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)
The Drunkard's Hell
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I heard and saw an awful sight
The lighting flashed and the thunder roared
All around the drunkard's feet
I started home to change my life
To see my long neglected wife
I found her kneeling by her bed
I took her by her trembling hand
She was so weak she could not stand
On bended knees I prayed a prayer
That God might save and protect us there
Who preached like Paul who once did say
Our sins have all been washed away
That whiskey stay as far from me
as the mountains are from the deep blue sea
The Stanley Brothers' song "The Drunkard's Hell" can be interpreted as a warning against the dangers of alcohol abuse. The song describes a terrifying stormy night, which serves as a metaphor for the destructive nature of alcoholism. The dark and starless night symbolizes the hopelessness and despair that can come with addiction. The lightning and thunder reflect the chaos and unpredictability that can arise from being under the influence.
The lyrics then shift to the singer's personal experience with alcoholism. He expresses remorse for neglecting his wife and family, and decides to change his life. However, when he returns home, he discovers that his baby has died. This tragic event serves as a wake-up call for the singer, and he turns to religion for guidance and support. The song ends with a plea to stay away from alcohol and to live a virtuous life.
Overall, "The Drunkard's Hell" is a poignant and powerful song that highlights the destructive influence of alcohol on individuals and their families.
Line by Line Meaning
It was on one dark and starless night
The singer sets the scene for a dramatic event that occurred.
I heard and saw an awful sight
The singer experienced a shocking event using both visual and auditory senses.
The lighting flashed and the thunder roared
The environment intensified as the storm grew stronger.
All around the drunkard's feet
The storm was a clear symbol for the turmoil resulting from a life of heavy drinking.
I started home to change my life
The artist was so moved by the storm that he decided to make a change in his ways.
To see my long neglected wife
The singer wanted to reconnect with his wife, whom he had presumably neglected due to his drinking habit.
I found her kneeling by her bed
The singer arrived home to a sorrowful scene.
She said our darling baby was dead
The couple's child had died, adding to the already heavy mood.
I took her by her trembling hand
The artist comforted his wife in her grief.
She was so weak she could not stand
His wife was weakened by the loss of their child.
On bended knees I prayed a prayer
The singer offered up a prayer that they might find solace and peace.
That God might save and protect us there
The artist implored God for protection and guidance in their time of sorrow.
Who preached like Paul who once did say
The singer reflects on the teachings of St. Paul in the Bible.
Our sins have all been washed away
The singer sees the possibility of being saved from his sinful past.
That whiskey stay as far from me
The singer vows to keep away from alcohol, which had caused so much pain in his and his family's life.
as the mountains are from the deep blue sea
The artist emphasizes the distance he intends to keep from alcohol, using the vastness of natural features to make his point.
Contributed by Sydney G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.