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)
Hills of Roan County
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's where I roamed for many long years
There's where my heart's been tending most ever
That's where the first step of misfortune I made
I was about thirty years when I courted and married
Amanda Gilbraith I then called my wife
But her brother stabbed me for some unknown reason
For twenty five years this whole world I rambled
I went to old England to France and to Spain
But I thought of my home way back in Roan Country
I boarded a steamer and came back again
I was captured and tried in the village of Kingston
Not a man in the county would speak one kind word
When the jury came in with the verdict next morning
A lifetime in prison was the words that I heard
When the train pulled out poor mother stood weepin
And sister she sat alone with a sigh
And the last words I heard was Willie God bless you
Was Willie God bless you, God bless you, good bye
Sweet Martha was grave but Corey was better
There's better and worse, although you can see
Boys when you write home from the prison in Nashville
Place one of my songs in your letter for me
The Stanley Brothers’ song Hills of Roane County tells the tragic story of a man who reflects on his past while imprisoned for life. The singer of the song reminisces about his youth in beautiful Roane Country, where he roamed for many years. However, his life took a turn for the worse when he courted and married Amanda, who had a brother who stabbed him for some unknown reason. In retaliation, the singer killed Tom and, as a result, spent the next 25 years traveling the world to escape his troubled past.
Despite his travels, the singer remained haunted by his memories of Roane Country and eventually boarded a steamer to return home. However, he was captured, tried in the village of Kingston, and found guilty, ultimately resulting in a lifetime in prison. As the train pulled out and his family waved goodbye, the singer was left with only his memories and the comfort of knowing he had left behind a legacy through his music, asking his fellow prisoners to include one of his songs in their letters home.
Line by Line Meaning
In the beautiful hills, way back in Roane Country
The singer is talking about the beautiful hills in Roane County where he spent many years of his life.
There's where I roamed for many long years
The singer spent many years roaming the beautiful hills of Roane County.
There's where my heart's been tending most ever
The singer's heart has always been in Roane County, even while he was traveling the world.
That's where the first step of misfortune I made
The singer's misfortune began in Roane County.
I was about thirty years when I courted and married
The singer got married at around the age of thirty.
Amanda Gilbraith I then called my wife
The singer's wife's name was Amanda Gilbraith.
But her brother stabbed me for some unknown reason
The singer was stabbed by his wife's brother for reasons he doesn't know.
Just three months later I'd taken Tom's life
The singer killed Tom, his wife's brother, just three months after being stabbed by him.
For twenty five years this whole world I rambled
The singer traveled the world for twenty five years.
I went to old England to France and to Spain
The singer visited England, France, and Spain during his travels.
But I thought of my home way back in Roan Country
The singer always thought of his home in Roane County, even while traveling the world.
I boarded a steamer and came back again
The singer returned to Roane County by boarding a steamer.
I was captured and tried in the village of Kingston
The singer was arrested and tried in Kingston village.
Not a man in the county would speak one kind word
None of the men in the county had anything kind to say about the singer.
When the jury came in with the verdict next morning
The jury delivered their verdict the next morning.
A lifetime in prison was the words that I heard
The singer was sentenced to life imprisonment.
When the train pulled out poor mother stood weepin
The singer's mother was weeping as the train pulled out.
And sister she sat alone with a sigh
The singer's sister sat alone, sighing.
And the last words I heard was Willie God bless you
The singer's last words were "Willie, God bless you."
Was Willie God bless you, God bless you, good bye
The singer said goodbye, asking for Willie to be blessed.
Sweet Martha was grave but Corey was better
Martha was sad, but Corey was doing better.
There's better and worse, although you can see
There are good and bad things, even though it may not be obvious.
Boys when you write home from the prison in Nashville
The singer is addressing the boys in prison in Nashville.
Place one of my songs in your letter for me
The singer asks the boys to include one of his songs in their letters to him.
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: Carter Stanley, Ralph Stanley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind