2/8/2005 Dear Renee':
I get them because I paid dues & joined "The Ralph Stanley Fan Club". There's a link on Ralph's website which gives you all the info on where to send your check, prices, etc. There are also several CD's, songbooks, & other memorabalia you can purchase from different sources. I bought a number of items since I was living overseas & didn't have the opportunity to see my family or the band perform often & I simply had no other way of getting many of the items offered on Ralph's website (& elsewhere) that I purchased. I also don't like to ask for "freebies"-unless it's directly from Ralph, Sr, so I've always tried to pay my dues & purchase things when I can't see Ralph, Sr, or family members to get an occasional "freebie". Plain & simply stated, if there's something I want for my collection, & I can't get it by seeing some of my family, through www.countysales.com, www.appelshop.com (appelshop may not be spelled right but I've found great things to buy there), or on E-Bay (which has lots of Stanley Brothers items I've purchased) I buy it from whomever is selling it. I sent one check to join The Ralph Stanley Fan Club made out to the fan club, then one check to "James Alan Shelton" since James handles sales for certain of the absoloutely wonderful Stanley Brothers Song & Mempory books that are for sale there & some other items I purchased called for a 3rd check to someone else selling things on the band's official website. Then I had to buy several items for my cousins, etc & tell them how to get things online. The name of the fan club newsletter is "The Clinch Mountain Express", and it comes out every other month or so. I love it because it keeps me up to date on where Ralph, Sr & CM Boys will be appearing for a couple of months in advance, where Ralph II will be appearing, lists new CD's to buy, & things like the Museum's opening, etc. This newsletter also does a good job of keeping folks informed on "the personal side" of Ralph's family & also on the band & even individual band members' professional progress, honors, Grammy nominations & happenings in the bluegrass music world as well. About the "nose"-it looks fine on Ralph, Sr & thankfully all his kids look more like their Mother than like our side of the family, it was just beautiful on my Grandma Lucy Stanley & of course Daddy was so handsome with it, but it does give me some pause sometimes. My husband says it's fine & my folks used to say I was silly to worry about my nose. Unfortunately the saggy eyelids I have as well, along with my sister. You're right on about the cheekbones-from Grandma Lucy, I think but they sure are grand! WHEN I find a plastic surgeon, I'll get you a price list---but you shouldn't worry about that sort of thing until you're 50 years old or more. Plastic surgery is only for folks over 50 years old who REALLY need it since it's never cheap---& it takes you 50 years at least to save up enough money to pay for it! I once mentioned it to Jimmie, Ralph's wife, since she's been able to keep her looks well beyond age 50 without it, & we decided you just had to make the best of what you had at any age! A lot of it is just plain genetic, also-in the telomeres in the DNA. I guess age does shrink us all-you're exactly right there. It just shocks me sometimes when it's been several years since I've seen Ralph that he ages-my Aunt Jimmie does all the worrying but still looks great! Daddy was 41 years old when he died, & had 3 grey hairs in his entire life, too. Ralph was nearly 60 before his hair greyed enough to notice. Another worthwhile organization is the IBMA-I'm considering the lifetime membership for my hubby & me since it goes to support the awards & all membership dues goes towards the furtherence of Bluegrass Music. I don't really care who reads this----I try my best to make contributions, give information on things I know if I think it's helpful, let others know about good "finds" that I've purchased or gotten, & places & ways they can support bluegrass music. I do it from not only the position of Carter Stanley's daughter & Ralph Stanley's neice, but I try to speak from the standpoint of a dues-paying, CD-buying fan of everything Stanley Brothers & CM Boys. I guess if someone doesn't like it, they can say so & get it off their chest, but it won't change my support & love for all things Stanley---musical & family--- & all things Bluegrass & it won't keep me from continuing to buy CD's, pay dues, & financially & verbally support the music my father worked so hard to promote every way I can afford to. I also love just reading things posted here & can't participate or comment often, but love keeping up with things here & I LEARN more things here than I'd be able to know otherwise. Hope you like married life & you're too happy to describe. Keep loving bluegrass music, it's the best music in the world! Cordially your friend, Doris Stanley Bradley Quoting Renee' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: " " observation about a Stanley family resemblence : " " " " I've just gotten my copy of the Bluegrass Standard (Ralph Stanley fan club " " newsletter), " " " " * Hi Doris... okay.... how do I get these newsletter's?? " " There's a club and I haven't joined?? Where do I sign up? " " :o) " " " " and am saddened to observe that (to me) Ralph, Sr. seems to have grown " " smaller with age as my Mamaw Lucy (his & my Daddy's wonderful mother) did. " " He looks quite small & vulnerable standing beside all those other folks on " " the front photo of the newsletter " " " " * Oh my Dad has shrunk down to a little feller now too. " " He was once a strapping man.... either that or I was REAL " " short as a kid. <grin> But I don't think that's just a " " Stanley genetic thing.... I think it's called "spondolethesis" " " or something like that. It's just wear the older the discs " " are... the smaller they get and the shorter the person gets. " " Lol... All my grandparents shrank before my eyes. The " " Stanleys, The Gibsons, The Hills... all of 'em. And... " " I guess I will too. (shrugs) But it's not the size of the " " man.... it's the size of the ... ??? ... memory fails me. " " Attitude??? " " " " (I have the "Stanley Roman Nose" also, anyone know a GOOD plastic surgeon " " who works CHEAP???) " " " " * Lol... that's too funny. My Dad has it too, but I escaped it. I do have " " the "Stanley saggy eyelids" though. " " Lol... you find a cheap plastic surgeon... ask about lid lifts for me, " " okay? You gotta' love our cheekbones though. :o) " " We gotta have something to look at besides our nose " " and eyelids. " " " " " " If you watch Ralph, Sr., he'll sometimes hold his left hand across his " " right wrist, holding onto the right wrist at " " about waist height & when he stands he appears taller on one side than the " " other. " " " " * That's every Stanley I know, except for my Uncle Don... " " I think they call that stance "humbleness". :o) In " " Uncle Don's case.... it's called onryness. Lol. He stands " " with his hands on his hips like he's ready to fight. " " .... like allot of people nowadays, unfortunately. <grin> " " " " We've said it before and maybe I'll say it once more... " " oh what the heck, I will .... there's more to this man and " " his band than the songs. People need to lighten up and " " enjoy some "porch stories" sometimes. (wink) " " " " Uh oh... I'm not out to get us grounded to the back room " " again Doris. (hehe... gotta' love humor in life too.... it's " " an absolute necessity... unless ya' just CHOSE to be " " an old grouch!) I'm gonna' sit on my hands now. " " " " People?? We just wanna' have some fun. sorry. " " " " An ever-lovin' Stanley kin, " " Renee' Stanley-Scheffler " " " " (ironic that I married George Scheffler, huh?.... kinda' " " close there... lol... just a vowel away) " " Okay... I'm not Vanna... I'm shutting up now. " " :ox " " " " " " " " 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/
