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June 20, 2004
Dear All Ralph Stanley, Stanley Brothers, & Clinch Mountain
Boys Music & Bluegrass/Mountain Music Lovers:
I've been unable to put any comments on this site for a week to 10 days,
and now what's happening here? I do want to agree with you all--this
website is about Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys. I like to
think it's also about my Dad, Carter Stanley, who was the co-owner and founder
of The Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys and who had
wonderful songwriting abilities, a sad, tender heart as big as outer space, who
loved his little brother Ralph unconditionally, and who guided Stanley Music
& The Clinch Mountain Boys for 21+ of the hardest, leanest years they
experienced in their beginning career years. You can't talk about Stanley
music without including the most beautiful blended voices and harmonious singing
& playing I've ever heard in my life-that was the music sung & recorded
during the 21 or so years Carter & Ralph Stanley stood side by side
together on stages, tractor-trailer truck flatbeds, theater bandstands,
outdoor roughed-in platforms & wherever else they could get folks to listen
to them sing all over this world and who traveled millions of miles to take
their music to their fans-which I hope everyone on this website is.
I'd like to think it's also about the Clinch Mountain boys, past and
present, who did so much to make the Stanley Sound what it was, is, and will
become. There are so many of today's BIG bluegrass, country, rock, &
lots of other types of music names who were influenced and learned from
either Daddy, Ralph, or as a Clinch Mountain boy band member or somehow
were influenced by Carter & Ralph Stanley and their work, music,
songwriting, etc. I am, just like most of you, a
dues-paying member of the Ralph Stanley Fan Club and I've
absolutely loved being able to purchase many of the songbooks, videos, CD's and
other memorablia from this website. Haven't ya'll?
BUT-Carter & Ralph Stanley were also young, impressionable unknowns at
one time, and they were also influenced by many OTHER bluegrass performers who
helped pave the way for them, their successes, and the music they performed in
the past and present. I'm not certain those who influenced Daddy &
Ralph should be omitted, should they? Ralph himself has made it a practice
to do much to promote and give young, unknown bluegrass musicians just
starting out a chance and their "big break" into the music business.
Then there's a museum somewhere in Kentucky that Ricky Scaggs---a Ralph
Stanley trainee-- opened a number of years ago (and I'm hoping to visit soon)
that has in it a room called "The Stanley Brothers Room". It contains
lots of things about Ralph & Daddy. I think it's near where Ricky
Scaggs either lives or was born and I believe it has Daddy's very last pair of
boots given to him on his 41st birthday by The Stanley Brothers' International
Fan Club shown climbing up a set of golden steps that lead to---does anyone
recall "Jacob's Ladder"? It has many things about Ralph there & about
Daddy.
I guess I think Ralph is the person who owns the website & he has the
final say about what it's about & what should be included. James Alan
Shelton is his "guardian angel" on the website as far as I know, & James
sort of monitors things & I think tries to let fans know everything he
can, gives upcoming public appearance information, answers questions about Ralph
& other band members from contributors to the site, and just generally keeps
things on an even keel. I've never seen anything James put on the website
that was negative. That should tell us all something.
Bluegrass music, mountain music, Stanley Brothers music, Ralph Stanley
Music, Clinch Mountain Boys music, & a lot of other bluegrass/mountain music
is the best music in this world. Ralph tries to promote not just his
music, but this kind of music in general and he told me personally on 5
September, 2002 and I quote, "I've kept on playing and promotin' this kind
of music and I've promoted Carter every way I could all these years and I wish I
could have promoted him more." Ralph also is a born again Christian,
baptized a few years back. I'd never assume to speak for Ralph, but I
can't imagine that he'd object to anything having to do with the Lord being
associated with his website and/or name & I know Daddy wouldn't. What
beautiful songs Carter & Ralph Stanley have written & sang about the
Lord, and sinners, and the downtrodden, the working man, flood victims, mothers,
death, sorrow, soldiers gone to war, lost in battle, grief, lost love, and
probably lots of other things I've failed to include.
For my part, (even though I've had my hands smacked (so to speak) by a
couple of folks on this website who thought I'd said negative things-but I've
taken their advice, listened to their wisdom, and tried to improve and express
myself in a better, most positive way that doesn't come off sounding ugly,
negative, or nasty because that's just not who I am) I think it's disrespectful
to Ralph Stanley & Carter Stanley & every other person who's associated
with them in any way to allow this website to get mired down in argumentative,
petty, disagreements. I agree with you all, it should be directly
about bluegrass/mountain music & Ralph Stanley's music & Stanley
Brothers music & The Clinch Mountain Boys music as much as possible.
These men are all just plain people, just like you and me, they
put their pants on one leg at the time & have to brush their teeth every
day, and their humanity is partly what makes all of them what they are &
what makes fans love them. I guess you can't leave out a few personal
memories, current happenings, and comments about their personal lives---as long
as we don't invade their personal privacy. They love most of the other
performers of bluegrass/mountain music, and while it should be about Ralph
Stanley & Stanley music, I don't think anyone would get smacked for
including another bluegrass/mountain performer from time to time.
Politics-it sort of creeps up on us, doesn't it? But it's really not
why we're here. EXCEPT-how many US Presidents and other government
officials have given Ralph & Daddy awards, recognition, had them
entertain at the White House, attended the Grand Ole' Opry & helped this
country love and accept bluegrass/mountain music. An occasional political
comment about someone in public office who's done a lot for the country and/or a
lot for bluegrass/mountain music might not get anyone smacked.
There must be at least 1 million people & subjects I've failed to
include here which has somehow impacted on Ralph & Carter Stanley & The
Clinch Mountain Boys. This is Ralph Stanley's website. My guess is
he'll get on here himself if things get too out of hand & he'll kick us all
off if we're too rowdy or veer too far from the subjects & purposes the
website should include, or he'll have James do it if he can't. I'm just
guessing here, but that's the way I try to comport myself.
To the individual who asked about Scotty Stoneman, I can give you the name
of someone to contact who writes for the Washington Post newspaper who is
currently doing a writeup & researching Mr. Stoneman's career. That
would be Mr. Eddie Dean at the Washington Post
website--http://www.washingtonpostonline.com. Mr. Dean writes for the Arts
& Entertainment Section of the Post. Other than that, I can tell you
my husband bought me the most wonderful CD the other day by Ralph Stanley
called "SONGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME". It's got some of the best banjer
pickin' ever done in this world on it. It also has a photograph of
my Grandma Lucy Stanley on the front when she was very young & so
beautiful. I had no idea how much Ralph, Daddy, my sister, & myself
looked like her until I saw the cover of this CD for the very first time 4 days
ago. I had no idea how much she'd influenced Ralph's banjo-playing &
their music until I listened to it over & over & over. It's worth
what I paid for it 100 times over & I'm buying copies for my daughter, my 2
grandbabies & keep & a half-dozen extra ones for them to hand on down to
their children & a couple for me to keep as I'm going to wear this one our
for sure & need more copies to listen to.
Shouldn't we all, please, out of respect for Ralph Stanley &
Carter Stanley & all the Clinch Mountain Boys & their families keep
loving mountain & bluegrass music, keep supporting the music, keep writing
and exchanging good, positive information related to Ralph, their lives,
their music, current performances, past events, memories, jokes, antecdotes,
honors, & other positive things past, present & future that have
influenced them and/or this wonderful music they make in general? I really
love reading the information that's provided on the website even though my bar
exam studies don't allow me to write much now. You folks know a lot about
this music that I don't, and I appreciate getting the information given
here.
I'm only one fan & participant on this website thingey, but I do so
love everyone who supports the music Daddy & Ralph love and make so
beautifully and I hope we can all try to keep it positive, informative,
current, and keep participating and supporting Ralph Stanley, The Clinch
Mountain Boys, Stanley Brothers music, and keep loving mountain & bluegrass
music, it's just the best.
Cordially,
A Devoted Stanley Music Fan,
Doris Stanley Bradley.
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- Re: BG: Re: Re: Can't we all just get along at this table ?... BanjoTroy23
- BG: Re: BG and it's Influences Doris Bradley
- BG: Re: BG and it's Influences Renee'
- BG: Re: Re: BG and it's Influences Doris Bradley
- Re: BG: Re: Re: Can't we all just get along at this ta... JPlemen
