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)
Kneel At The Cross
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come while He waits for you
Listen to His voice, leave with Him your cares
And begin life anew
Kneel at the cross, kneel at the cross
Leave every care, leave every care
Kneel at the cross, kneel at the cross
Kneel at the cross, there's room for all
Who will his glory share
Bliss there awaits, harm can nary fall
Those who are anchored there
Kneel at the cross, give your idols up
Look unto realms above
Turn not away, to life's sparkling cup
Trust only in His love
The Stanley Brothers' song "Kneel At The Cross" is a gospel hymn that calls for sinners to repent and turn their lives over to God. The song is an invitation to kneel before the cross of Jesus Christ, where one can find forgiveness, redemption, and eternal salvation. The lyrics advise the listener to leave their worldly cares and listen to the voice of Christ, who will meet them at the cross and usher them into a new life free of sin and full of hope.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Kneel at the cross" four times, emphasizing the importance of submission and humility in the face of God's grace. The second verse reminds the listener that there is room for all who seek God's glory, and that the faithful will find happiness and safety in their connection to God. The lyrics acknowledge the challenges of earthly life, but emphasize that those who anchor themselves in God's grace will be protected from harm.
The final verse calls for the listener to give up their worldly idols and turn their gaze toward the heavens. It warns against the temptation of material wealth and calls for a faithful trust in God's love. The song ends on a note of hope and invitation, drawing the listener to kneel before the cross and begin a new life in Christ.
Line by Line Meaning
Kneel at the cross, Christ will meet you there
If you humble yourself before the cross, Christ will be there to meet you and guide you towards salvation.
Come while He waits for you
Christ is patiently waiting for you to seek Him and come to Him.
Listen to His voice, leave with Him your cares
If you open your heart to Christ and follow His teachings, you will find relief from your burdens and worries.
And begin life anew
By accepting Christ and His teachings, you can leave behind your old ways and habits to start a new life guided by faith and love.
Leave every care, leave every care
In order to fully submit yourself to Christ, you must leave behind all your earthly concerns and trust in His divine plan.
Jesus will meet you there
The promise of salvation and peace that comes from surrendering to Christ is always available to those who seek it.
Kneel at the cross, there's room for all
There is no one who is unwelcome before Christ's cross; all are invited to seek Him and find refuge in His love.
Who will his glory share
Those who seek Christ and follow His teachings will share in His glory and eternal life.
Bliss there awaits, harm can nary fall
In Christ's loving embrace, there is peace and happiness that cannot be found in the tumultuous world outside His protection.
Those who are anchored there
Those who firmly hold onto their faith in Christ and let Him anchor them will find shelter from the storms of life.
Give your idols up
To fully follow Christ, you must abandon any worldly or materialistic pursuits that might distract you from His teachings.
Look unto realms above
Instead of focusing on worldly concerns, you should turn your gaze towards the heavens and seek a higher spiritual understanding.
Turn not away, to life's sparkling cup
Even though the pleasures of the world may seem tempting, you should resist the pull of earthly desires and keep your eyes fixed on Christ.
Trust only in His love
Ultimately, your faith in Christ should be grounded in His boundless love and compassion for all of His children.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: CHARLES E. MOODY, RUTH ELAINE SCHRAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tom Piper
Wonderful song
Dee Coffey
I love it, do you have the tabs for this
SmokeyTheMedic23
I Never Knew Ralph Played A Bow Tie Banjo