The Stanley Brothers (Carter Stanley, 1925-1966, and Ralph Stanley, 1927-20… Read Full Bio ↴The Stanley Brothers (Carter Stanley, 1925-1966, and Ralph Stanley, 1927-2016) were an American bluegrass duo originally hailing from Dickenson County, Virginia. The family soon moved to McClure, Virginia, where their parents worked a small farm in the Clinch Mountains. Music was a part of their lives from the word go, as they were able to listen to the likes of The Monroe Brothers, Mainer's Mountaineers, and other artists featured on the Grand Ole Opry radio program.

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)

Nobody's Business
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics

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That's where my money goes
To buy my baby clothes
Nobody's business what I do
Nobody's business, nobody's business
Nobody's business what I do

Sliced ham and pickled feet
Ham and eggs and sausage meat

Nobody's business what I eat
Nobody's business, nobody's business
Nobody's business what I do

Some day I'll wake up crazy
Kill my wife and save my baby
Nobody's business what I do
Nobody's business, nobody's business
Nobody's business what I do

She rides the limousine
I crank the old machine
Nobody's business what I do

Nobody's business, nobody's business
Nobody's business what I do

Overall Meaning

The Stanley Brothers' song "Nobody's Business" is a classic blues song that deals with themes of individual liberty and privacy. The lyrics of the song suggest that what a person does with their time, money, and even their thoughts, is nobody else's concern. The singer of the song appears to be living a life on the margins, where he has to scrape by and make do with what he has. The first verse talks about spending money on clothes for his baby, suggesting that he prioritizes his family responsibilities over his own needs. The second verse talks about his diet, which consists of cheap and simple foods like ham, pickled feet, eggs, and sausage meat. The third verse is more disturbing, as it suggests that the singer is capable of committing violent acts against his wife, although it is unclear whether he means this literally or metaphorically. The final verse contrasts the singer's lifestyle with that of his wife, who rides in a limousine while he drives an old car. Despite these differences, the song suggests that the singer does not envy his wife's privileged life and is content with his own situation.

Line by Line Meaning

That's where my money goes
The destination of my income is chosen by me

To buy my baby clothes
I spend it on purchasing garments for my child

Nobody's business what I do
My actions are not to be scrutinized by anyone else

Sliced ham and pickled feet
I consume food items such as cured pork and brine-pickled animal feet

Ham and eggs and sausage meat
I also consume meat from other animals, such as pigs and chickens

Nobody's business what I eat
My dietary choices are not open for discussion

Some day I'll wake up crazy
In the future, I may experience mental instability

Kill my wife and save my baby
If I become mentally incapacitated, there is a possibility that I may commit an act of violence to protect my child

She rides the limousine
My wife travels in luxury automobiles

I crank the old machine
I use an outdated vehicle for transportation

Nobody's business what I do
My personal business is only mine to know and control