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)
Next Sunday Darling Is My Birthday
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A day that should be free from care
Best wishes and congratulations
But only sorrow fills the air
While friends are singing happy birthday
There'll be smile upon my face
But when they're gone, the smile will vanish
Another year has come and gone now
The plans we've made have gone astray
A day that should be filled with laughter
Will only be another day
While friends are singing happy birthday
There'll be smile upon my face
But when they're gone, the smile will vanish
A broken heart will take its place
The lyrics to The Stanley Brothers' song "Next Sunday Darling Is My Birthday" evoke a sense of sadness and brokenness amidst the celebration of a happy occasion. The singer acknowledges that it is their birthday, a day that is traditionally a time of joyous celebration and well-wishing from friends and loved ones. However, even as they receive "best wishes and congratulations," the singer cannot escape a feeling of sorrow that pervades the occasion. Instead of celebrating with laughter, the occasion will be "only another day," filled with disappointment and a sense of loss.
This sense of disappointment is further reinforced by the image of the "broken heart" that will take the place of a smile when friends have gone. The lyrics imply that there is something missing or broken in the singer's life, something that cannot be fixed by a simple birthday celebration. The passage of time is also significant in this narrative, as the singer acknowledges that "another year has come and gone now," suggesting that this sense of loss has been experienced for some time.
Overall, the lyrics to "Next Sunday Darling Is My Birthday" paint a poignant picture of a life interrupted by sadness, even in the midst of a celebratory occasion. The sense of loss and disappointment is palpable, and the image of the broken heart is a powerful symbol of the emotional pain experienced by the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Next Sunday, darling is my birthday
My birthday is coming up next week on a Sunday, and I refer to my loved one as 'darling'.
A day that should be free from care
Birthdays are usually associated with happiness and relaxation, without any worries or concerns.
Best wishes and congratulations
I expect to receive positive messages and greetings from my family and friends as they extend well-wishes and their congratulations.
But only sorrow fills the air
Despite the joyous occasion, there is a sense of sadness and emptiness that currently looms in the atmosphere.
While friends are singing happy birthday
As my friends sing the traditional song of celebration, I will have a smile across my face in response.
There'll be smile upon my face
I will look happy and grateful in the company of my friends, even though I may not truly feel the excitement of my birthday.
But when they're gone, the smile will vanish
Once my friends and loved ones depart, my facade of happiness will disappear as I feel a deep sense of sadness and loneliness.
A broken heart will take its place
Instead of satisfying emotions of joy and warmth, I will feel a heavy heartache and melancholy that comes with everyone's departure and the arrival of another year.
Another year has come and gone now
I am pointing out that another year has elapsed since the previous birthday and I am getting older by the year.
The plans we've made have gone astray
The plans that my loved ones and I made have not materialized according to our expectations.
A day that should be filled with laughter
Birthday celebrations are commonly associated with cheer, love, and a spirit of joyfulness among friends and loved ones.
Will only be another day
Regardless of the emotional intent, the fact is that it is simply another day of the year, and it goes by very quickly.
Writer(s): James Pritchett, Sydney Nathan
Contributed by Sadie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.