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)
Mother No Longer Waits for Me at Home
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My mother was praying for me to come home
She asked her dear lord: "Watch over me out yonder
To send me back home to never more roam."
When I left my old home way back in the mountains
I said I'd return with honor and fame
But a young reckless heart turned wrong at the crossroads
When I got to the place where I spent my childhood
The silvery moon was shining so bright
When I asked my dear friends to tell me of mother
They said she was called on to Heaven last night
She told them of how she was longing to see me
How lonely her home since I went away
Said, "Darling, repent and ask for forgiveness
And meet mother there in heaven some day."
Mother has gone to live with the angels
Her soul is at rest around the great throne
Now I have no one left here to advise me
For mother no longer awaits me at home
The Stanley Brothers's song "Mother No Longer Awaits Me at Home" is a sentimental and melancholic ode to a mother who has passed away. The song is told from the point of view of a son who, once disloyal, returns home only to find out that his mother has already passed away. The lyrics offer an interesting blend of regret, nostalgia, and religious allusions.
In the first verse, the son remembers the night when his mother prayed for him to come home while the moon was shining from heaven. This verse sets the tone for the song and highlights the religious aspirations that appear throughout it. The second verse describes the son's departure from his hometown and his promise to return with honor and fame. Unfortunately, bad decisions led to his downfall and brought shame to his mother. The third verse reveals that the son has returned home, but it’s now too late, as his mother has already passed away. The singer's expression of regret for not being able to make it home in time to see his mother expresses a deep sense of sorrow.
The final verse talks about how the son has lost his most trusted advisor; his mother was the one who used to guide him through the trials and tribulations of life. The lyrics imply that the son now feels lost and helpless without his mother's counsel. The song concludes on a melancholic note, with the singer lamenting that his mother is no longer there to welcome him home.
Overall, "Mother No Longer Awaits Me at Home" is a poignant and heartfelt song that speaks to the universal experience of grief and loss. It stands as a beautiful tribute to motherhood, with its lasting impact on children and the transformative power of the mother/child bond.
Line by Line Meaning
One night, while the moon from Heaven was shining
It was a night when the clear moon from heaven was emitting its light
My mother was praying for me to come home
The mother was sending out her prayers for her child to return home
She asked her dear lord: "Watch over me out yonder
To send me back home to never more roam."
She prayed to God, asking Him to watch over her and bring back her child home safely and forever
When I left my old home way back in the mountains
When I departed from my old home situated way back in the mountains
I said I'd return with honor and fame
I promised to come back with honor and glory
But a young reckless heart turned wrong at the crossroads
My young and wild heart led me astray at a crossroad
And now as I go home, I bring mother shame
Now, as I head back home, I bring with me the burden of causing my mother shame
When I got to the place where I spent my childhood
Upon reaching the spot where I used to spend my childhood days
The silvery moon was shining so bright
The bright and shining moon was lighting up the area
When I asked my dear friends to tell me of mother
I inquired from my close friends about my mother
They said she was called on to Heaven last night
They conveyed that my mother passed away and now rests in heaven
She told them of how she was longing to see me
My mother expressed how greatly she longed to see me
How lonely her home since I went away
Her dwelling had become silent since my departure
Said, "Darling, repent and ask for forgiveness
And meet mother there in heaven someday."
She urged me to repent, seek forgiveness, and meet her in heaven on some fine day
Mother has gone to live with the angels
My mother has departed and now dwells among the angels
Her soul is at rest around the great throne
Her soul finds peace around the throne of God
Now I have no one left here to advise me
With my mother gone, I have no one left to offer me guidance
For mother no longer awaits me at home
As my mother is no more, I can no longer await her welcome and embrace at my home
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CARLIN AMERICA INC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: RALPH (USA 1 STANLEY, RALPH (USA 1) STANLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind