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)
Angel Band
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My strongest trials now are past, my triumph is begun
O come Angel Band, come and around me stand
O bear me away on your snow wings to my immortal home
O bear me away on your snow wings to my immortal home
I know I'm near the holy ranks of friends andkindred dear
I've brushed the dew on Jordan's banks, the crossing must be near
I've almost gained my Heavenly home, my spirit loudly sings
O bear my longing heart to Him who bled & died for me
Whose blood now cleanses from all sin and gives me victory
The Stanley Brothers' song "Angel Band" is a spiritual piece reflecting on the nearing end of life and the beckoning call to the afterlife. The opening lyric "The latest sun is sinking fast, my race has nearly run" sets the solemn and nostalgic tone for the rest of the song. The choice of words in the lyrics hint at the imagery of the sun setting, thus depicting the approach of the end of the day or journey. The singer then proceeds to claim that their strongest trials are now over and their triumphs have begun, possibly alluding to the religious belief of triumph in the afterlife.
The refrain then beckons the Angel Band to come and stand around the singer and to bear them away on their snow wings to their immortal home. The Angel Band, in the context of the song, is likely referring to angelic beings that would accompany a person's soul to the afterlife, a common Christian belief. The singer beautifully asks to be carried away on the wings of the Angel Band, underscoring the poignant longing for peace and rest that lies therein. The song ends with a final request of the band to carry their heart to Jesus who bled and died for them, whose blood cleanses all sin, and whose victory the singer claims.
Line by Line Meaning
The latest sun is sinking fast, my race has nearly run
I am approaching the end of my journey and my time on earth is almost over
My strongest trials now are past, my triumph is begun
I have faced my greatest obstacles and have now emerged victorious
O come Angel Band, come and around me stand
I am calling upon the angels to accompany me in my final moments
O bear me away on your snow wings to my immortal home
Please take me to heaven on your pure and holy wings
I know I'm near the holy ranks of friends and kindred dear
I am aware that I am approaching the company of loved ones who have passed on before me
I've brushed the dew on Jordan's banks, the crossing must be near
I have crossed the Jordan River, symbolizing that my time of passing is near
I've almost gained my Heavenly home, my spirit loudly sings
My soul is rejoicing as I draw closer to my eternal dwelling place
The Holy ones, behold they come, I hear the noise of wings
I can sense the angels approaching and the sound of their wings is audible to me
O bear my longing heart to Him who bled & died for me
Take my soul to the Savior who shed His blood for my salvation
Whose blood now cleanses from all sin and gives me victory
The blood of Jesus has the power to cleanse all sins and grant me eternal victory
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Hector Delgado, Lavell W Crump, Le Crae Devaughn Moore, Reggie Andrews, Paul Michael Slayton, Leon Leon Ndugu Chancler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thecomeaufamily
Seems like yesterday I was just a kid. We'd gather in the living room with prayer, thankful to God for all of His blessings, grab our well-worn, passed-down instruments and form a make-shift family band to ease the load of a long, hard week's work in the fields. We sang and played hymns and bluegrass; favorites passed down to my daddy from his late dad and grandad, who we held in great reverence. It was a simpler time back then, where possessions had little value, but family, neighbors, and God did. Mountains, creeks, and fields stretching as far as the eye could see were our playgrounds and our bounty. Wish I knew then how precious those moments, places, and people were. I'd find a way to listen closer, record, write, or somehow bottle it up so I could share it properly. But all of that magic is somehow here, in these songs.
6 years ago today, my daddy fell. A brain aneurysm took him away and he sailed away to glory. My God I miss him. My heart aches to be near him again. Death anniversaries seem like the rumble in the storm clouds before the lightening. You dread it's coming, but still shaken by the clap.
I'm 51. I suppose I’m the leader of my own band now, only in an unrecognizable world compared to those times. The old farm has been replaced with computers, shiny things, and the city. Too much wasted time, rushing to get to nowhere important, to get too much of everything that we don't really need.
I listen as my 16 yr old son is learning to play the old songs on an expensive new guitar. Probably to upload it somewhere on social media. It all puts a lump in my throat. I'm so careful to tell him they're not just lyrics and sheet music, it's the sound reflection of our Appalachian family culture, one that has weakened, or maybe transformed, but still crosses time and generations unknowingly. Being here on earth, it grounds my sense of place among the living, who I was then, who I am now...what is important, and what is not. I can only hope that I'm able to deliver a part of what that was to my boy, so he knows how special his family was, how hard they worked, their love for God, country, kindness and morals, and how blessed he is for having that heritage.
Today I give thanks for our dads, our grand-pops, along with those who wrote the music so we can go back... even just for a while.
My latest sun is sinking fast
My race is nearly run
My strongest trials now are past
My triumph has begun
(Chorus)
Oh come angel band
Come and around me stand
Oh bear me your way on your snow white wings
To my immortal home
Oh bear me your way on your snow white wings
To my immortal home
Oh bear my longing heart to Him
Who bled and died for me
Whose blood now cleanses from all sin
And gives me victory
(Chorus)
@michaelcaskey6123
Angel Band
My latest sun is sinking fast
My race is nearly run
My strongest trials now are past
My triumph has begun
Oh come angel band
Come and around me stand
Oh bear me away on your snow white wings
To my immortal home
Oh bear me away on your snow white wings
To my immortal home
Oh bear my longing heart to him
Who bled and died for me
Who’s blood now cleanses from all sin
And gives me victory
@johnbruington6950
I am a pastor rwith a Masters and Doctorate. But I am also a Montana cowboy and long ago learned that Christ is not imptressed by degreees but by the heart. May I be worthy ro stand with such great faith as this song declares! Brother John
@cindysherf8818
That's just classroom education it means nothing it's not real life experience
@thejamnasium6447
God is no respector of persons
@aaronparker1221
@@thejamnasium6447God doesn't respect people?
@freedomoverfeelings
@@aaronparker1221 like God dosnt care about your life’s accomplishments, or what people’s perception of you is, he only cares about your attitude towards him and others.
@mrsblue3011
Brother John you are saved indeed!
@daveroggenkamp8928
My Dad just passed away this morning. He was a singer and guitar player of all the old songs - this one being one of his favorites. My eyes are rivers. Love you Dad - keep singing those great harmonies with your brothers, sisters and the angels.
@RandomRandomPro
I sang this song at my father's funeral
@deanhoward4128
Prayers for you & your family! I know how it feels to lose a father@
@benitoramirez9514
I’m Hispanic.. the banjo, lyrics and old style gets me. Plus I’m Christian. And that’s are hope. To finish the race, to surpass our trails which scripture said we will have but it’s in our trial we are molded, and finally our reunion with our Lord and GOD Jesus!!