had two daughters
And a forty-gallon still
One gal watched the boiler
The other watched the spout
And mama corked the bottles
Dooley slippin' up the holler
Dooley try to make a dollar
Dooley give me a swaller
And I'll pay you back someday.
The revenuers came for him
A-sippin' though the woods
Dooley kept behind them all
And never lost his goods
Dooley was a trader
When into town he'd come
Sugar by the bushel
And molasses by the ton.
Dooley slippin' up the holler
Dooley try to make a dollar
Dooley gimme a swaller
And I'l pay you back someday.
I remember very well
The day ole Dooley died
The women folk weren't sorry
And the men stood round and cried
Now Dooleys on the mountain
He lies there all alone
They put a jug beside him
And a barrel for his stone.
Dooley slippin' up the holler
Dooley try to make a dollar
Dooley gimme a swaller
And I'll pay you back someday.
The Dillards's song Dooley tells the story of a bootlegger named Dooley, who is a legendary figure of Southern folklore. Dooley is depicted as a good old man who lives below the mill and has two daughters, who help him brew moonshine with their forty-gallon still. One daughter watches the boiler, and the other watches the spout, while their mother corks the bottles, and Dooley fetches them out. Dooley is a man who is always slipping up the holler and trying to make a dollar.
The song reflects the times of the prohibition era, where making and selling liquor was illegal in the United States. The revenuers, who were government agents responsible for enforcing prohibition, were always after Dooley, but he was clever and never got caught. Meanwhile, Dooley was also a trader who sold sugar by the bushel and molasses by the ton when he came into town.
The narrative of the Dooley song takes a sad turn when Dooley dies, and the women aren't sorry, and the men cry. Dooley's final resting place is on the mountain, where they put a jug beside him and a barrel for his stone. The song portrays Dooley as a folk hero and a legend who was good to his family, and the community loved him for the work he did, even though it was illegal.
Line by Line Meaning
Dooley was a good ole man
Dooley was a well-liked and respected man
He lived below the mill
Dooley lived near the mill
Dooley had two daughters
Dooley had two daughters
And a forty-gallon still
He also had a large still for making moonshine
One gal watched the boiler
One of his daughters watched over the boiler for the still
The other watched the spout
While the other daughter watched the spout
And mama corked the bottles
Their mother corked the bottles of moonshine
And ole Dooley fetched 'em out.
Dooley delivered the moonshine
The revenuers came for him
The authorities came to catch Dooley making illegal moonshine
A-sippin' though the woods
They searched through the woods
Dooley kept behind them all
Dooley managed to stay ahead and out of their sight
And never lost his goods
He was able to keep all of his moonshine from being seized
Dooley was a trader
Dooley was a bootlegger and moonshine trader
When into town he'd come
When he went into town to sell his moonshine
Sugar by the bushel
Dooley also sold sugar in large quantities
And molasses by the ton.
As well as molasses in bulk
I remember very well
The artist remembers the events clearly
The day ole Dooley died
The day Dooley died
The women folk weren't sorry
The women were not sorry for his passing
And the men stood round and cried
The men were upset by his death
Now Dooleys on the mountain
Dooley is buried on the mountain
He lies there all alone
He is buried alone
They put a jug beside him
A jug of moonshine was placed beside him as a tribute
And a barrel for his stone.
A barrel was used as his gravestone
Dooley slippin' up the holler
Dooley was sneaking up the holler
Dooley try to make a dollar
Dooley was trying to make money
Dooley gimme a swaller
The singer is asking Dooley to share his moonshine
And I'll pay you back someday.
The artist promises to repay Dooley in the future
Lyrics © LYNNE GREEN-MELINCOFF D/B/A HOFFMAN HOUSE MUSIC
Written by: M. JAYNE, R. DILLARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind