The Stanley Brothers

Here is a real treasure. This is the only footage available of Carter & Ralph together. Sometime soon, I will post a nice video I filmed at Bean Blossom this last summer. It's Carter's nephew - Ralph Stanley II, performing a song he wrote to honor his uncle. Carter, apparently had a great  influence in his life.

So little is mentioned or talked about, regarding Carter Stanley. I have heard that it's been said by some, that he was the greatest bluegrass vocalist there has ever been. That is saying a lot when you take into consideration Bill Monroe and Lester Flatt. Carter passed away at the young age of 41, December 1, 1966. He joined the Blue Grass Boys in the summer of 1951, after the Stanley Brothers had temporarily disbanded.

He appeared on two recording sessions, singing lead on two duets with Bill, "Sugar Coated Love" and "Cabin of Love", and on two gospel quartets, "You're Drifting Away" and "Get Down on your Knees and Pray". That old Sugar Coated Love is one of my favorite Bill Monroe tunes. It wasn't until I did some recent research that I found Carter had sang lead on a duet of that song with Bill.

Worried Man Blues has been one of my favorite Carter Family songs for years as evidenced by it being the theme song form my first website I started over 3 years ago - Mossy Springs

If you roll your mouse over the blank area below, Ralph Stanley picking Clinch Mountain Backstep should start playing.