11/30/2005 Dear Willie & All:
GREAT-thanks Willie! Ernie Thacker, Roy Lee Centers, Charlie Sizemore---all greats that I just couldn't name right at that moment,all sort of "trained" by Ralph as he found his way "after Daddy" as we all tried to do & all these folks have turned out to be GREAT performers in their own right. Ralph more or less became the "training ground" for many of the LEADING names in music today after Daddy was gone & he had to try to find a lead singer not to replace Daddy, but to sing lead for his group in a way that he could learn to live with. Roy Lee was scary in a way-Ralph voiced my own feelings on his singing by saying that at times when he closed his eyes, he couldn't tell whether he was hearing Daddy's lead singing voice OR Roy Lee's singing lead for him. That pretty much says it all. Roy Lee's death was something to this day I can't put into perspective. I still feel very sad at his loss. It's very hard for me to imagine one person intentionally harming another, but losing Roy Lee was quite a blow to Ralph and we all lost a truly wonderful talent. Keith Whitley comes to mind with his wonderful voice and the sadness of his loss also. Willie, do you happen to know WHERE in Tennessee that Charlie Sizemore practices law? I was unaware that he was a lawyer, however, I know he is a very gifted and talented singer/musician. Steve Earle is GREAT-I was unaware he'd done such a song. Like you, even though I love MANY different kinds of music, there are certain artists that no matter HOW much I LOVE to hear them sing, I refuse to support them financially by purchasing records, tickets, etc because I don't agree with their actions and think they're reflecting badly on the industry as a whole & setting a BAD example for fans & others. BUT-we all have a right to do that & all the lives that were lost in Viet Nam, Korea, & both world wars were given to protect that freedom that we have to CHOOSE what we listen to-you're so, so RIGHT! Each of us can choose what we like, buy, & listen to. BUT-I learned from BOTH Daddy & Ralph that tolerance is a true virtue and unless another individual (or country, law, etc) is DIRECTLY harming me or my family or society in general-setting a bad example, etc, differences in people should be ALLOWED-not copied or glorified, they used to say, but you shouldn't interfere unduly with an idiot's right to be an idiot if that makes him happy & he isn't hurting anyone else with his idiocy! I can honestly say that Daddy & Grandma Lucy BOTH used to say, "without BAD folks to show your kids NOT TO ACT LIKE OR COPY, it'd be harder to teach your kids the RIGHT way to behave, wouldn't it"? I'm pretty fatalistic, I think all things are part of some grand master plan that they happen for a reason. We were taught that you can't stop others from being dumb & behaving badly, but you can control it by your OWN RESPONSE TO THE BAD BEHAVIOR! Daddy believed that & from the discussions I've had with Ralph & Aunt Jimmie, they do also. Daddy & Ralph were both true believers in God, but they didn't talk much about that publicly & they felt that everyone had a right to believe or not believe as each person chooses-neither one tried to deliberately force their ways or beliefs onto anyone else except they teach their children their own belief systems. Both Stanley Brothers have tried to set good examples for their children to follow & I think their children's adult lives show their success. I hope I can get away with saying, politics don't belong here, you're exactly right on that score, too! This is about music, & unless they're passing laws to do with royalties, songwriting & performers' rights, musician's free speech rights, etc, I'm for leaving politicians off here & politics also. I think I experienced something phenomenal from 1998-2004 when my husband & I lived abroad in another country. I found out just how LOW the opinion of most of the rest of the world is of us Americans & how badly we're perceived in other countries. We visited about 10 foreign countries BEFORE we decided where we wanted to live outside the US (so I could go to law school in half the time it would take in the USA) and we constantly defended America. That made me realize that we have to LOVE this country, we have to be loyal Americans & support one another & our government-right or wrong-because nobody else in the world does! Most of the rest of the world sort of thinks Americans are totally materialistic, we riot in the streets all the time, & after the election of 2000, that we're going to slowly destroy ourselves by imploding from within because we just cannot manage to get along with one another. THAT makes me VERY patriotic, I refuse to really criticize the government unless I see REAL evidence of wrongdoing & then to criticize THAT AS A BAD ACTION, & use it to show how folks OUGHT TO BEHAVE, & I try to support our leaders if I can & say nothing if I don't agree with them. I'm afraid if we do otherwise, we're setting ourselves up for another 9/11/2001. "A house divided against itself...." We all must stick together! It just seems to me-and I readily admit if I had to go into combat or put on a uniform & fight for this country, we'd all be in trouble, BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE COURAGE Daddy & Ralph & every other person who has defended all our rights & freedoms at war have-we'd just have to get conquered because I'm a chicken & I'm terrified of guns, bullets, & war in general! It seems to me that a country who spends all its' efforts, technological advances, manpower & MONEY to fight wars cannot prosper and advance in the other vital areas we must conquer and work for. IF we spend our talents to conquer disease, poverty, ignorance---and to go FORWARD, we can conquer those things eventually but we'll never conquer all our adversaries because there will always be another suicide bomber or terrorist or leader who wants power & to conquer others at all costs. It seems to me much wiser to direct ourselves to making progress in vital areas & to just eliminate anyone-quickly, cleanly & finally without involving our entire country in a war & making our citizens pay with their & their sons, brothers, etc lives- who gives us no other way to deal with them so we can go forward as a culture. The music we love and talk about here is part of that culture, one of the best parts of it. Willie, did you get murdered-oops! I mean married, yet? Can I perhaps dance at your wedding, please? I hope you're as happy with your intended as I have been with my 2nd husband. I wouldn't trade marriage for being single again for anything in the world & I truly hope your experience is as happy. Please everyone keep giving us your opinion. Everytime someone here tells us how they feel, they put themselves out for us to see & share & whether or not we agree with them, we can learn & respect their rights as indidividuals and we can share in their experiences & knowledge of music. This promotes music to me. I've learned so much more about bluegrass-gospel-mountain music here than in any book or magazine though I've read & subscribe to lots of them. There are many times I hear someone else's opinion & I realize I'd just never thought of it that way-because I didn't know what they know or hadn't heard that particular view of something. I'm amazed at how much I DON"T know & for my part, please keep teaching, sharing, & giving us your opinions & knowledge about music, performers, concerts, records, etc here. I hope nobody starts wanting to kick anyone off the website, it's counterproductive, and if we all try to speak up when we DO agree with & like something, maybe we can stay constructive & promote music here. I intend to look for CD's by 2 new performers which I just learned about-RIGHT HERE! I'd simply never heard of them & I'm eager to listen to them because of some wise person who named them here! There are surely many more good performers & much more good music we can all experience together in this forum. Daddy & Ralph put YOU folks first-they both live by the rule that without fans they're out of business! If anyone is close to Pigeon Forge & Dollywood, Ralph II will be appearing there within the next 2 weeks, please be sure to catch his show. I don't think Big Ralph is coming, but I'm going to try my best to catch II's performance as part of WinterFest. Keep loving bluegrass & mountain music, it's the very best music in the world! Cordially your friend, Doris Bradley Quoting Willie Carter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: " " " " I agree Doris, " " " " I think Vietnam has already taken enough from us. Ive neglected to comment " " " " on this and for reason. There is many different conflicting opinions about " " " " the vietnam war in general, as there will be about our current conflict in " " " " the middle east. I personally believe that music and politics are 2 " " seperate entities, politics being the evil one. " " " " Through most of my childhood, I was always a huge Steve Earle fan. I " " always " " loved his music, and he's an amazing songwriter. I thought his work with " " the Del Mcoury band was excellent, and still listen to alot of it often. " " Then a couple years back, he recorded a song that evidently seeked pitty " " for " " treasonist, terrorist, and etc, etc, named John Walker Lindh, i believe it " " " " was titled "John Walker Blues". I have to be honest, Ive not thought the " " same of Steve Earle since. I admit, Im still, and always will be a fan of " " " " his prior music, and ill gladly listen to any new and exciting projects. " " But for my own conscience and my own beliefs, I will not be buying any " " concert tickets. Thats my right, as an American, Just as he has the right " " " " to record a song defending a treasonist. It's just a touchy subject, and " " when an artist makes music that leaps into political boundaries, somebody " " will be offended. Steve Earle may have dealt himself a bad hand, but im " " sure he thought of that before he recorded that song. Ever hear the saying " " " " that you have to sleep in the bed you made youself? I can name a countless " " " " bunch who made a bad bed so to speak. Jane Fonda, Sinead Oconner, Steve " " Earle, and the list goes on and on....... " " " " Its just a plain touchy subject and I believe we would all get along a " " little better if we seperated the lines between music and politics. " " " " For the person seeking information on "hair rasing" artists like the " " Stanleys, i have a couple of recommendations. If you have the chance to " " pick up some of Ralphs records that includes Roy lee Centers, you may be " " pleased. Ralph often introduced Roy lee as his second favorite lead singer " " " " (Carter being his first obviously). Roy Lee had alot of the same charisma " " " " that Carter did, and sounded amazingly close to the way Carter sounded. Roy " " " " Lee Died young, and another great career was ended without prospering the " " way it should have. " " " " If you have the chance to listen the Ernie Thacker and Route 23. Ernie is " " a " " former Clinch Mountain Boy, and uses that Stanley sound with some good hard " " " " driving Bluegrass, definelty worth a listen. " " " " Charlie Sizemore, yet another former Clinch mountain Boy is very good as " " well. I think he practices law in Tennessee now and doesnt tour much, but " " " " he does have several albums out that are outstanding. " " " " I may get a lot of heat for this but another reccomendation is Third Tyme " " Out. these fellows are all masters of their instruments, Harmonies matched " " " " by none. Alot of people dont like them saying they lack traditionalism, I " " " " really dont think thats true. They do have alot of contemporary songs, but " " " " they perform alot of traditional tunes as well, with their own spin " " ofcourse. And Russell moore, the lead singer definelty can rasie you from " " " " your seat. He has an amazing voice that you just have to hear to " " appreciate. " " " " " " " " " " >From: Doris Bradley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> " " >Reply-To: [email protected] " " >To: [email protected] " " >Subject: Re: BG: Joan Baez " " >Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2005 20:01:14 -0600 " " > " " > " " >11/29/2005 " " > " " >Dear All: " " > " " >I wish we could all be as nice & tolerant as most of us are here. IF we " " >can all " " >just remember that this website is about Stanley music, Ralph & his bunch " " " " >of " " >great musicians, and so many others who do so much to promote music and " " >work so " " >hard to ensure that we can continue to hear it all the time we all have " " >much to " " >share with one another here. Buddy, you're one of our voices of reason " " >here " " >along with several others, thanks! " " > " " >Vietnam has already taken enough from us all, don't you think? We can't " " go " " >back " " >and redo that terrible mistake that cost us the lives of so many, many of " " " " >our " " >brightest & best. It's a good thing I'm not head of the world, folks. " " I'd " " >probably get fired the first day I was head of this country! I think the " " " " >first " " >thing I'd do is try to figure out why none of the people we elect & send " " to " " >represent us EVER votes the way we want them to AFTER they get up to " " >Washington-that'd probably take me the rest of my born days, huh? IF we " " >could " " >just figure out what happens to elected officials between the campaign " " >promises " " >& their VOTES on issues, I think we could probably cure all the ills of " " the " " >world! I'm all for making every vote on every issue public so we can " " >figure " " >out how someone who's FOR something while campaigning turns around & " " votes " " >AGAINST that something 22 times the first year he/she is in office. " " > " " >What I am absolutely amazed at is that just in the last week or so my " " >respect " " >for the people participating here has absolutely GROWN by leaps & bounds. " " >We've had discussion-even if we don't agree about everything, we all agree " " " " >we " " >love Ralph & his band & this music-and lots of people have participated " " and " " >given input. I've read messages here from a gentleman from England who " " is " " >actually getting a masters' degree in music & loves bluegrass-HOW GREAT " " IS " " >THAT, GUYS? Even if we don't agree with everything everyone here says or " " " " >does, " " >I'm very proud to know that folks from so far away, from so many walks of " " " " >life " " >love this music. And other folks are stepping right up to the plate, " " >introducing themselves-I was so impressed with the gentleman who writes " " >poetry. " " > Most great songwriters are GREAT poets, sir, right on there! That's " " what " " >made " " >Daddy & Ralph get in music & stay there through all the hard, lean years " " >when " " >it was hard to buy gas to get to the next show & hard to feed all us kids " " " " >at " " >home. Somehow, wise as they were, they knew this music would grow and " " >prosper " " >and the following would be as huge as it is now someday. They used to " " play " " >personal appearances where there'd be 25 people, tops, in the audience to " " >listen. Daddy put on a show just as good as if there were 25,000 PEOPLE " " >sitting out there-they played & sang their heart out, and were so thankful " " " " >for " " >people just like you all here who kept on coming out to hear them and buy " " >records and kept talking & discussing their music. I know for a fact that " " " " >BOTH " " >Ralph & my Daddy hope every one of you keeps discussing their music, " " keeps " " >talking about it, & keeps loving music forever. Both Stanley Brothers " " >recognize that there are a number of very good performers and they " " promoted " " >other musical performers all the time. Ralph has said many times he sees " " " " >some " " >of the younger performers in this type music who are coming up now & " " thinks " " >when he's gone it'll be in pretty good hands. I couldn't agree more. " " > " " >To the individual who has asked if there are others who raise the hairs on " " " " >the " " >back of your neck like Daddy & Ralph-NO! Let me quote my Daddy to answer " " " " >that. " " > When he introduced the band members, he'd often say, "My name is Carter " " " " >Stanley " " >& this is my brother Ralph and we're the Stanley Brothers and these other " " " " >boys " " >here making such good music are the Clinch Mountain Boys. We're the REAL " " >thing, folks, the Stanley Brothers-often imitated but never duplicated!" " " " " >Of " " >course, I'm biased, prejudiced, etc, so perhaps someone else should also " " >answer " " >this one? " " > " " >However, also to this person, there are many, many fine performers who " " are " " >carrying on the tradition of bluegrass, gospel & "mountain" type music. " " >The " " >people on THIS very website have an absolute TREASURE CHEST of knowledge, " " >information, experiences & can tell you about MOST of them. I never cease " " " " >to " " >be amazed at the things you all KNOW & discuss here. I know many of you " " >can " " >give this gentleman names of GREAT bluegrass performers-Rhonda Vincent, " " >Larry " " >Sparks, Jim & the Virginia Boys, Ricky Skaggs, Dolly Parton is singing a " " >LOT of " " >bluegrass these days, Josh Graves, Allison Krauss & Union Station, James " " " " >King, " " >Ralph Stanley II-watch out for that name, my prediction is you'll be " " >hearing it " " >LOTS in the future, The Lewis Family, and on and on and on....You all help " " " " >out " " >here, you folks know more than I ever will about the good ones and the " " >better " " >ones & then the best performers around now. " " > " " >If anyone listened to the "Country Music Association" awards show Nov. 15, " " " " >is it " " >just me, and the fact that I only saw the last 65 minutes of the broadcast " " " " >here " " >over Knoxville's tv station, but was everyone on there signing SACRED " " songs " " >or " " >WHAT? The last 3 or 4 numbers (not Dolly Parton & Elton John's version " " of " " >Imagine) were ALL gospel, sacred songs. When I hear that, knowing how " " far " " >"country" music has strayed from its roots at times, it makes me think " " >there's " " >hope for this civilization after all. Seeing so many people participate " " >here " " >who have so much to give one another & know so very much about this field " " >impresses the heck out of me! " " > " " >I'm not nearly as good at this as Renee & Willie, but pass the " " CAFFEINATED " " >decaf, give me a handkerchief, giggle, & can somebody tell me what is a " " >"Digest", please? I never heard of such a thing to do with a website, but " " " " >it " " >must be okay because somebody here wants to get one & asked about it. " " What " " >it " " >is? " " > " " >Keep loving bluegrass & gospel music, it's the very best music in the " " >world! " " > " " >Cordially your friend, " " > " " > " " > " " >Doris S. Bradley " " > " " >Quoting Buddy Woodward <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: " " > " " >" " " " >" " > Joan Baez? I wouldn't give her the time of day after her " " >" " > Vietnam protest. Please don't send me this junk. " " >" " " " >" " Well obviously that didn't bother Ralph when he invited her to appear " " " " >on " " >" " Clinch Mountain Sweethearts (& of course history has subsequently " " >turned " " >" " out " " >" " to prove the war protesters were on the correct side of the " " argument). " " >" " " " >" " Most civilized people of differing viewpoints can "agree to disagree" " " >" " without getting contentious, disparaging each other's character or " " >calling " " >" " each other names. " " >" " " " >" " I'm beginning to suspect that concept is lost on more than a few of " " the " " >" " folks here... " " >" " " " >" " bw " " >" " " " >" " ****************************************************************** " " >" " BUDDY WOODWARD - [EMAIL PROTECTED] " " >" " - - - - - - " " >" " BUDDY WOODWARD & THE NITRO EXPRESS " " >" " http://www.buddywoodward.net " " >" " - - - - - - " " >" " THE DIXIE BEE LINERS - bluegrass with a buzz " " >" " http://www.dixiebeeliners.com " " >" " ****************************************************************** " " >" " " " >" " " " >" " " " >" " 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/ " " >" " " " > " " >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/ " " " " " " 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/ " " 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/
