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)
Zion's Hill
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where gates of pearl swing open wide,
And when I've passed this vale of sorrow,
I'll dwell upon the other side.
Some day beyond the reach of mortal ken,
Some day God only knows just where and when
The wheels of mortal life shall all stand still
Some day I'll hear the angels singing,
Beyond the shadows of the tomb;
And all the bells of heaven ringing,
While saints are singing, "Home, sweet home."
Some day my labors will be ended,
And all my wand'rings will be o'er,
And all earth's broken ties be mended,
And I shall sigh and weep no more.
Some day the dark clouds will be rifted,
And all the night of gloom be past;
And all life's burdens will be lifted,
The day of rest shall dawn at last.
The lyrics to The Stanley Brothers’ song Zion’s Hill speak to the hope of an afterlife of peace and rest after a life of turmoil and toil. The song begins with the singer eagerly anticipating a better tomorrow, a place where they can be free of the “vale of sorrow” they currently dwell in. They express that someday, beyond their mortal reach, they will be welcomed into heaven and allowed to rest on Zion’s Hill. The song’s theme centers around the idea of the afterlife, a place where all suffering and pain will be alleviated and the singer will finally find their true home.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer’s desire to leave their mortal life behind and move on to a higher plane of existence. They express that someday, they will hear the angels singing, the bells of heaven ringing, and the saints singing of “home sweet home.” This highlights the religious overtone of the song and speaks to the belief in Christianity of an afterlife in heaven. The verses speak to the singer’s longing for a life without labors and wandering, where all of their earthly troubles have been mended, and they can rest free from the burdens that once weighed them down.
Overall, The Stanley Brothers’ song Zion’s Hill is an uplifting and inspirational take on the afterlife and the hope for a better tomorrow. It speaks to the human desire to find peace and rest after a lifetime of struggle and hardship. The song’s simple melody and lyrics give it a timeless quality, and it remains a popular choice for Christian funerals and memorials to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
There waits for me a glad tomorrow,
I have a future where happiness is certain and inevitable.
Where gates of pearl swing open wide,
This future has a welcoming entrance, as if to a majestic palace.
And when I've passed this vale of sorrow,
After enduring this life's hardships and suffering, I will move on.
I'll dwell upon the other side.
I will live comfortably in a completely different environment.
Some day beyond the reach of mortal ken,
In an unknown time and place that is beyond the limit of human knowledge,
Some day God only knows just where and when
At a specific moment that only the divine can predict.
The wheels of mortal life shall all stand still
My ordinary daily existence will come to a complete stop.
And I shall go to dwell on Zion's hill.
I will relocate to a heavenly place named Zion's Hill.
Some day I'll hear the angels singing,
At some point, the sounds of angels singing will reach my ears.
Beyond the shadows of the tomb;
After I pass away and my earthly remains are in the grave,
And all the bells of heaven ringing,
All heavenly bells will ring out in joy and celebration.
While saints are singing, 'Home, sweet home.'
At the same time, holy people will also sing the praises of their heavenly home.
Some day my labors will be ended,
One day soon, my work will cease and my contribution will be complete.
And all my wand'rings will be o'er,
My endless journey will come to a close.
And all earth's broken ties be mended,
All of the broken connections or negative experiences that occurred in life will be repaired.
And I shall sigh and weep no more.
I will no longer feel sorrow or anxiety.
Some day the dark clouds will be rifted,
In the near future, the dark period in life will come to an end.
And all the night of gloom be past;
The bad times will be gone forever, and happiness will prevail.
And all life's burdens will be lifted,
All of the hardships in life will be lifted, and I will have a lighter heart and soul.
The day of rest shall dawn at last.
Finally, the long-awaited day of relaxation and peace will arrive.
Contributed by Benjamin K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.