1/23/2005 Dear All:
If I may be so bold as to comment on "An Evening Long Ago", everyone who ever listened to & loved Carter & Ralph Stanley WOULD LOVE IT, in my opinion. I'm just Carter Stanley's oldest daughter, Ralph's neice, but this CD WAS NOT an "old title". These songs were recorded by someone named "Larry Earlick" (which, incidentally if anyone knows how to contact Larry Earlick, where he lives, who he is, etc, I'd be so very grateful if you'd let me know this information as I've been searching for him since his name was mentioned to me by Ralph on 9/5/2002). Mr. Earlick convinced Daddy, Ralph, & some old CM Boys to accompany him back to the WCYB Radio STation recording studio in Bristol,Virginia well after midnight on this particular "Evening Long Ago" to record, right off the cuff, no rehearsals, some of the songs I've never heard elsewhere, and where absolutely no studio accompaniment or dubbing or the normal formalities of a recording session were present. Both Daddy & Ralph were dead tired, had done a radio show (I think that's correct, someone will certainly haul me up & correct me if it's not), a hog calling contest, & possibly played a personal appearance that same evening. Mr. Earlick, after what I understand was several "NO's" from both brothers, finally was able to convince them to accompany him back to WCYB. What was recorded that night was nothing short of pure, brilliant, God-given talent and off-the-cuff Carter & Ralph Stanley-made musical history. I have been to the WCYB studios many times when I was between the age of 3 & 5 years old. It is one of my most cherished memories of my tall, wonderful, handsome, tender & loving Daddy. Every week or so The Stanley Brothers would go to the WCYB Radio Station which was at that time either very near or possibly located over the old Shelby Hotel in Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee. Each & every time they taped a radio show at WCYB stations, it was a wonderful and cherished opportunity for me, Carter Stanley's only (at that time) daughter, his little blonde darling whom he treated like a Queen and loved beyond all reason according to my Mama & everybody else who was around us then, to get my hair rolled up on bobby pins (which I had to SLEEP in because Daddy wouldn't let me go if my hair wasn't curled & I wasn't dressed in my prettiest dresses which he himself picked out & bought for me, because he said I was "Daddy's beautiful blonde girlfriend, she's my best girl and my only real love, fellers, so just don't go getting no ideas about this one, she's all mine"). Those weekly WCYB taping sessions were my chance to dazzle Daddy with what he made me feel was my radiant beauty & feminine charms, & my time to charm him & have him & his attention EXCLUSIVELY ALL TO MYSELF for 45 minutes or so after each taping session! Only one other person has ever made me feel so beautiful & special as I felt accompanying Carter Stanley to WCYB every week for our "weekly milkshake dates". These regular weekly or so dates consisted of Daddy's ordering 1 vanilla milkshake with 2 straws & pretending to drink half of the milkshake with me out of his straw while I guzzled most of it from another straw from the same big milkshake glass in a silver holder. I'd have to wait sometimes down in the hotel coffee shop with "Roscoe", the man who worked behind the Shelby Hotel Coffee Shop cafe' counter while Daddy & Ralph taped the show. Occasionally they'd let me come up & sit around on various laps during a taping, or a lull in the activity, but mostly I had to sit & not say a word while I was up there because they were taping shows or on live radio. (I later enjoyed the same privilege during their tapings of their weekly TV show taped & broadcast over Channel 4, WJXT Television in Jacksonville, Florida where they taped for their sponsor, Jim Walter Homes after we moved to Live Oak, Florida). Those dates and times are memories which will remain alive and treasured as long as I live, I've passed this story down to my daughter & my granddaughter & grandson, and once I ever get around to writing a book I have outlined, I hope they will live on forever as stories of Carter Stanley's love of his children and his respect and admiration for the women in his life. He was such a gentleman and taught me what being female was all about & what kind of respect & treatment to demand from the men in my life from my earliest memory. I've only been able to listen to one side of "An Evening Long Ago". I cried all the way through that side & I'm going to listen to it again & also to the other side soon. I heard the weariness, tenderness, and beauty of Carter STanley performing at his very best. I don't think either brother expected this recording to be sold at all-they were candid, spontaneous, & wonderful. Those songs are pure musical genius, Ralph comes in with some banjo playing that you'll never hear again, and both boys voices blended in a way I've never heard before or since on the songs I've listened to thus far. I've purchased several copies for myself (I tend to wear them out, even the CD's), & plan to purchase 2 each for my daughter, granddaughter, & grandson as I think this is one of the most wonderful Stanley Brothers recordings I've come across. I'm so humbly grateful to have it & be able to remember those times & some of the people who were involved in The Stanley Brothers lives during those early years. Don't miss it. It's too good to pass up. I hope you all don't mind my sharing my few memories of this particular period with you. Cordially your friend, Doris Stanley Bradley Bluegrass Bulletin Board brought to you by the fan club of Dr Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys subscribe or unsubscribe at http://drralphstanley.com/
