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)
Sweetest Love
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a love that we shared still untold
How our simple little vows they were broken
And our love that I treasured more than gold
Are you tired of the life that you're livin'?
Does your mind wander back to the past?
Do you think of the love you've forsaken?
I remember that night in the moonlight
When you said that you'd found someone new
Do you realize the heartache you've caused me
You should know that my love was so true
Are you tired of the life that you're livin'?
Does your mind wander back to the past?
Do you think of the love you've forsaken?
Darlin' true love is too sweet to last
Alone and sad as I'm travelling
I'm lost on this sea of regret
Wandering back to the place of my childhood
And the one that I've always loved the best
Are you tired of the life that you're livin'?
Does your mind wander back to the past?
Do you think of the love you've forsaken?
Darlin' true love is too sweet to last
The Stanley Brothers' song "Sweetest Love" is a heartbreaking tale of lost love and regret. The singer tells the story of two childhood sweethearts who share a love that is "still untold," but whose simple vows were broken. The singer is left feeling heartbroken and betrayed when the love of his life finds someone new.
The lyrics show the depth of the singer's despair, as he questions whether the person he loved is tired of the life they are living and if they ever think about the love they've forsaken. The singer highlights how their true love was too sweet to last, conveying the sadness that comes from letting it slip away. The final verse shows the singer traveling alone and lost in regret, returning to the place of his childhood and the one he loved the best. The song's mournful melody underscores the sadness of the lyrics, further emphasizing the pain and regret of lost love.
This song touches on universal themes of lost love and regret, and its melancholic lyrics have resonated with listeners for decades. It's a testament to the enduring power of traditional bluegrass music, as this song still resonates with people today.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's a story of two childhood sweethearts
Let me tell you about two people who were in love since they were kids
And a love that we shared still untold
But we never really shared our love with anyone else
How our simple little vows they were broken
Our promises to each other were not kept
And our love that I treasured more than gold
The love we had was very precious to me
Are you tired of the life that you're livin'?
Do you feel bored with your current life?
Does your mind wander back to the past?
Do you often think about your past experiences?
Do you think of the love you've forsaken?
Do you regret giving up on the one you loved?
Darlin' true love is too sweet to last
Real love doesn't fade away easily
I remember that night in the moonlight
I recall a particular evening under the moonlight
When you said that you'd found someone new
You told me that you had found another person to love
Do you realize the heartache you've caused me
Do you understand the pain you have inflicted on me?
You should know that my love was so true
My love for you was very genuine
Alone and sad as I'm travelling
I am travelling by myself, feeling alone and sad
I'm lost on this sea of regret
I am overcome with feelings of remorse
Wandering back to the place of my childhood
I am returning to where I grew up
And the one that I've always loved the best
To see the person that I've always loved the most
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CARTER STANLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind