The Stanley Brothers - Sunny Side Of The Mountain / Shenandoah Waltz

(King 5291) Dec 1959

---

This 7" was recorded during the sessions for the Stanley's Sing Everybody's Country Favorites LP, which was released the following June.

'Billboard' magazine reviewed the disc in their 15th Dec 1959 edition, making it one of their 'Spotlight Winners Of The Week'. The single was described thus:- 'Sunny Side Of The Mountain' is a happy, ranchero-styled novelty. The boys sing it in mountain style over good, plucked string accompaniment. 'Shenandoah Waltz' tells the story of a girl who's waiting for her true love in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Spins of both should please c&w devotees.^[1]

Sunny Side Of The Mountain had been recorded by Hank Snow (as Hank 'The Singing Ranger') circa 1946/7^[2] and Lester Flatt sang it whilst with Bill Monroe on the Dec '46 - July '47 Grand Ol' Opry broadcasts. Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper also recorded the song in 1951^[3] but according to Gary B. Reid, it was probably Hawkshaw Hawkins 1951 version for King which was the source, as many of the songs recorded at the same session were also from the repertoire of other King artists.^[4] The flipside, Shenandoah Waltz, had similiarly been recorded for King by Clyde Moody in 1947.^[5]

Both sides of the 7" can now be found on The Early Starday/King Years, 1958-1961 4xCD box set.

For a detailed breakdown and background to the Stanley's session, check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book, 100-102 and 142-143.

Other artwork / related images:

[1] https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=NQoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA35&lpg=PA35&dq=king+5291+billboard+shenandoah+waltz&source=bl&ots=2IM9WmcuaH&sig=Z-DjvBsc3fp4DCl-UXLpFGTHVI8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjQ2tG40-fUAhWpKcAKHY-rCdkQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=king%205291%20billboard%20shenandoah%20waltz&f=false
[2] Suggested dates on the internet seem to vary - you can hear Hanks version on youtube:- https://youtu.be/ybe6fXmjEcU
[3] West Virginia Polka / Sunny Side Of The Mountain (Columbia 46493) 14th Sept 1951 - see http://www.ibiblio.org/hillwilliam/BGdiscography/?svalue=sunny+side+of+the+mountain&stype=stitle&v=sresults&filter_band=2&filter_format=78
[4] Hawkshaw Hawkins - Sunny Side Of The Mountain / Blue Skies In Your Eyes (King 997) 1951 - see https://www.discogs.com/Hawkshaw-Hawkins-Sunny-Side-Of-The-Mountain-Blue-Skies-In-Your-Eyes/release/10083580
[5] Clyde Moody - Shenandoah Waltz / There's A Big Rock In The Road (King 619) 1947. See:- https://www.discogs.com/Clyde-Moody-Shenandoah-Waltz-Theres-A-Big-Rock-In-The-Road/release/6496417