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)
Too Late To Cry
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And hold me close to you
And think of all the days gone by
The days when love was true
Come go with me to the old depot
And wave your hand goodbye
I know, I've done you wrong sweetheart
Sweetheart of mine, I hate to go
And leave you here all alone
May God protect and keep you
Wherever you may roam
Come go with me to the old depot
And wave your hand goodbye
I know, I've done you wrong sweetheart
But now it's too late to cry
Come go with me to the old depot
And wave your hand goodbye
I know, I've done you wrong sweetheart
But now it's too late to cry
The Stanley Brothers' song "Too Late to Cry" is a poignant portrayal of a failed relationship. The song is sung from the perspective of one lover who has betrayed the other and is now leaving. The singer asks his lover to hold him close and think of the days when their love was true. He also asks her to accompany him to the old depot, the place where they first said goodbye, and wave her hand goodbye once again. Although he knows he has done wrong, he also knows it's too late to cry and make things right.
The lyrics capture the pain of regret and loss as the singer reflects on what could have been. He knows that he has hurt his lover, but no amount of tears or apologies can bring back what they once had. The singer's plea to be held close and remembered for his good times with his lover is an attempt to hold onto some shred of their past romance.
The song's melody is haunting and evocative, adding to the sense of sadness and longing in the lyrics. The repetition of the refrain, "Come go with me to the old depot and wave your hand goodbye," highlights the finality of the situation and the irrevocable nature of the singer's actions.
Overall, "Too Late to Cry" is a powerful reminder of the cost of betrayal and the enduring pain of lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
Come take me by my trembling hand
I am vulnerable and need someone to comfort me
And hold me close to you
I crave the intimacy we once had
And think of all the days gone by
Let's reminisce about the good times we shared
The days when love was true
Before things took a turn for the worse, we were happy and in love
Come go with me to the old depot
Let's go to the train station together
And wave your hand goodbye
I am leaving and saying farewell to you
I know, I've done you wrong sweetheart
I am aware that I have hurt you
But now it's too late to cry
There's nothing we can do to fix the damage that has been done
Sweetheart of mine, I hate to go
Leaving you is difficult for me
And leave you here all alone
You will be lonely without me
May God protect and keep you
I hope you will be safe and watched over
Wherever you may roam
No matter where life takes you
Come go with me to the old depot
Once again, let's go to the train station together
And wave your hand goodbye
It's time for me to leave and say my final goodbye
I know, I've done you wrong sweetheart
I am acknowledging my mistakes and regretting the pain I caused you
But now it's too late to cry
Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do to fix the past and we must move on
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CARTER STANLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bernice Atkins
As always the Stanley's can really do a song.
S Mitchell
Some lonesome ass shit. I love it! I can't get enough of their music. I wish I was born 60 years earlier!!!
Jerry Freeze
Oh...wow. Just when I think I've heard the best The Stanley Brothers have done I come across this. Beautiful.
younglive glaiban
The louvin brothers ____too late
buddyhooch88
so sad its perfect. why has no one put a comment yet