Remembering Carter Stanley

Subject: Remembering Carter Stanley (1925-1966)
From: GospelPicker (inactive)
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 09:35 AM

Just a chew-the-fat thread remembering Carter Stanley... One of the men who made bluegrass a song form rather than just an Olympic event... I love his singing and writing style... the harmonies of the Stanley Brothers rival anyone's, including Mr. Monroe and his fabled Bluegrass Boys...

Anyone with special thoughts or memories of Carter and how he made you feel or memories of a show you might have seen... feel free to post here; I'd love to learn more about him... I'm really a newbie at bluegrass.

ALSO, SEE THREAD ABOUT OLYMPIC-STYLE BLUEGRASS...

GospelPicker

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Subject: RE: Remembering Carter Stanley
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 10:24 AM

I have to admit that I'm a fan of Flatt and Scruggs, Bill Monroe and many others, but The Stanley Brothers are my favourite Bluegrassers. Their harmonies were wonderful, their songs were creative and I just love Ralph's 5 String style.

Subject: RE: Remembering Carter Stanley
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 11:02 AM

Well, I'm a Bluegrass fanatic (saw Flatt and Scruggs when I was 14 and haven't been the same since) and Carter is still probably my favourite singer. Have you heard Ralph's tribute to Carter "The Hills of Home"? I'm not very sentimental, but that got to me.

Rick

Subject: RE: Remembering Carter Stanley
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 11:17 AM

Ya' know sometimes I hear a group playing at some out of the way hole in the wall joint or at some county fair kind of place and think.....Damn! These guys are good!

A few years ago when I was on the road in sales, I went to a little special event thing at Eden Park Conservatory (plants) in Cincy and this little BG group, there for a little musical sidelight, just tore the place up. A mando player with chops from hell......and I'm willing to bet they are still plunking around Cincinnati. Reminds me of Rick's answer to "Who's the Greatest Guitarist." Probably someone you've never heard and is playing on his back porch in East Bumfuck.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Remembering Carter Stanley
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 11:35 AM

Rick,

I've heard that and at first I thought it was kinda hokey, but it sure has grown on me. I love when they fade from the narration at the end of the song to Carter and Ralph harmonizing. To me, that's as good as it gets.

'Spaw, the number of great players who have never or hardly been heard must far outweigh the ones who have. I've been amazed at the quality of musicians I've heard at some local jams. And Rick will attest that I actually live in East Bumfuck.

I have a cousin who is just flat out one of the best guitarists I've ever heard. He loves to pick tunes, sing songs and have a few coldies. A few years ago he retired from the Police department and was contemplating what to do next. I suggested that he get into music. He replied that it would become work for him if he did and it would take the enjoyment out of it. I'm sure there are thousands like him.

Subject: RE: Remembering Carter Stanley
From: GospelPicker (inactive)
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 02:40 PM

We must remember that Bill Monroe's biggest influence and early playing partner was a man named Arnold Schultz... everyone who ever heard him said he was the best blues guitarist ever... sadly, he was never "discovered" or recorded... Robert Johnson learned a lot from a man named Ike Zinnerman, who, again, was never recorded or promoted... The best are the ones we'll never find out about... I think it's because once you have become a "performer" there always comes a time when you think a little more about the "product" you are displaying rather than the love of the music... just my US $.02...

GospelPicker

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Subject: RE: Remembering Carter Stanley
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 02:46 PM

Hey GP......I don't mean to creep off into the ozone here, but what the hell is that bunch of stuff supposed to be at the bottom of your postings? I know its some emoticon thing, but what?

Spaw

Subject: RE: Remembering Carter Stanley
From: GospelPicker (inactive)
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 02:53 PM

The "@" symbol is my hair... the colon for eyes... the parentheses are the shape of a mouth open to sing... the "greater than" sign is my goatee ala Burl Ives, and the brackets with the plus between them indicate either a Bible or a hymnal (being that I'm one of them narrow-minded fundie Bible-Thumpers, after all...)

GospelPicker

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Subject: RE: Remembering Carter Stanley
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 06 Oct 00 - 07:46 PM

I never saw Carter Stanley, but I listen to him often. I've seen Ralph many times, and he always talks about his brother, still, at every performance. They say that Ralph was a sideman in the duet, singing high harmony to Carter's melody, and didn't feel he could continue to perform after his brother's death. People talked him into it, and he's still performing, 30-odd years later, and still honoring his brother.

When I listen to some of those old gospel duets that the brothers sang, I'm amazed at the power and passion in those simple songs. Carter truly had a great gift, and his music is wonderful.

Subject: RE: Remembering Carter Stanley
From: GUEST,eric royer
Date: 09 Oct 00 - 09:23 AM

I didn't get hooked on Bluegrass till I heard the Stanley brothers sing. Tunes like "A Voice From On High", man thats good. Then Hazel Dickens set the hook. I saw Ralph perform but never Carter, he died when I was one year old. As for the stuff about "Undiscovered" people being good musicians, yeah I agree. The music biz encourages people to not belive this so they can sell the "Stars" records. I grew up with a guy who has been on the cover of Rolling Stone, headlined MTV's music awards, etc... but I know I'm a better musician, technically, emotionally, spititually, (sounds like I'm bitter, maby I am). I think the Cop mentioned earlier in this thread has the right idea.

Subject: RE: Remembering Carter Stanley
From: BanjoRay
Date: 09 Oct 00 - 12:07 PM

I just went to see "Oh Brother where art thou". It had Dr Ralph Stanley's voice singing "Oh Death", the old Dock Boggs song, being mimed to by a guy in a Ku Klux Klan outfit. Its tremendous (as is the whole film. If you're into Old Time, or if you just like music, and laughing, go see it!)
Cheers
Ray