(Time Life B00007883-02) 2007
This is an excellent 60 track, 3xCD set, which spans the Stanley's entire 20 year career, and as a bonus, includes three previously unreleased recordings, and a few of the rarer Wango/Blue Ridge and Cabin Creek tracks.
Disc One concentrates on their Columbia / Mercury period, while Disc Two covers the Starday/King years. The sound quality on both discs is superb, but you could argue that just two discs isn't sufficient to make this a 'Definitive' collection.
Disc Three contains a mix of early Rich-R-Tone, radio and live recordings, plus the Blue Ridge 45 and some of their Wango/Rimrock/Cabin Creek rarities. Sound quality is therefore a bit variable, but this disc will probably be of most interest to fans.
Of particular note are three previously unreleased live tracks: a rare version of Lester Flatt/Bill Monroe's Will You Be Loving Another Man from Bean Blossom 1955; the poignant Tell Me Why Daddy Don't Come Home from the Ash Grove, Hollywood 1962; and Carter's appearance with Bill Monroe at the Luray Park 4th July 1961 with Sugar Coated Love.[1]
The set is packaged in a hard book-like cover with splendid artwork, and has an in-depth booklet stapled to it's centre. This contains an excellent, extensive band history by Gary Reid, and an introduction by Ricky Skaggs.
One quote from the booklet, which I can't resist repeating, is Carter's response to being queried by bluegrass DJ Pete Wernick about the term 'bluegrass':- "I think anytime that you play a good song, to me it's hillbilly music. The Carter Family played good hillbilly music and they're definitely not bluegrass, and J.E. Mainer played good hillbilly music and he's not bluegrass, and I don't figure we're bluegrass. We're the Stanley Brothers, that's the way I've always tried to work it... we have got out, I think, and developed a sound of our own. I think as long as you sing a song with the best feeling you've got, and if you do feel it, I think the people will know it and they'll call it whatever they want to call it."
Unfortunately the set is out of print, but second hand copies can still be found for $40 or so.
For detailed information on the songs/sessions check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book. For page references, see the Original Release entries.
Track: |
Title: |
Time: |
Date: |
Original Source: |
Guitar: |
Banjo: |
Fiddle: |
Mandolin: |
Bass: |
Lead Guitar: |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CD 1: |
(53:37) | |||||||||
1 |
Little Glass Of Wine |
02:57 |
01 Mar 1949 |
Columbia 20590 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Bobby Sumner |
Pee Wee Lambert |
James 'Jay' Hughes |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
2 |
The Old Home |
02:17 |
20 Nov 1949 |
Columbia 20667 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Les Woodie |
Pee Wee Lambert |
Ernest 'Ernie' Newton |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
3 |
The White Dove |
03:12 |
01 Mar 1949 |
Columbia 20577 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Bobby Sumner |
Pee Wee Lambert |
James 'Jay' Hughes |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
4 |
The Fields Have Turned Brown |
02:30 |
20 Nov 1949 |
Columbia 20667 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Les Woodie |
Pee Wee Lambert |
Ernest 'Ernie' Newton |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
5 |
The Lonesome River |
02:43 |
03 Nov 1950 |
Columbia 20816 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Les Woodie |
Pee Wee Lambert |
Ernest 'Ernie' Newton |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
6 |
Get Down On Your Knees And Pray - Bill Monroe |
0?:?? |
06 Jul 1951 |
Decca 9-46351 | Carter Stanley |
Rudy Lyle |
Gordon Terry |
Bill Monroe |
Howard Watts |
|
??? |
||||||||||
7 |
I'm Lonesome Without You |
02:33 |
09 Aug 1953 |
Mercury 70217 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Art Stamper |
Jim Williams |
George Shuffler |
|
R. Stanley |
||||||||||
8 |
This Weary Heart You Stole Away (Wake Up, Sweetheart) |
02:41 |
09 Aug 1953 |
Mercury 70217 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Art Stamper |
Jim Williams |
George Shuffler |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
9 |
Our Last Goodbye |
02:39 |
09 Aug 1953 |
Hard Times | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Art Stamper |
Jim Williams |
George Shuffler |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
10 |
(Say) Won't You Be Mine |
02:49 |
09 Aug 1953 |
Mercury 70270 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Art Stamper |
Jim Williams |
George Shuffler |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
11 |
A Voice From On High |
02:35 |
25 Nov 1953 |
Mercury 70340 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph Mayo |
Jim Williams |
John Shuffler |
|
Bill Monroe / Bessie Maudlin |
||||||||||
12 |
I Just Got Wise |
02:35 |
30 May 1954 |
Mercury 70453 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph 'Joe' Meadows |
Jim Williams |
Lightning Chance |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
13 |
Blue Moon Of Kentucky |
02:15 |
29 Aug 1954 |
Mercury 70453 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph 'Joe' Meadows |
Bill Lowe |
Lightning Chance |
Charlie Cline |
Bill Monroe |
||||||||||
14 |
Hard Times |
02:47 |
29 Aug 1954 |
Mercury 70546 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph 'Joe' Meadows |
Bill Lowe |
Lightning Chance |
Charlie Cline |
R. Stanley |
||||||||||
15 |
If That's The Way You Feel |
02:33 |
15 Nov 1957 |
The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Benny Martin / Howard Forrester |
Bill Napier |
Curley Lambert |
|
R. Stanley / Peggy Stanley |
||||||||||
16 |
Orange Blossom Special |
02:29 |
05 Apr 1955 |
Mercury 70663 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph 'Joe' Meadows |
Jim Williams |
Bill Lowe |
|
Ervin T. Rouse |
||||||||||
17 |
Nobody's Love Is Like Mine |
02:29 |
30 May 1954 |
Mercury 70789 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph 'Joe' Meadows |
Jim Williams |
Lightning Chance |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
18 |
Angel Band |
02:18 |
19 Dec 1955 |
Country Pickin' & Singin' | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Art Stamper |
Curley Lambert |
Bill Lowe |
|
Jefferson Hascall / William B. Bradbury |
||||||||||
19 |
Who Will Call You Sweetheart |
02:56 |
16 Jul 1956 |
Country Pickin' & Singin' | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Chubby Anthony / Ralph Mayo |
Curley Lambert |
Doug Morris |
|
C. Stanley / Bill Monroe |
||||||||||
20 |
The Cry From The Cross |
02:53 |
16 Jul 1956 |
Mercury 71135 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Chubby Anthony / Ralph Mayo |
Curley Lambert |
Doug Morris |
|
Johnnie Masters |
Track: |
Title: |
Time: |
Date: |
Original Source: |
Guitar: |
Banjo: |
Fiddle: |
Mandolin: |
Bass: |
Lead Guitar: |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CD 2: |
(50:27) | |||||||||
1 |
Gonna Paint The Town |
02:21 |
Summer 1958 |
Starday 406 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Joe Meadows |
Bill Napier |
Al Elliot |
Gene Meadows |
R. Stanley |
||||||||||
2 |
How Mountain Girls Can Love |
02:08 |
30 Sep 1958 |
The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph Mayo |
Bill Napier |
Al Elliot |
|
Ruby Rakes |
||||||||||
3 |
Think Of What You've Done |
02:07 |
01 Oct 1958 |
The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph Mayo |
Bill Napier |
Al Elliot |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
4 |
How Far To Little Rock |
02:40 |
15 Sep 1959 |
King 5306 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
George Shuffler |
Bill Napier |
||
Ruby Rakes |
||||||||||
5 |
Train 45 |
02:46 |
01 Oct 1958 |
King 5155 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph Mayo |
Bill Napier |
Al Elliot |
|
G.B. Grayson |
||||||||||
6 |
Ridin' That Midnight Train |
02:03 |
Summer 1959 |
Mountain Song Favorites | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Chubby Anthony |
Bill Napier |
Al Elliot |
|
R. Stanley |
||||||||||
7 |
I'm A Man Of Constant Sorrow |
02:39 |
15 Sep 1959 |
King 5269 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
George Shuffler |
Bill Napier |
||
R.D. Burnett |
||||||||||
8 |
Rank Stranger |
03:09 |
?? May 1960 |
Starday 506 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Curley Lambert |
Audie Webster |
Ralph Mayo |
|
Albert E. Brumley |
||||||||||
9 |
Jacob's Vision |
02:17 |
15 Sep 1959 |
For The Good People | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
George Shuffler |
Bill Napier |
||
P.D. |
||||||||||
10 |
Little Maggie |
02:47 |
?? May 1960 |
Starday 522 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph Mayo |
Audie Webster |
Curley Lambert |
|
P.D. |
||||||||||
11 |
God Gave You To Me |
02:06 |
?? May 1960 |
Starday 522 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph Mayo |
Audie Webster |
Curley Lambert |
|
R. Stanley |
||||||||||
12 |
Let Me Rest |
02:00 |
11 Jul 1960 |
In Person | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Vernon Derrick |
George Shuffler |
Curley Lambert |
|
R. Stanley / C. Stanley |
||||||||||
13 |
Who Will Sing For Me |
02:08 |
02 May 1962 |
Good Old Camp Meeting Songs | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph Mayo |
Chick Stripling |
George Shuffler |
|
John Thomas Ely |
||||||||||
14 |
Little Birdie |
01:59 |
29 Jan 1963 |
Folk Concert | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph Mayo |
Curley Lambert |
Vernon Derrick |
|
P.D. |
||||||||||
15 |
Lonesome Night |
02:19 |
14 Aug 1963 |
King 5809 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph Mayo |
Henry Dockery |
George Shuffler |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
16 |
Don't Cheat In Our Home Town |
02:34 |
17 Sep 1963 |
Country Folk Music Spotlight | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
George Shuffler |
George Shuffler |
||
Ray Pennington / Roy E. Marcum |
||||||||||
17 |
Stone Walls And Steel Bars |
02:07 |
14 Aug 1963 |
King 5809 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph Mayo |
Henry Dockery |
George Shuffler |
|
Ray Pennington / Roy E. Marcum |
||||||||||
18 |
Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem |
03:50 |
01 Apr 1964 |
Hymns Of The Cross | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Earl Taylor |
Chick Stripling |
George Shuffler |
|
Robert F. Boyce |
||||||||||
19 |
Oh Death |
02:58 |
01 Apr 1964 |
Hymns Of The Cross | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Earl Taylor |
Chick Stripling |
George Shuffler |
|
P.D. |
||||||||||
20 |
Soldier's Grave |
02:57 |
20 Sep 1965 |
A Collection Of Original Gospel And Sacred Songs | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
George Shuffler |
George Shuffler |
||
Jim Anglin / Jack Anglin / Johnnie Wright |
Track: |
Title: |
Time: |
Date: |
Original Source: |
Guitar: |
Banjo: |
Fiddle: |
Mandolin: |
Bass: |
Lead Guitar: |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CD 3: |
(49:03) | |||||||||
1 |
Theme & Cotton-Eyed Joe |
01:50 |
?? ??? 1947 |
On WCYB Bristol | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Leslie Keith |
Pee Wee Lambert |
Ray Lambert |
|
P.D. |
||||||||||
2 |
Mother No Longer Awaits Me At Home |
02:43 |
Early/mid 1947 |
Rich-R-Tone RRT-420 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Leslie Keith |
Pee Wee Lambert |
Ray Lambert |
|
R. Stanley / C. Stanley |
||||||||||
3 |
The Girl Behind The Bar |
02:17 |
Early/mid 1947 |
Rich-R-Tone RRT-420 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Leslie Keith |
Pee Wee Lambert |
Ray Lambert |
|
C. Stanley |
||||||||||
4 |
Molly And Tenbrook |
02:27 |
Mid 1948 |
Rich-R-Tone RRT-418 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Art Wooten |
Pee Wee Lambert |
||
Bill Monroe |
||||||||||
5 |
Are You Waiting Just For Me? |
02:20 |
Mid 1952 |
Rich-R-Tone RRT-1055 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Art Stamper |
Jim Williams |
||
Ernest Tubb |
||||||||||
6 |
Will You Be Loving Another Man |
02:48 |
Live 1955 |
***PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED*** | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph Mayo |
George Shuffler |
||
Lester Flatt / Bill Monroe |
||||||||||
7 |
Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms |
02:27 |
?? ??? 1960 |
On Radio, Vol. 1 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Chubby Anthony |
George Shuffler |
Bill Napier |
|
P.D. |
||||||||||
8 |
Black Mountain Blues |
01:38 |
?? ??? 1960 |
On Radio, Vol. 1 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Chubby Anthony |
Bill Napier |
||
Leslie Keith |
||||||||||
9 |
Meet Me Tonight |
02:35 |
?? ??? 1959 |
Blue Ridge 514 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Chubby Anthony |
Bill Napier |
??? |
|
Joseph Augustine Wade |
||||||||||
10 |
Nobody's Business |
01:58 |
?? ??? 1959 |
Blue Ridge 514 | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Chubby Anthony |
Bill Napier |
??? |
|
Porter Grainger / Everett Robbins |
||||||||||
11 |
Sugar Coated Love - Bill Monroe |
03:17 |
04 Jul 1961 |
*** PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED*** | Carter Stanley |
Tony Ellis |
Billy Baker |
Bill Monroe |
Bessie Maudlin |
Bobby Smith |
Porter Grainger / Everett Robbins |
||||||||||
12 |
Tell Me Why Daddy Don't Come Home |
02:34 |
31 Aug 1962 |
*** PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED*** | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Vernon Derrick |
Curley Lambert |
Roger Bush |
|
B. Boyd / H. Burns / E. Nunn |
||||||||||
13 |
Hide Ye In The Blood |
02:14 |
?? Nov 1964 |
Songs Of Mother And Home | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Red Stanley |
Barry Glickman |
Jack Cooke |
|
P.D. ? |
||||||||||
14 |
East Virginia Blues |
02:36 |
?? ??? 1964 |
John's Country Quartet | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
George Shuffler |
|||
A.P. Carter |
||||||||||
15 |
Pretty Polly |
04:04 |
?? ??? 1964 |
John's Country Quartet | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
George Shuffler |
|||
P.D. |
||||||||||
16 |
Pig In A Pen |
01:49 |
?? ??? 1964 |
John's Country Quartet | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
George Shuffler |
|||
P.D. or Arthur Smith? |
||||||||||
17 |
Will You Miss Me |
03:13 |
?? Dec 1963 |
John's Country Quartet | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
George Shuffler |
|||
P.D. or Arthur Smith? |
||||||||||
18 |
Where The Soul Never Dies |
01:33 |
?? Dec 1965 |
An Empty Mansion | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Ralph Mayo |
George Shuffler |
George Shuffler |
|
William M. Golden |
||||||||||
19 |
Dust On The Bible |
01:17 |
05 Jun 1965 |
Bluegrass Gospel Favorites | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Sonny Miller |
Curley Lambert |
Jack Cooke |
|
J. Bailes / W. Bailes |
||||||||||
20 |
Single Girl |
02:59 |
16 Oct 1966 |
Together For The Last Time | Carter Stanley |
Ralph Stanley |
Melvin Goins |
George Ahuffler |
||
A.P. Carter |