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)
No Letter in the Mail Today
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To sooth my achin heart
Why did God ever permit
True love like ours to part
No letter in the mail today
No answer from my love
Nobody knows what I've been through
This is what I wrote to her
I know I'm to blame
Let me prove my love for you
Then I'll sign my name
I'm walking down this lonesome road
Travellin while I pine
If there's no letter in the box
I'll leave this world behind
The Stanley Brothers' song No Letter in the Mail Today is a traditional bluegrass tune that captures the essence of heartbreak and loneliness. The song describes the pain of unrequited love and the struggle to cope with the absence of a loved one. The lyrics speak of a love letter that has been left unanswered and the heartache that follows. The singer is overtaken by his emotions and yearns for the affection of the person he loves.
The song is relatable to anyone who has experienced the feeling of being let down by someone they deeply care about. The lyrics not only express romantic love but also the universal love for God. The song speaks of the singer's belief that God is the only one who truly knows the pain he is going through. The song is a reminder that love isn't always reciprocated and sometimes we have to carry the burden of unrequited love with us.
The song was originally recorded by The Stanley Brothers in 1950 and was later covered by many other artists including Bill Monroe, The Osborne Brothers, and Ricky Skaggs. The Stanley Brothers were known for their unique bluegrass harmonies and their ability to capture the essence of traditional Appalachian music.
Line by Line Meaning
No answer to my love letter
I haven't received a reply from my love's letter
To sooth my achin heart
To calm the pain in my heart
Why did God ever permit
Why did God let us go through this?
True love like ours to part
Our true love was broken apart
No letter in the mail today
I received no reply in my mailbox today
No answer from my love
My love did not reply to my letter yet
Nobody knows what I've been through
No one knows what I'm going through
No one but God above
Only God knows what I'm going through
This is what I wrote to her
This is what I've written to my love
I know I'm to blame
I understand that I'm responsible for this situation
Let me prove my love for you
Please let me show you my love
Then I'll sign my name
I'll sign my name after proving my love
I'm walking down this lonesome road
I'm walking alone on this sad path
Travellin while I pine
Traveling while suffering from sorrow
If there's no letter in the box
If there's no message in my mailbox
I'll leave this world behind
I'll consider ending my life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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