The War interrupted any thoughts of a musical career, and it was not until both brothers returned from the service that they were able to make their own mark in music -- ultimately ending up on WCYB Bristol, Tennessee, where they would remain for over ten years as stalwarts of the famed "Farm and Fun Time" radio show. Their music initially followed a more old time style favored by Mainer's Mountaineers, with Ralph playing the banjo in the old two-finger style, interspersed with old time clawhammer playing, before taking a stab at the new three-finger style popularised by Earl Scruggs.
They formed The Clinch Mountain Boys in 1946. They were perhaps the first band to adopt the new music style created by Bill Monroe in the mid-1940s that later became known as bluegrass. Carter played guitar and sang lead while Ralph played banjo and sang with a strong, high tenor voice. Their harmonies are much admired, and many consider Carter Stanley to be one of the greatest singers in the history of country music. The brothers also wrote many of their own songs and Carter had a particular knack for writing deceptively simple lyrics that portrayed strong emotion. The Stanley's style can best be described as a traditional "mountain soul" sound that remained close to the Primitive Baptist vocal stylings they learned from their parents and others near their southwestern Virginia home.
The early Stanley Brothers recordings on Rich-R-Tone (of Johnson City, Tennessee) included Pee Wee Lambert on mandolin. They later added an innovative touch to their traditional sound with the guitar solos of George Shuffler who often used a crosspicking style.
Carter performed briefly with Bill Monroe while Ralph was recovering from injuries received in an automobile accident in 1951. As bluegrass music grew less popular in the late 1950s, the Stanley Brothers moved to Live Oak, Florida to headline the weekly Suwannee River Jamboree radio show on WNER. The three-hour show was also syndicated across the Southeast. Otherwise the brothers performed together until 1966 (from 1961 on as a duo). After Carter's death Ralph revived the Clinch Mountain Boys and is still performing in 2006. Among the musicians who have played in the revived Clinch Mountain Boys are Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, Larry Sparks, Curly Ray Cline, Jack Cooke, and Ralph Stanley II. Ralph's career received a big boost with his prominent role on the phenomenally successful soundtrack recording of the 2000 film, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?." The Stanley Brothers were inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor in 1992.
Among the Stanley Brothers' best known recordings are:
* I'm A Man of Constant Sorrow (1950, Columbia)
* Rank Stranger
* Angel Band
* How Mountain Girls Can Love
* How Far to Little Rock? (novelty)
* Still trying to get to Little Rock (novelty)
* Ridin' That Midnite Train
* Clinch Mountain Backstep
* She's More To Be Pitied
* The Memory of Your Smile
* Love Me Darlin' Just Tonight
Clinch Mountain Boys Members
* Carter Stanley (guitar)
* Ralph Stanley (banjo)
* Darrell "Pee Wee" Lambert (mandolin)
* Jim Williams (mandolin)
* Curly Lambert (mandolin)
* Leslie Keith (fiddle)
* Robert "Bobby" Sumner (fiddle)
* Les Woodie (fiddle)
* Ralph Mayo (fiddle, guitar)
* Chubby Anthony (fiddle)
* Art Stamper (fiddle)
* Joe Meadows (fiddle)
* Red Stanley (fiddle)
* Don Miller (fiddle)
* Vernon Derrick (fiddle)
* James "Jay" Hughes (bass)
* Ernie Newton (bass)
* Chick Stripling (bass)
* Mike Seeger (bass)
* Bill Napier (guitar, mandolin)
* George Shuffler (guitar, bass)
* Larry Sparks (guitar)
External links
* Ralph Stanley Discography
* Recording of "We Are Going to Paint the Town" from a 1958 Florida radio show (made available for public use by the State Archives of Florida)
* Podcast (mp3) of one of the Stanley Brothers' Suwannee River Jamboree raido show from 1958 (made available for public use by the State Archives of Florida)
A Beautiful Life
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By helping those who are in need
My life on earth is but a span
And so I'll do the best I can
Life's even sun is sinking low
A few more days and I must go
To meet the deeds that I have done
To be a child of God each day
My light must shine along the way
I'll sing His praise while ages roll
And strive to help some troubled soul
The only life that will endure
Is one that's kind and good and pure
And so for God I'll take my stand
Each day I'll lend a helping hand
I'll help someone in time of need
And journey on with rapid speed
I'll help the sick and poor and weak
And words of kindness to them speak
While going down life's weary road
I'll try to lift some travler's load
I'll try to turn the night to day
Make flowers bloom along the way.
The Stanley Brothers's song A Beautiful Life is an upbeat and inspiring song that speaks to the importance of living a life of purpose and kindness. The overall message of the song is to strive to make a positive impact on the world and to help those in need. The lyrics mention the idea that our time on Earth is limited and that we must make the most of our time by doing good deeds and spreading love and kindness wherever we go.
The song begins with the idea of doing good deeds for others. The lyrics state, "Each day I'll do a golden deed, by helping those who are in need." This idea is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the importance of helping others and making a positive difference in the world. The second verse speaks to the idea that our time on Earth is limited and that we must make the most of it. The lyrics state, "Life's even sun is sinking low, a few more days and I must go, to meet the deeds that I have done, where there will be no setting sun." This verse speaks to the importance of leaving a positive legacy and doing good while we are still alive.
The third verse mentions the importance of being a child of God and spreading positivity wherever we go. The lyrics state, "To be a child of God each day, my light must shine along the way, I'll sing His praise while ages roll, and strive to help some troubled soul." The fourth verse speaks to the importance of living a pure and kind life. The lyrics state, "The only life that will endure, is one that's kind and good and pure, and so for God I'll take my stand, each day I'll lend a helping hand." The final verse speaks to the idea of helping those in need and spreading kindness wherever we go. The lyrics state, "While going down life's weary road, I'll try to lift some traveller's load, I'll try to turn the night to day, make flowers bloom along the way."
Overall, The Stanley Brothers's song A Beautiful Life is an uplifting and inspiring song that speaks to the importance of living a life of purpose and kindness. The lyrics emphasize the idea of helping others and leaving a positive legacy, while also reminding us of the limited time that we have on Earth.
Line by Line Meaning
Each day I'll do a golden deed
I will do something meaningful every day
By helping those who are in need
By aiding those who require assistance
My life on earth is but a span
My time on this planet is brief
And so I'll do the best I can
And thus I will give it my all
Life's even sun is sinking low
The day is coming to an end
A few more days and I must go
In a few days, it will be time for me to leave
To meet the deeds that I have done
To face the actions I have undertaken
Where there will be no setting sun
Where there will be no more endings
To be a child of God each day
To be a devout follower of God every day
My light must shine along the way
I must be a source of positivity for others
I'll sing His praise while ages roll
I will continue to revere him as time passes
And strive to help some troubled soul
And work hard to mitigate others' suffering
The only life that will endure
The only life that has longevity
Is one that's kind and good and pure
Is a life that's benevolent, virtuous, and pristine
And so for God I'll take my stand
And thus I will steadfastly defend God
Each day I'll lend a helping hand
Every day I will try to aid someone in need
I'll help someone in time of need
If someone needs me, I'll be there
And journey on with rapid speed
And keep moving forward with my life
I'll help the sick and poor and weak
I'll assist those who are ill, destitute, or frail
And words of kindness to them speak
And say things that are gentle and compassionate
While going down life's weary road
As I journey through life's wearisome path
I'll try to lift some traveler's load
I'll try to alleviate some other person's burden
I'll try to turn the night to day
I'll try to turn someone's dire situation into something positive
Make flowers bloom along the way
And leave a trail of beauty behind me
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: EDWIN COLE MC CAIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Idileia Porto
É muito corajoso! Misericórdia!
Steve&Stephanie Caudill
Sounds like Jack Cooke, George Shuffler and Ralph Stanley. Where was Carter?